Greek Life

• Join our email list. Stay up-to-date with CSUMB Greeks with monthly emails about upcoming events and important dates.
• Meet all the organizations. At the start of the semester, during the Greek Showcase, fraternity and sorority members will be tabling on the Main Quad. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet their members and learn more about their recruitment and intake events.
• Attend your favorite organizations' events. There is no minimum or maximum number of fraternity/sorority hosted events that you are required to attend. You can attend events hosted by one sorority or attend events hosted by all nine sororities. We highly encourage you to meet as many organizations as possible to ensure you find your best fit. If you can't attend an event, contact the chapter president to express your interest and request more information.
• Ask each organization about their requirements. Each fraternity and sorority has different requirements for joining their brother/sisterhood. They will inform you of these requirements during their events. These requirements usually include a GPA above a 2.5, minimum service hours, involvement on campus, and annual chapter dues.
• Complete the Greek Prospective New Member iLearn Course. In order to enroll in this course, please apply to join your favorite organization through Community, the student organization management software. Log into Community using your CSUMB username and password.
• Be your authentic self! Joining a fraternity or sorority is an important decision because these potential brothers/sisters will be your lifelong CSUMB family. If you don't feel a connection with one group, try another to ensure that the organization is right for you.

Beginning Fall 2024, each organization will host a series of recruitment events that are open and free to all CSUMB undergraduate students.

Active:

An initiated member who is a college student

Alumna:

A sorority member who has graduated or left college (plural: alumnae)

Alumnus:

A fraternity member who has graduated or left college (plural: alumni)

Associate:

A non-initiated member in a fraternity or sorority

Badge:

The pin of an initiated member

Bid:

The pin of an initiated member

Big

Nickname for a big sister or brother, a mentor assigned to a new member as a mentor

Call/Chant:

A voal sound (sometimes high-pitched) used by members of culturally-based Greek organizations to acknowledge one another

Candidate:

A person who will potentially b

Chapter:

The local group of an international organization

Colony:

A newly organized group working to become a chartered chapter

Dry Rush/Recruitment:

The practice of not serving alcoholic beverages at any rush/recruitment function.

Founders Day

An event celebrated by fraternities and sororities to highlight the founding of their organization and celebrate its history

Fraternity:

The name that applies to male chapters and is characterized by a ritual, a pin, and a strong bond of friendship

Hazing:

Any act performed by a member of an organization that is likely to cause harm, danger, causes public embarrassment or shame, compromises a person's dignity, causes the person to be the object of ridicule, cause psychological harm, or is illegal. Hazing against the law in all states, and is against the principles of all sororities and fraternities.

Inactive Member:

A member who has elected to become inactive in a particular organization. They have no say or participation in chapter events.

Informational:

an informative meeting for interested potential new members to learn about the organization they wish to join

Initiation:

A formal ceremony during which an individual begins full membership in an organization

Interest:

A person who is interested in joining a fraternity or sorority, but has not started the new member education process

Legacy:

An interest whose grandparents, parents, and sibling is a member of a particular organization

Line:

The group of potential new members who are joining the same organization at the same time

Little/Lil:

Nickname for a Big's new member that they mentor

North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC):

The international organization composed of over 60 men's organizations

National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO):

The national organization for Latino organizations

National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC):

The national organization for culturally-based organizations

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPCH):

The international organization for all histrionically African-American organizations, also referred to as the Divine 9 or D9

National Panhellenic Council (NPC):

The international organization for 26 women's fraternities

Membership Intake Process (MIB):

The process by which NPHC members are selected to become new members of an organization

Neophyte/Neo:

New member of a culturally-based organization

New Member Education Process:

The time period in which candidates for potential new membership learn about the organization and participate in brotherhood/sisterhood activities

Philanthropy:

A charity or fundraiser that an organization supports, can be national and/or local

Potential New Member:

One who has been accepted as a probationary member of a sorority or fraternity but has not yet been initiated.

Prophyte:

An older member of a culturally-based organization

Sands:

A member of your new member class. Comes from the phrase "cross the burning sands" which means to cross over (become initiated) into full membership

Soror:

A member of your sorority

Sorority:

A Greek organization for women

Step/Stepping:

An important performance by NPHC organizations which includes synchronized hand and foot movements, singing, dancing, chanting, acting, and sharing organizational history

Stroll/Strolling:

Members of the same organization dance together in a line, performing moves unique to the history of that particular organization. To imitate the stroll or cut in between members is considered a sign of disrespect.

TeeKee:

A large necklace worn with large Greek letters on them, usually made out of wood

Yard:

A term used by culturally-based groups to indicate which groups are active on the campus

Yard Show:

A show were the active groups on campus gather to build unity and perform chants, strolls, and/or steps

We are very excited that your student is interested in joining CSUMB's Greek Community! This is an amazing opportunity for your student to get involved, develop leadership skills, and build a network of support. Stay tuned for more information. Please contact Dr. Denise Tambasco at dtambasco@csumb.edu for more information.