Common Names and Terms
Board of Trustees (or Board) – The ultimate authority for the Society. This is a collection of volunteer members who are selected or elected to fixed-year terms.
Circle – The basic unit of Omicron Delta Kappa is the collegiate circle. Membership in the Society can come only through election and initiation by one of the collegiate circles.
Collegiate member – This refers to currently enrolled student members (sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students, and professional school students).
Voting Faculty/Staff member – This refers to the faculty/staff members who are specifically permitted to vote in circle business. See OΔK Policies and Procedures, Section 320)
Initiate – Any member who has completed the initiation ceremony.
Lifetime member – This refers to all members but is more commonly used to refer to members after their collegiate period. The term post-collegiate is also used.
Member – Any individual initiated by a circle. Individuals are members for life.
Pillar (formerly known as phases) – An area of campus life in which one is engaged and demonstrating leadership. OΔK has five pillars.
Prospective or Prospective member – An individual who is considering and possibly has applied for membership in the Society.
Acronyms
Every organization has acronyms to shorten written and verbal communication. Below is a list of some of the more common OΔK acronyms.
- BOT – Board of Trustees
- CAR – Circle Annual Report (also listed as AR)
- CHR – Circle Health Report
- LOY – Leader of the Year
- MMS – Membership Management System
- NAC – National Awards Committee
- NLC – National Leadership Conference
- ODK – Omicron Delta Kappa
- SAB – Student Advisory Board
