Greek letter organizations Fraternities and sororities are male and female social organizations in North American colleges(usually for students) .The word “ fraternity ” comes from the Latin word “ frater ”, which means brother , while the word “ sorority ” comes from the Latin word “ soror ” , which means sister. Greek letters are usually used as the name of a fraternity or sorority house , so fraternities and sororities are also known as Greek letter organizations. There are many kinds of Greek letter organizations. Most are social organizations , as they exist to help students meet each o ther in a social setting. Others , however , are professional and exist to bring together students of a particular major.There are also service societies that organize campus or community service projects. Greek letter organizations have their own emblems , such as colors , flags , flowers etc.Members of Greek letter organizations often live together in a large house or a special part of the college dormitory. The process of joining a Greek letter organization usually begins with a time known as rush week.This is a week of events designed for potential members to learn about the organization.After rush week comes pledge week , when you have to learn about the organization and take part in certain tasks.Sometimes , these tasks are known as hazing and can be dangerous in nature. Since 2005 , over 60 students have died in the US due to hazing , most commonly as a result of drinking too much alcohol.Due to this , many organizations are now banning pledge week.