Fraternities, Sororities, Honoraries

Collection

Identifier: 0000-0039

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

Included in this collection are materials relating to individual fraternities, sororities and honor/service societies and include manuals, songbooks, charters, event announcements, correspondence and minutes. Also included are general materials concerning these organizations on campus and the University's relationship with them.

Dates

Creation: 1906-1998

Restrictions

None

Biographical/Historical note

The first fraternity was founded at 1912 when Gamma Kappa Club became a chapter of the national fraternity Theta Xi, becoming the first Carnegie Tech national fraternity. Between 1941-1950 sororities were finally recognized when in 1943 Dean Yon pushed for national sororities to be recognized on campus and the first national sorority, Alpha Epsilon Phi, was installed. One year later five national sororities installed at Carnegie Tech: Delta Gamma, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Chi Omega. The past 100 years has seen the growth and shift of these organizations, as well as closures.

As of fall 2010 the following fraternities and sororities are active at Carnegie Mellon University: 5 Panhellenic sororities; 12 Interfraternity Council fraternities "(including one colony)"; 4 Asian American groups "(2 fraternities and 2 sororities)", 2 fraternities and 2 sororities; 4 National Pan-Hellenic (historically African American) chapters represented on campus (3 fraternities and 1 sorority); 1 Music Fraternity for Women, and 1 Professional Business fraternity.

Extent

4 Linear feet (6 boxes, 4 oversize boxes, 2 card file boxes)

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

This collection documents the history of fraternities, sororities and honoraries at Carnegie Mellon between the years of 1906-1992. Some of what is included in the collection are event programs and announcements, correspondence, meeting minutes, charters, song books, and rules regarding houses and rush activities.

Arrangement note

The collection is divided into four series according to materials relating to individual fraternities, sororities and honor/service societies and general materials related to these organizations as a whole.

Related Archival Materials note

The records of the Sigma Xi chapter are in an independent collection. There are several ceremonial paddles in the General Object Collection from the Nu Chapter of Theta Tau, Phi Kappa Theta, and the Kappa Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega.