Terms To Know!
★ NEW MEMBER MEETINGS
These meetings are held during your time as a new member leading up to when you are initiated. At the new member meeting your VPII (Morgan Auzine) and the New Member Education Chair will educate you on everything Zeta. There will be a total of 2 New Member meetings. These meetings will be followed with an initiation test.
★ PHILANTHROPY
Philanthropy is just another word for service. Zeta’s philanthropy is Breast Cancer Awareness and Education. We hold Pink Week and Pancake Breakfast to help raise money for the cure! We also participate in events with Zeta Tau Alpha’s National Partnerships: American Cancer Society, Bright Pink, and the National Football League.
★ DELTA KAPPA
This is the name of our chapter. Zeta Tau Alpha on LSU’s campus is the 106th Zeta chapter, and Delta Kappa is our chapter number. Alpha is the 1st chapter.
★ EC (EXECUTIVE COUNCIL)
○ These 13 girls are in charge of what happens in Zeta. They are a huge part of why Zeta runs smoothly.
★ PC (PROGRAMMING COUNCIL)
PC is in charge of every event we do in Zeta. Some PC positions include Social Chairman, Sisterhood, Songfest, Fundraising, and many more! After you are initiated, you can apply to be on PC! The VP1 (Lorna) is in charge of keeping PC running smoothly
★ FORMAL PLEDGING
Formal pledging takes place within the first week you accept your bid. It is a ritual where a New Member pledges to support the sisters of other chapters and our policies. It is a short service to which you wear all white clothing and white shoes.
★ INITIATION
This is the most important part of the New Member process. Initiation is a ritual where the New Member becomes an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha. Your big sister will guide you through the whole thing and it is COMPLETELY SECRET to anyone who is not an initiated member of the fraternity.
★ WHITES
These are worn when we are doing rituals and includes a nice dress or skirt and top. White shoes and socks will also be required. Jewelry and heavy makeup are not allowed. Also, if you are going to wear your hair up or back, you need clear or white hair accessories.
★ ACTIVE
A Zeta who has been through the New Member program and has been initiated into the sorority.
★ BADGE WEAR
Nice, church-like clothing worn to formal meetings. This does not include shorts or ripped jeans.
★ BERRY BUDDIES
These are like your temporary big sisters. Each week, you will be assigned a different active, and she will be your go-to girl. She may also want to spend some fun time with you during the week. You will have 2 or 3 of these until the time comes to pick a permanent big sister!
★ BIG SISTER (Big)
Active member assigned to a New Member to be her guide, friend, and mentor. A Big Sister will lead her Little Sister (little) through initiation.
★ BUFFET
The cabinet in the foyer that we use to put papers or other items on. It is on the right wall when you walk in from the side door. You might hear someone say “The applications are on the buffet.”
★ STUDY HOURS
As a New Member, you will be required to do 5 study hours per week. Doing this allows you to get into exchanges and date functions. We have an app (OmegaOne) that allows you to “check in” at various study locations across campus, or you can earn study hours at designated times at the house. Hours are due each week and end Sunday evenings to reset on Monday.
★ FRATERNITY of Zeta Tau Alpha
We are actually a Fraternity. We are called a women's fraternity because we were not founded as a sister group to a men's fraternity. We were founded as a women's group to perpetuate friendship. The original founders of ZTA wrote all of our rituals and rules!
★ FRED
Fraternity Education! This program keeps us up to date on what other Zeta Chapters are doing around the country and our Fraternity history.
★ JUDICIAL
The purpose of the Judicial system is to see that every Zeta conducts herself in such a way that would follow the high standards we set for ourselves. If any Zeta feels that our high standards of our fraternity are being threatened, they can alert the judicial chairman for a judicial hearing. The matter is dealt with in privacy and not mentioned outside of the hearing.
★ PHC
Panhellenic Council: Heather Milner is Delta Kappa’s Panhellenic Delegate. She attends meetings every week with other delegates from all of the other sororities on campus. Each sorority has events that we are invited to attend. We have to attend three of these events every semester to get our checks.
★ IFC
Interfraternity Council: Each Fraternity on campus holds philanthropy events that we are invited to go to. We have to participate in different fraternity philanthropy events to receive three IFC checks per semester.
★ CROWN FORMAL (Formal Presentation)
This is an important event of the spring semester. The New Members invite their parents, wear long white formal dresses, and are presented by a member of their family to the entire sorority as an initiated member.
★ SEMI FORMAL
This is a Zeta date function held in the fall. The Zeta is allowed to bring one date. Short cocktail dresses are usually worn.
★ SONGFEST
We are paired with a fraternity and compete against all the other sororities with a choreographed, themed dance routine! It is so much fun to participate in and attend.
★ EXCHANGE
A social function with a fraternity at a third party location. Exchanges usually have a theme and will last about 2 hours. These are so fun because you get to dress up in different costumes according to the theme.
★ ALUMNAE
A Zeta who has graduated and upgraded her status to Alumnae status.
★ CANDLE PASSING
When a Zeta gets pinned or becomes engaged, we have a candle passing ceremony. We all stand in a circle holding hands, right over left as we pass the candle. We sing “The Sweetheart of ZTA” song until the candle gets passed around a certain number of times. When it gets to the appropriate girl, she blows the candle out to reveal herself and tell her story!