Still using Pledge and Pledgemaster?
 

Alpha Phi Omega (co-ed service fraternity) still uses the term Pledge and Pledgemaster in its official documentation, but with the understanding that should a chapter choose to use another set of terms like new member and new member educator that the chapter is fine.

I know the NPHC greeks don't use the term officially anymore and I've seen more and more from the NPC that don't anymore as well.

Which GLOs still use those terms? (I consider a sorority using pledge & pledgemistress to count).

I don't know of any sorority still using those terms. ADPi switched over in 1990, I believe. New members are called "alphas" and they are supervised by the "new member coordinator."

I'm not sure we ever used those terms.

But I've only been an alumnus for a little over 10 years.

Pledgemaster and pledgemistress just sound so dirty!

All three of the local orgs at LTU use pledge and pledgemaster.

My organization (Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi--small national sorority) still uses the terms pledge and pledgemaster officially, though some chapters do choose to use "new member" instead--I think this tends to have to do with campus culture. We have specific [positive] reasons as to why we still use this terminology.

Our local uses "pledges" and "pledge education chair"...don't think we ever used pledgemaster, though a couple of the NPC orgs on campus did.

Also, pretty much every single fraternity on my campus used the term pledges, and at least some of them used pledgemaster (I graduated last spring, so not too long ago...going to assumed they're still doing it). This was casually, I have no idea what their official language was supposed to be. Many of the sororities referred to their new members as pledges casually as well.

I know a campus, not mine, where the college Panhellenic actually formally still uses the term Rush rather than Recruitment (in PR materials, on their website, etc.) and I thought that was really interesting, since my understanding is that NPC discourages the use of "Rush"...right?

Back in the day (early 1990s), my local used the terms "pledge" and "pledge mom". When my local became part of AEPhi in 1995, AEPhi was just switching over to the "new member" terminology. We got printings of the pledge manual from 1993, and the word "pledge" is used throughout. The TEC placed with my colony repeatedly reminded us, "'Pledge' is old terminology. You are new members in your new member education period."

The APO chapter at my school used the term "pledge" for pledges, and "pledge mom" for the pledge educator (regardless of the pledge educator's gender). (Note: I never pursued membership in APO, but one of my AEPhi sisters is a brother. I thought it strange that a man could be a "pledge mom", but that is the chapter's custom.)

In Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, "pledge" as a noun and "pledgemaster" are called "probationary member" (often shortened to "PM," "probate" or the like) and "Fraternity Education Office" ("FEO").

But "pledge" is still used as a verb -- one becomes a probationary member by pledging the Fraternity at a ceremony for pledging.

OPA still uses the term "pledge" both as a verb (as in 'all her friends pledged OPA'), as a noun (as in 'I'm a pledge of OPA') and as an adjective (as in 'my pledge class'). But I've seen a sharp shift in the title for the leader who works with those pledges. Back in the day, she was called a pledge master but that 'master' part of the title seemed a little dominatrix. (My opinion only.) Then she became a pledge educator, but that seemed a little dry and clinical. Now that role is referred to either as a Membership Director or a VP of Membership.

Even though this one leadership title has evolved several times, we don't normally get too hung up on terminology. We even still have "rush", although if a local chapter wants to call it "recruitment" to fit in better with their campus culture that's okay, too. I recognize that the old terms may have a stigma associated with them because of bad choices made by a few other organizations. I guess OPA's image is so far removed from those organizations that it just hasn't been an issue for us.

I think the change from pledge and rushee is ridiculous and I refuse to use their replacements. These words are not insulting, and they are clear and concise. And they minimize the use of baby anything which really drives me up a tree. I'm also on board with believing there should be terms of acceptance into full membership - ie tests. Even if the terms of these tests or accomplishments are easily achievable, there still should be SOME demonstration of commitment.

/climbs off high horse

This, I have to agree with.

Back in the day, we had to pass a test before we could be initiated. Passing score was 100%. We had to know our colors and what they stood for (the meaning of the colors is revealed to NMs), flower, mascot, gem, open motto, philanthropy, where and when AEPhi was founded, the names of our seven founders (maiden names were acceptable), and the names of our then-current national officers. You could take the test as often as necessary until you passed.

For heaven's sake, how can you go through initiation and become a full-fledged member if you don't even know basic info about your own GLO?

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And not including some sort of testing strikes me as rather odd. My chapter of APO actually had something like 6 quizzes and a final. We didn't require a 100% though. One of our chapters said straight out during rush that the expected amount of time for pledging between pledge meetings, brother meeting, service projects etc. was more or less equal to that of an additional class.

We still expect our NMs to pass a test before initiation. Shrug.

Same here. PMs have to get 100%.

I believe I heard that's hazing. I don't agree, DUH. But it was my understanding that there were no tests in NPC to merit initiation. But if AOII nationally still allows it, maybe I'm wrong.

I'm just checking this thread is strictly talking about sororities correct?? Cause nearly every fraternity at my campus still uses the terms pledge and pledgemaster (except those that have other terms like Phi Delta Theta being Phikai, etc.)

No, naraht asked about Greeks/GLOs in general.

But yes, more sororities have jettisoned the terms than fraternities have.

Actually, I knew that NPC and NPHC had largely jettisoned. I was *hoping* for NIC information. Does anyone have an estimate on how many (and hopefully examples) of the NIC Fraternities still use the term pledge and the term pledge master? I know several fraternities use different terms for the pledge master (I think there is one NIC fraternity where a single Greek Letter is used for each of the officer positions)

And then there is the situation like ZBT that have totally walked away from the concept.

Sigma Chi Fraternity
 

Pledge = "Pledge"
Magister = "Pledge Master"
Pledgeship = "New Member Program"

I hated that test so much.

Back on topic, Psi U still uses pledge officially, though I believe the official title for the person in charge of them is Pledge Educator, though Pledge Master was used unofficially at my chapter.

Did you mean Delta Chi which uses the English (Latin) alphabet?

Delta Chi Undergraduate officer positions

Delta Chi has six permanent officer positions that must be filled. While each position has strict definitions of responsibility, their duties may vary slightly from each group.

"A" – The "A" is the president of the chapter or colony.
"B" – The "B" is the vice president of the chapter or colony.
"C" – The "C" is the secretary of the chapter or colony.
"D" – The "D" is the treasurer of the chapter or colony.
"E" – The "E" is the alumni relations advisor.
"F" – The "F" is the risk management manager.

^^^ Similarly, KA Order uses Roman numerals. The chapter president is called Number I, chapter vice president is Number II, the chapter recording secretary is Number III, etc.

That said, I don't think the New Member Educator (I think that's their title) falls under the group of officers that have "Number __" titles.

Well, SigEp's terminology is kind of... weird, for lack of a better term, due to lack of a clearly defined "pledge" vs. "full-member" period, the fact that some chapters are still on the model, and the infinite differing ways that each other chapter decides to run the Balanced Man Program.

Now, when it comes to BM chapters, the term "pledge" and "pledgemaster" are definitely abolished. If anything, there are the terms "Sigma", "Phi", and "New Member" which could be used interchangeably (to an extent) depending on the chapter. The person overseeing them is typically the Vice President of Member Development or some variant as dictated by local bylaws.

For pledge model chapters, I know "pledge master" is abolished and I'm assuming the term "pledge" is as well, despite the fact that their pledge pins say the word "pledge" in Greek on them.

Lane swerve: Required tests in order to obtain full membership rights are deemed as hazing. But I will say that I am 100% an advocate for them and appreciate the time I had to dedicate to my own.

We use the standard stuff, sorry its not creative. Pledge, pledgemaster, and the pledge program. Our nationals even has sessions at conventions for pledge education.

BTW tests shouldn't be considered hazing because as someone who will become a member of the organization they should have a knowledge of it. Not knowing one's own founders or the founding year nationally is a big issue if you are a member.

While I agree that testing isn't hazing -- at least as I understand hazing or as my fraternity, my former campus or my state laws define hazing -- other groups certainly have the right to decide that it does qualify as hazing or is otherwise not allowed under their policies.

And don't assume that no testing = not knowing things like one's founders or founding date. Pledges/new members can still know those things without being tested on them.

S is a pledge right now. They are most definitely not called new members. He and his fellow pledges were required to build an igloo after yesterday's snowstorm. Hazing? Perhaps, but they regarded it as a bonding activity.

I think in many organizations tests are still very common, I took a test prior to initiation, and my younger sister was just initiated (April 2013) into Gamma Phi Beta and she had to pass an exam for initiation. =)