List of Colgate University societies

Since being founded in 1819, Colgate University has had a rich tradition of student societies. Literary societies, Greek letter fraternities and sororities, non-Greek letter organizations, honor societies, and secret societies have all played a part in Colgate history.

Social fraternities came to Colgate in 1850 when Alpha Delta Phi was granted a chapter.[1] The first sorority was brought to Colgate in 1982 when a chapter of Gamma Phi Beta (Gamma Phi) received a charter.

Secret or underground organizations have had a widespread existence at Colgate University. Many of the school's original societies had roots as underground organizations. In terms of secret honor societies, Colgate has also had its fair share. Two secret Honor Societies, the Gorgon's Head and Skull and Scroll, enjoyed a period as rival societies until 1934 when they merged to form Konosioni, now known as the Tredecim Senior Honor Society. Even with its history, Tredecim is no longer a secret society but is now seen as a leadership society, with only 26 members of each graduating class peer-selected to membership.

Following is a list of Colgate University societies, organized by charter date. Active organizations are indicated in bold.

NameCharter date and rangeType Status References
Society for Inquiry 1824 Literary Inactive [2]
Gamma Phibef. 1833–1840Literary Inactive
Pi Deltac. 1834–1840Literary Inactive
Adelphian Society1840–1880Literary and oration Inactive [lower-alpha 1]
Aeonian Society1840–1887Literary and oration Inactive [3][lower-alpha 2]
Alpha Delta Phi 1850–1851; 1964–1972 Social fraternity Inactive [1]
Delta Kappa Epsilon1856–2009Social fraternity Inactive [1]
Delta Upsilon1865Social fraternity Active [1]
Aldelphia 1872–1880 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 3]
Delta Phi 1874–1876 Social fraternity Inactive [1]
Aeonia 1880–1887 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 4]
Union Debating Society 188x ?–1887 Literary and oration Merged [1][lower-alpha 5]
Beta Theta Pi1880Social fraternity Active [4]
Theta Nu Epsilon 1880 Social fraternity Active
Phi Kappa Psi1887–1982Social fraternity Inactive [5][lower-alpha 6]
Phi Gamma Delta1886–1969, 1976–1989Social fraternity Inactive [6][1]
Madison Club 1902–1917 Literary and oration Inactive [1][lower-alpha 7]
Owls Club 1907–1908 Non-Greek fraternal organization Inactive [lower-alpha 8]
Gorgon's Head 1908–1934 Secret senior honor society Merged [7][8][9][lower-alpha 9]
Sigma Alpha 1909–1918 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 10]
Theta Mu 1911–1912 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 11]
Skull and Scroll 1912–1934 Secret senior honor society Merged [7][8][9][lower-alpha 9]
Theta Chi1912Social fraternity Active [1]
Theta Delta Sigma 1914–1917 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 12]
Lambda Chi Alpha1916–1972Social fraternity Inactive [10][1]
Alpha Tau Omega1917–2000Social fraternity Inactive [11][1]
Sigma Nu1917–1968Social fraternity Inactive [12][1]
Kappa Delta Rho1917–1972, 1985–2003Social fraternity Inactive [1]
Phi Delta Theta1918–1968, 1973Social fraternity Active [1]
Theta Pi Delta 1923–1930 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 13]
Delta Pi Sigma 1927–1937 Social fraternity Merge [1][lower-alpha 14]
Colgate Commons Club1927–1960Counter-culture fraternal organization Inactive
Alpha Psi Omega 1928–May 2023 Honor society, theater Inactive [13]
Sigma Chi1930–1963, 1971–2015Social fraternity Inactive [1]
Tredecim Senior Honor Society.(previously Konosioni) 1934–20xx ? Senior leadership society Active [8][9][lower-alpha 15]
Phi Kappa Tau1937–1971, 2007Social fraternity Active [1][lower-alpha 16]
Psi Chi May 18, 1950 Honor society, psychology Active [14]
Alpha Beta 1951–1956 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 17]
Tau Kappa Epsilon 1956–1972 Social fraternity Inactive [1]
Alpha Chi Epsilon 1960–1964 Social fraternity Merged [1][lower-alpha 18]
Beta Beta Beta 1971 Honor society, biology Active [15]
Phi Tau 1971–20xx ? Social fraternity, local Inactive [1]
Delta Nu 1979–1981 Social sorority Merged [1][lower-alpha 19]
Delta Sigma Upsilon 1980–1988 Social sorority, local Inactive [1][lower-alpha 20]
Chi Omega Rho1981–1990Social fraternity, co-ed, local Inactive [16][1]
Gamma Phi Beta1982Social sorority Active [1]
Phi Eta Sigma 1982 First-year academic honor society Active [17]
Phi Psi 1982–1992 Social fraternity, local Inactive [1]
Alpha Theta Pi 1984–1988 Social sorority, local Merged [1][lower-alpha 21]
Kappa Psi Lambda 1984–1986 Social sorority Merged [1][lower-alpha 22]
Zeta Delta Pi 1985–1988 Social sorority Merged [1][lower-alpha 23]
Pi Beta Phi 1986–1992 Social sorority Inactive [1]
Kappa Alpha Theta1988–2008Social sorority Inactive [1][lower-alpha 24]
Kappa Kappa Gamma1988Social sorority Active [1]
Pi Beta Phi1989–1992Social sorority Inactive [1]
Alpha Chi Omega1988–1996Social sorority Inactive [1]
Delta Delta Delta1996Social sorority Active [1]
Brothers of Colgate1999Social fraternity, local Active [18][1]
Alpha Epsilon Pi 2005–2013 Social fraternity Inactive [19][1]
Blue Diamond Society2006–2022Social fraternity, local Inactive [20][1]
Sorella Society 2008 Social sorority, local Active [1]

Notes
  1. Became Beta Theta Pi.
  2. Became Phi Kappa Psi.
  3. Became a chapter of Beta Theta Pi.
  4. Became a chapter of Phi Kappa Psi which, in turn, became Phi Psi.
  5. Became a chapter of Phi Gamma Delta.
  6. Became Phi Psi (local).
  7. Became Alpha Tau Omega.
  8. Became Sigma Alpha.
  9. Gorgon's Head and Skull and Scroll merged to form Konosioni.
  10. Became chapter of Phi Delta Theta.
  11. Became a chapter of Theta Chi.
  12. Chapter became Sigma Nu.
  13. Became a chapter of Sigma Chi.
  14. Became a chapter of Phi Kappa Tau.
  15. The Konosioni Senior Honor Society changed its name to Tredecim Senior Honor Society.
  16. The Phi Kappa Tau chapter left and became Phi Tau (local) in 1971. It later reformed as a colony.
  17. Became a chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon.
  18. Was absorbed into Alpha Delta Phi, restarting its chapter at Colgate.
  19. Became a chapter of Gamma Phi Beta.
  20. Became a chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
  21. Became a chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta.
  22. Became a chapter of Pi Beta Phi.
  23. Became a chapter of Alpha Chi Omega.
  24. Became the local sorority Sorella.

References
  1. Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 3, 2022) "Colgate University" Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed October 23, 2023.
  2. College literary societies
  3. The Record of Phi Kappa Psi - A Short History of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity by Guy Morrison Walker, 1906.
  4. "Colgate Beta - Home". www.colgatebeta.org.
  5. List of Phi Kappa Psi chapters and colonies
  6. List of Phi Gamma Delta chapters and colonies
  7. "Spring Scene 2013". Issuu.
  8. "- Get Involved at Colgate". www.getinvolved.colgate.edu.
  9. Sportelli, Natalie (February 3, 2015). "Konosioni Senior Honor Society set to induct newest members". Colgate University. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  10. List of Lambda Chi Alpha chapters
  11. "Around the college (The Colgate Scene, January 2001)". www4.colgate.edu.
  12. "ISSUU - Multicultural Life at Colgate by Colgate University". Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  13. "Chapters – Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society". Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  14. "Find Out When Your Chapter Was Chartered". Psi Chi. April 29, 2019. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  15. "Beta Beta Beta Local Chapter". Archived from the original on 2001-04-15. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  16. Hamilton, Robert A. (12 July 1987). "Fraternities Admit Women Into Ranks". New York Times.
  17. "Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society Chapter Directory". Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  18. "The Brothers of Colgate University". The Brothers of Colgate University.
  19. "The Lion - Summer 2014". Issuu.
  20. "- Get Involved at Colgate". colgate.campuslabs.com.

Bibliography
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.