Office of Student Activities



OSA_logo

Mission Statement:


The Office of Student Activities provides leadership opportunities furthering MSUM students' development and builds community through programs, activities, and student organizations.

Definitions

Alumna - an initiated sorority member who has graduated from college

Alumni - an initiated fraternity member who has graduated from college

bid - a formal invitation to join a sorority/fraternity

big sister/brother - an initiated member who sponsors, advises, and guides a new member through his/her orientation and membership

chapter - the collegiate group of an inter/national fraternity/sorority

continuous opening bidding (COB) - the prior other than Fall Formal Recruitment when Panhellenic sororities acquire new members

formal recruitment - the period set aside for structured recruiting, usually in the fall for Panhellenic chapters

fraternity - a Greek-letter society for men. Some sororities are actually women's fraternities.

initiate - a man/woman who has completed a chapter's membership orientation process and initiation ceremony, and is currently enrolled in college

initiation - the formal ceremony that marks the transition from new member status to full membership

invitational event - after visiting all chapter, prospective members will receive invitations from some or all of the chapters for each of the additional events

legacy - a person whose parent, grandparent, or sibling is a alumni(a) or undergraduate member of a fraternity/sorority

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) - the coordinating and servicing body for historically African-American and Latino(a) fraternities and sororities 

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) - the coordinating body of all college Panhellenic Associations in the United States and Canada

new member - a member of a sorority or fraternity who has not been initiated

orientation - a time when new members learn about the sorority/fraternity, its members, and chapter activities at the local in inter/national level

philanthropy - a community service and/or fundraising project sponsored by a chapter

preference event - the invitational event on the last day of Fall Formal Recruitment. After the event, each prospective member lists, in preference order, those chapters she attended and will consider for membership

prospective member - a non-Greek student who attends recruitment events

quota - the number of new members that each Panhellenic sorority may select based on the number of women participating in preference events 

recruitment counselor - a Panhellenic representative who assists prospective members during the recruitment process. This woman completely disaffiliates herself from her sorority in order to provide objective advice and support.

sorority - a Greek-letter society for women, also called a women's fraternity