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]
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 .
Name
Charter date and range
Type
Status
References
Society for Inquiry
1824
Literary
Inactive
[ 2]
Gamma Phi bef. 1833–1840
Literary
Inactive
Pi Delta
c. 1834 –1840Literary
Inactive
Adelphian Society 1840–1880
Literary and oration
Inactive
[ a]
Aeonian Society
1840–1887
Literary and oration
Inactive
[ 3] [ b]
Alpha Delta Phi
1850–1851; 1964–1972
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 1]
Delta Kappa Epsilon 1856–2009
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 1]
Delta Upsilon 1865
Social fraternity
Active
[ 1]
Aldelphia
1872–1880
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ c]
Delta Phi
1874–1876
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 1]
Aeonia
1880–1887
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ d]
Union Debating Society
188x ?–1887
Literary and oration
Merged
[ 1] [ e]
Beta Theta Pi 1880
Social fraternity
Active
[ 4]
Theta Nu Epsilon 1880
Social fraternity
Inactive
Phi Kappa Psi 1887–1982
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 5] [ f]
Phi Gamma Delta 1886–1969, 1976–1989
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 6] [ 1]
Madison Club
1902–1917
Literary and oration
Inactive
[ 1] [ g]
Owls Club
1907–1908
Non-Greek fraternal organization
Inactive
[ h]
Gorgon's Head
1908–1934
Secret senior honor society
Merged
[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ i]
Sigma Alpha
1909–1918
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ j]
Theta Mu
1911–1912
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ k]
Skull and Scroll
1912–1934
Secret senior honor society
Merged
[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ i]
Theta Chi 1912
Social fraternity
Active
[ 1]
Theta Delta Sigma
1914–1917
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ l]
Lambda Chi Alpha 1916–1972
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 10] [ 1]
Alpha Tau Omega 1917–2000
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 11] [ 1]
Sigma Nu 1917–1968
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 12] [ 1]
Kappa Delta Rho 1917–1972, 1985–2003
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 1]
Phi Delta Theta 1918–1968, 1973
Social fraternity
Active
[ 1]
Theta Pi Delta
1923–1930
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ m]
Delta Pi Sigma
1927–1937
Social fraternity
Merge
[ 1] [ n]
Colgate Commons Club
1927–1960
Counter-culture fraternal organization
Inactive
Alpha Psi Omega
1928–May 2023
Honor society, theater
Inactive
[ 13]
Sigma Chi 1930–1963, 1971–2015
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 1]
Tredecim Senior Honor Society .(previously Konosioni)
1934–20xx ?
Senior leadership society
Active
[ 8] [ 9] [ o]
Phi Kappa Tau 1937–1971, 2007
Social fraternity
Active
[ 1] [ p]
Psi Chi May 18, 1950
Honor society, psychology
Active
[ 14]
Alpha Beta
1951–1956
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ q]
Tau Kappa Epsilon
1956–1972
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 1]
Alpha Chi Epsilon
1960–1964
Social fraternity
Merged
[ 1] [ r]
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] [ s]
Delta Sigma Upsilon
1980–1988
Social sorority, local
Inactive
[ 1] [ t]
Chi Omega Rho
1981–1990
Social fraternity, co-ed, local
Inactive
[ 16] [ 1]
Gamma Phi Beta 1982
Social 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] [ u]
Kappa Psi Lambda
1984–1986
Social sorority
Merged
[ 1] [ v]
Zeta Delta Pi
1985–1988
Social sorority
Merged
[ 1] [ w]
Pi Beta Phi
1986–1992
Social sorority
Inactive
[ 1]
Kappa Alpha Theta 1988–2008
Social sorority
Inactive
[ 1] [ x]
Kappa Kappa Gamma 1988
Social sorority
Active
[ 1]
Pi Beta Phi 1986–1992
Social sorority
Inactive
[ 1]
Alpha Chi Omega 1988–1996
Social sorority
Inactive
[ 1]
Delta Delta Delta 1996
Social sorority
Active
[ 1]
Brothers of Colgate 1999
Social fraternity, local
Active
[ 18] [ 1]
Alpha Epsilon Pi
2005–2013
Social fraternity
Inactive
[ 19] [ 1]
Blue Diamond Society 2006
Social fraternity, local
Active
[ 20] [ 1]
Sorella Society
2008
Social sorority, local
Active
[ 1]
Notes
^ Became Beta Theta Pi.
^ Became Phi Kappa Psi.
^ Became a chapter of Beta Theta Pi.
^ Became a chapter of Phi Kappa Psi which, in turn, became Phi Psi.
^ Became a chapter of Phi Gamma Delta.
^ Became Phi Psi (local).
^ Became Alpha Tau Omega.
^ Became Sigma Alpha.
^ a b Gorgon's Head and Skull and Scroll merged to form Konosioni.
^ Became chapter of Phi Delta Theta.
^ Became a chapter of Theta Chi.
^ Chapter became Sigma Nu.
^ Became a chapter of Sigma Chi.
^ Became a chapter of Phi Kappa Tau.
^ The Konosioni Senior Honor Society changed its name to Tredecim Senior Honor Society.
^ The Phi Kappa Tau chapter left and became Phi Tau (local) in 1971. It later reformed as a colony.
^ Became a chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon.
^ Was absorbed into Alpha Delta Phi, restarting its chapter at Colgate.
^ Became a chapter of Gamma Phi Beta.
^ Became a chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
^ Became a chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta.
^ Became a chapter of Pi Beta Phi.
^ Became a chapter of Alpha Chi Omega.
^ Became the local sorority Sorella.
References
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 3, 2022) "Colgate University " Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities
^ College literary societies ^ The Record of Phi Kappa Psi - A Short History of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity by Guy Morrison Walker, 1906.
^ "Colgate Beta - Home" . www.colgatebeta.org .^ List of Phi Kappa Psi chapters and colonies ^ List of Phi Gamma Delta chapters and colonies ^ a b "Spring Scene 2013" . Issuu .^ a b c "- Get Involved at Colgate" . www.getinvolved.colgate.edu .^ a b c Sportelli, Natalie (February 3, 2015). "Konosioni Senior Honor Society set to induct newest members" . Colgate University . Retrieved 2023-10-24 . ^ List of Lambda Chi Alpha chapters ^ "Around the college (The Colgate Scene, January 2001)" . www4.colgate.edu .^ "ISSUU - Multicultural Life at Colgate by Colgate University" . Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-22 .^ "Chapters – Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society" . Retrieved 2023-10-24 .^ "Find Out When Your Chapter Was Chartered" . Psi Chi . April 29, 2019. Retrieved 2023-10-24 .^ "Beta Beta Beta Local Chapter" . Archived from the original on 2001-04-15. Retrieved 2014-08-22 .^ Hamilton, Robert A. (12 July 1987). "Fraternities Admit Women Into Ranks" . New York Times . ^ "Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society Chapter Directory" . Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-22 .^ "The Brothers of Colgate University" . The Brothers of Colgate University .^ "The Lion - Summer 2014" . Issuu .^ "- Get Involved at Colgate" . colgate.campuslabs.com .
Bibliography
