Advisor(s). (Chapter Advisors) Each Sigma Chi chapter has a Chapter Advisor. He is an alumnus, and acts as the chapter's link with the national officers and Fraternity.
Affiliate. A member of Sigma Chi who was an active at one university and then transfers to another university where there is a chapter can "affiliate" with that chapter as long as he was in good standing when he left his former chapter.
Alumnus (plural: Alumni.) A graduated member of Sigma Chi or one who is no longer on campus. He is eligible to become a member of any Sigma Chi alumni association or chapter throughout the world.
Badge. Each fraternity has a badge, worn by initiated members. The meaning of the symbols and other markings on the badge are secret to members. Pledges wear a pledge pin denoting their pledge status in the fraternity. Only initiated Sigma Chi brothers (and Sweethearts) are permitted to wear the badge.
Bid. (Tap) A formal invitation to join the offering fraternity or sorority as a member of the incoming pledge class or associate member class for that chapter. This may be accepted or rejected, but only one bid may be accepted from any fraternity.
Big Brother. An active member who is paired with an associate member or pledge to help guide him through his pledgeship.
Brother. Term used among active and alumnus members of a fraternity to describe fellow members of that fraternity. Pledges can be said to be "pledge brothers".
Chapter. An organization of men on a college campus having direct affiliation with a national or international fraternity, which has chapters on many university campuses. Each chapter has its own governing bylaws in addition to the General Fraternity's governing regulations. Chapters are designated by one or a combination of Greek letters (i.e. Delta Omicron Chapter of Sigma Chi).
Charter. The formal, printed document which establishes a chapter as a legal affiliate of Sigma Chi. Charters are usually prominently displayed in the Chapter house.
Colony. A group of men, organized as a chapter, which has petitioned a national fraternity for affiliation, but has not yet received formal acceptance.
Composite. Pictures of all members and pledges are taken during the school year by a professional photographer and put into a designated format. Many composites are displayed on the walls in most Sigma Chi chapter houses.
Constantine Sig. This designation is given to those alumni who have given years of service to Sigma Chi and have been recognized by the Fraternity for their contributions. Each year, up to fourteen men may be inducted into the Order of Constantine, and given this highest of distinctions.
Continuous Open Bidding (COB). Recruitment after rush ends to extend bids to qualified members of the student body who for some reason missed or were excluded from the rush.
Crest. The "coat of arms" of a fraternity. The crest has various symbols which have meaning to the initiated members.
Depledge. If a pledge determines that fraternity life is not for him or if the particular fraternity he pledged is not for him, he may choose to "depledge," relinquishing his rights to continue his pledgeship, and to be initiated. A pledge can also be "depledged" by a Chapter for a variety of reasons. Most often a person is "depledged", or asked to leave, it is because they have carried out actions which have in some way brought discredit or embarrassment to the fraternity, they have failed to meet minimal requirements during their pledgeship, they have shown not to be men that embody The Jordan Standard, they do not live up to the high expectations of the active or alumni Chapters, or if they act in a manner unbecoming of a Sigma Chi.
Derby Days. This is our annual international philanthropy event, where money is raised for the CMN Childrens Miracle Network, and their corresponding Childrens Hospitals. Numerous fundraising activities usually occur involving the Chapter and all the sororities on campus. This has proven to be the largest philanthropy event of the Greek World.
Dry Rush. No alcohol is served at these rush events or parties. Sigma Chi, as well as most national fraternities, require their chapters to conduct dry rush and to follow the rules set up by local Interfraternity Council and school administration.
Executive. The Chapter Officers with positions and specific responsibilities. Executive meetings occur with reports by all the executive, and they are open to all actives, alumni, pledges, and sweethearts. There is also an annual Executive retreat.
Exchange. A social event between two or more chapters, usually between two or more fraternity and sorority Chapters. A sorority often will be invited to come to the Chapter house to meet our brothers and pledges, mingle, and usually engage in an entertaining activity or game together.
Formal. (Also semi-formal) A dinner and dance held by a chapter, typically once a semester, where chapter members dress in formal attire and are accompanied by a date. Our formal is easily one of the classiest events in the Greek system, and is named Sweetheart Ball, because it is when we announce who our Chapter Sweetheart will be for the year.
Frat. Abbreviation of Fraternity, a nickname that is generally offensive.
GDI.For God Damn Independent. The term for students not affiliated with any Greek organization.
Grand Chapter. The name given to Sigma Chi's International Convention, which convenes every two years. At this convention, meetings are held to discuss all aspects of the fraternity, to elect officers, to amend the Constitution, if necessary, and to conduct whatever business is needed. The Grand Chapter is made up of delegates from every undergraduate and alumni chapter.
Greek. Any member of a Greek lettered fraternity or sorority.
Hazing. Hazing is any initiation or pre-initiation activity or event which causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm. Hazing activities are outlawed by law and all national fraternities. A chapter found guilty of hazing is in jeopardy of losing its charter and being declared inactive by the national organization, as well as being prosecuted by the university and law enforcemert. The university is likely to punish a group found guilty of hazing by placing it on probation or rendering some other form of punishment.
Horizons. This is is a challenging and proven leadership program specifically created for Sigma Chi underclassmen who are eager and willing to improve themselves and their world. Not much can be said of this spectacular program, it must be experienced.
Housing Corp. Short for housing corporation; the association of alumni who guide a chapter and typically maintain title to real property associated with the chapter.
Independent. A person who is not a member of a fraternity or sorority.
Initiation. The ceremony in which a pledge becomes a member of a member of Sigma Chi. To be initiated into Sigma Chi, a pledge must (1) be in good standing academically and (2) fulfill the requirements of pledgeship required by his chapter and the General Fraternity. The initiation ceremonies are formal, secret, and are an introduction to the Ritual.
Installation. The ceremony in which a man who has accepted a bid formally becomes a pledge of Sigma Chi, and recieves his pledge pin. The term also refers to the official chartering of a chapter. It can also be used when newly elected officers formally take on teir new positions.
Interfraternity Council (IFC). The governing body for fraternities on most campuses. It is composed of members of all recognized Greek-letter social fraternities on that campus. Serves to organize events and solve disputes between Fraternities, and represents Fraternities to the University, campus, and community at large.
International Fraternity. Sigma Chi has chapters at universities in the United States and Canada and is therefore an International Fraternity. Sigma Chi is also the largest Greek lettered International Fraternity in the world.
Intramurals. Sporting events offered through the SRC; chapters typically field teams to participate.
I-Week. Sometimes referred to as Hell-Week, Indoctrination-Week, Initiation-Week, or Introspection-Week. The final week of pledgeship for most pledges, that has the initiation ceremonies for those who are worthy.
Lavaliere. A pendant with a fraternity's or sorority's Greek letters on it
Leadership Consultant (LC). Each year, international hires six to eight recently graduated brothers as full-time, salaried traveling consultants. These brothers visit approximately 30 undergraduate chapters, serve as the official liaisons between the General Fraternity and its undergraduate chapters, alumni and host institutions, and have a profound impact on the direction and success of Sigma Chi.
Leadership Training Workshop (LTW). Also known as BLTW, for Balfour. Each August Sigma Chi conducts a workshop on a college campus for the presidents, vice-presidents, treasurers, pledge trainers, rush chairmen, Chapter Advisors, House Corporation Officers, and province directors of all chapters. The purpose of the workshop is to prepare these officers for their positions during the upcoming school year and to educate them on changes in policies and regulations. It provides useful resources for brothers to implement in improving their Chapter or the Fraternity, as well as strengthening leadership qualities in them as individuals.
Legacy. The male relative (son, grandson, nephew, brother, etc.) of a Sigma Chi. If one has had two or three relatives already as Sigma Chi's then they are double or triple legacys. If you are rushing Sigma Chi and are a legacy, please do not hesitate to let us know, if we do not already.
Letters. The Greek symbols associated with a fraternity, sorority, or chapter. Only initiated Sigma Chi brothers (and Sweethearts) are permitted to wear our Sigma Chi letters.
Life Loyal Sig. An initiated Sigma Chi can become a Life Loyal Sig by paying a specified amount to the General Fraternity. This entitles him to a lifetime of information about Sigma Chi, free subscriptions to the Magazine of Sigma Chi, Sigma Chi merchandise, and other benefits. Many parents give their son a Life Loyal Sig membership for his birthday, a Christmas present, or graduation.
Local. A group on a college campus, structured like a fraternity, which has no national affiliation. A local might become a "colony" desiring affiliation with a national fraternity. (See "colony" above.)
Norman Shield. Every Sigma Chi pledge recieves a copy of this pleadge training manual. It is issues by international and filled with all the pertinent information pledges must know about our fraternity to successfully complete their pledgeship and more. The Norman Shield is also symbolic of the crest and the pledge pin.
NIC. (North-American Interfraternity Council) The Governing body for many National and International men's fraternities.
Officers. All fraternities have officers, but many of these offices have unusual names unique to that particular fraternity. For example, in Sigma Chi, we have a Consul, Pro-Consul, Magister, Annotator, Quaestor, Tribune, and more. These are learned during pledgeship.
Packaged Deals. Sometimes several rushees decide they will all pledge the same fraternity, but they tell the fraternities that each must receive a bid from that particular fraternity. Sigma Chi does not accept such "deal making." While it is logical that friends would like to participate in activities together, ultimately friends should remain friends no matter what choices one makes. Pledging a fraternity is an individual choice. A man should not let others decide for him; each person should make up his own mind on the organization to pledge. Likewise Sigma Chi will judge each person individually, and never allow him to be part of a group in recieving a bid for pledgeship.
Panhellenic. A council of representatives from each of the sororities. Equivalent to the IFC, but for sororities.
Philanthropy. An event sponsored by one or more chapters in which members of several chapters compete in the name of charity. It is also often used to describe any Charity work or project conducted by the Fraternity, the Chapter, or individual therein, officially linke with the Chapter.
Pledge Class. A group of candidates seeking membership in a chapter. It is a class that is composed of pledges.
Pledge Pin. (Pledge button) In the form of the Norma Shield, the pledge pin is worn with pride by pledges of Sigma Chi throughout their pledgeship. Only pledges of Sigma Chi are allowed to wear this pin, and it proudly denotes their status as a pledge in our fraternity.
Pledge. A man who has accepted a formal bid from Sigma Chi and begins learning about Sigma Chi. Usually he is a member of a pledge class. During pledgeship he learns about the General Fraternity and about the local chapter's operations and members. All active members must first become pledges.
Pledgeship. The period after one accepts a formal "Bid" to become a pledge in Sigma Chi. It is a probitionary period where one learns about our fraternity, becomes more aware of our brotherhood, and we become more familiar with his character. At any point during this time the pledge can decide to discontinue pledgeship and end any affiliation with the fraternity, likewise the active Chapter reserves the right to discontinue or "depledge" any potential member who is not seen to be or deemed worthy for membership.
Province. A regional area where chapters of Sigma Chi are located. The Province Director, called the Grand Praetor, is nominated by the chapters in that area and elected by the Grand Chapter delegates as the overseer and liaison between the chapters and the International Headquarters. Sigma Chi has forty-three provinces. Sigma Chi does not use US and Canadian State/Provincial boundaries, but has Sigma Chi Provinces. Delta Omicron Chpater is in the North-Western Province of Sigma Chi. There are also annual Province Conferences, where all Chapters in the Province convene on one campus.
Recruitment. The year long process of identifying worthy candidates for memebership in our order. Although this process culminates during the official rush period, it is an ongoing effort for all Sigma Chi's to find others who we may be interested in joining our ranks and demonstate the necesary qualities to become a brother. Also, those interested in seeking membership in our fraternity are encouraged to come and meet the brothers and learn what our organization is at any point during the year.
Risk Management. All fraternities have been made aware of the risks that are involved when sponsoring an event. Therefore, certain precautions are taken at the request of the university and the International Fraternity for the security and safety of all the partcipants and guests.
Ritual. The activities involved in initiation, private meetings, and other occasions. The ritual is secret, formal, and has been passed down through the years. The ritual is identical for all Sigma Chi chapters.
Roadtrip. There is at least one official Chapter roadtrip each school year, where most of the active chapter travels togather to visit other Sigma Chi Chapters around the world. We go and stay with them at their Chapter houses, and usually engage in social activities together. There are a host of other roadtrips that brothers make to visit nearby Chapters for parties, rush, I-week and initiation, or simply to visit. Likewise, other Chapters are welcome to come here to our Chapter on roadtrips, for events that we have, or just to stay.
Rush. A specifically designated period of time for fraternities to meet men interested in becoming members. This is many times referred to as formal recruitment. It is the period set aside for structured recruitment.
Rushee. An individual visiting chapters in an effort to become a candidate for membership of one chapter.
Significant Sig. An award granted by international, the Significant Sig medal is given " to our illustrious sons whose achievements have brought honor and prestige to the name of the Sigma Chi fraternity."This designation is awarded to those Sigma Chi alumni who have brought distinction to themselves and Sigma Chi in their chosen profession.
Sorority. A private organization of women that has common ideals and symbols as their bond, most such Greek womens groups are in actuality "womens fraternities", but are known commonly as sororities. Some are actually sororities by definition.
Sweetheart. A lady distictively recognized by a Sigma Chi Chapter or International, this is the highest privaledge the Fraternity bestows on any woman. Only one Sweetheart is selected each year by each Chapter. The nominees are considered on the basis of beauty, scholarship, personality, character, poise, gace, campus and Sigma Chi involvement and general accomplishments. The annual Sweetheart is announced at Sweetheart Formal Ball. Sweethearts are the only non-initiated persons permitted to wear our Sigma Chi letters and badge. There is the "Sweetheart Song" we use to serendae our Sweethearts, which was a massive hit and spawned not only two hollywood movies of the same title, but various other productions.