Terminology

DELTA SIGMA PI TERMINOLOGY

Deltasig
The abbreviation for Delta Sigma Pi and the name of our magazine.
(Delta Sigma Phi men’s general Fraternity uses Delta Sig).

Fees
Monies charged to non-members (pledges) or monies charged for a service. Examples include initiation fees (national and chapter), badge lease fees, regalia fees and late payment fees.

Dues
Monies charged to members to support various programs of the organization. (Pledges do not pay dues).

Recruiting
The process used by Delta Sigma Pi to promote membership and invite business and economics students to scheduled meetings and activities so they may be considered for an invitation to membership.

Pledging Ceremony
The Delta Sigma Pi Ritual meeting preceding the pledge education period where invited students or faculty are presented with a pledge pin. (not called the pinning ceremony)

Pledge
1) An agreement or offer to fulfill a need or obligation.
2) A business/economics student or faculty who pledged to Delta Sigma Pi during a Pledging Ceremony, but is not yet an initiated member.

Neophyte
A term used only during Ritual.

Collegiate Brother
An initiated member of Delta Sigma Pi who is enrolled in school and matriculating towards a degree in business or economics (or approved major).

Alumni Brother
An initiated member of Delta Sigma Pi who has graduated or withdrawn from school and is no longer in the collegiate chapter.

Pledge Educator
An abbreviation for Vice President-Pledge Education who administers membership information and requirements to pledges.

Executive Committee
A standing committee of chapter officers (not an Executive Board).

Inactive Status
The status of a collegiate member whose application has been approved for one term due to an extenuating circumstance.

Patriot
The name of the membership database for Delta Sigma Pi.

Colony
Group of students organized as a local fraternity with the specific purpose of petitioning Delta Sigma Pi for a chapter charter.

Bid
An invitation given to a prospective member inviting them to join the Fraternity via the pledge education process.

Badge
Symbolic jewelry worn near the heart of members. (member or Fraternity badge)

Pin
Symbolic jewelry worn on the lapel or near the heart by pledges. (pledge pin)
 

Terms of Other Greek Organizations
(not used in Delta Sigma Pi)

Rush
A series of open forum events conducted simultaneously by competing organizations where interested students go from one to the next in order to determine which group they may want to pursue. This only exists in Delta Sigma Pi when a business school has several competing business fraternities (Alpha Kappa Psi, Phi Gamma Nu, Phi Chi Theta).

Active
Common reference to participating student members in some social Greek organizations (not used in Delta Sigma Pi).

Induction
Process of installing or taking in new members, term often used by Honor fraternities. In Delta Sigma Pi, the similar procedures are the Pledging Ceremony (being pledged) and Initiation (being initiated).

Crossed / Crossing
Term primarily used in historically black fraternities and sororities to indicate the initiation of pledges.

Pledge Line
Term primarily used in historically black fraternities and sororities to refer to the pledges.

Legacy
The initiation of a child of a member. Some groups have special arrangements for children to become members regardless of chapter vote. Delta Sigma Pi does not have a legacy membership program.