List of University of Richmond fraternities and sororities
At the University of Richmond, there are many fraternities and sororities of varying social, academic, honor, and service natures. Currently, there are eight recognized social fraternities and eight social sororities, along with a number of non-social fraternities and sororities. The fraternity system began in 1870 when Kappa Alpha was organized at Richmond College and has continued to the present day. Sororities at the University of Richmond arrived in 1987. Sigma Phi Epsilon started at Richmond College in 1901 and grew to become a North American fraternity.
Following is a list of University of Richmond fraternities and sororities.
Academic, honor, and service fraternities and sororities
^Suspended fall 2011, which led to the establishment of Delta Sigma Pi.
^Formed from Tau Kappa Alpha national fraternity merging with Delta Sigma Rho.
^Formed from a chapter of Theta Lambda Phi national fraternity. Closed during World War II.
^Formed from the Pegasus Club, established in 1938.
^Mu Sigma Rho was the publisher, along with the Philologian Club, of Monthly Musings, which later transformed into The Messenger, Richmond College's literary magazine and newspaper before The Collegian was established in 1914. Last mention in The Collegian was in 1953.
Following are the social fraternities that have formed at the University of Richmond. Active organizations are indicated in bold; inactive sororities are in italics.
^Alpha Delta organized as a social and ministerial club in April 1923 and became a fraternity in spring 1928. It olonized as a chapter of Alpha Kappa Lambda in fall 1960 but was never chartered. It continues to function as a local ministeria and social organization
^Chapter formed from the Upsilon Rho local fraternity.
^Chapter formed from the local group, Zeta Xi, established in 1908. Its charter was revoked in 1996 due to low membership and chapter debt. After being rechartered in 2013, it was suspended by the university in 2020 and is eligible to receive recognition again beginning in 2024.
^Co-Ed Fraternity and the first Greek lettered organization on campus to fall within the Multicultural Greek Council umbrella.
Social sororities
Following are the social sororities that have formed at the University of Richmond. Active organizations are indicated in bold; inactive sororities are in italics.
The first fraternity houses at the University of Richmond were Phi Kappa Sigma and Kappa Sigma, which were built in 1928 and 1930, respectively. The other fraternities met in various rooms across the campus until the university began building lodges, starting in 1953 and ending in 1959. Phi Kappa Sigma and Kappa Sigma moved out of their old houses in 1959 to occupy their new lodges (9 and 10 on the map). Their old houses were converted into student dormitories and renamed Pacific House and Atlantic House. At UR, there are two "rows" of fraternity lodges: Old Fraternity Row (1–7 and 12–14 on the map) and New Fraternity Row (8–11 on the map). In 1996, the old Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, and Lambda Chi Alpha lodges (12–14) were demolished to make room for a new parking lot for the Robins Center.
Map of UR Fraternity Lodges in 1968: 1=Pacific House, 2=Atlantic House, 3=Phi Sigma Delta, 4=Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 5=Phi Delta Theta, 6=Sigma Phi Epsilon, 7=Phi Gamma Delta, 8=Theta Chi, 9=Phi Kappa Sigma, 10=Kappa Sigma, 11=Kappa Alpha, 12=Pi Kappa Alpha, 13=Sigma Chi, 14=Lambda Chi Alpha. The future site of the Robins Center, Millhiser Gymnasium, and the future site of Robins Stadium can be seen at the bottom.
List of lodges
Number on Map
Name
Photo
Year Built
Notes / Past Occupants
1
Pacific House
1928
Phi Kappa Sigma, 1928–September 1959, currently student housing. Original address: No. 1 Fraternity Row
2
Atlantic House
1930
Kappa Sigma, 1930–September 1959, currently student housing. Original address: No. 2 Fraternity Row
3
Law School Dormitory
1957
Phi Alpha (1957–1959), Phi Sigma Delta (1959–1970), Zeta Beta Tau (1970–1972), undergraduate and law student residence until the present. Current Address: 22D Old Fraternity Row
4
Student Organization Lodge
1954
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (1954–2015). Original address: No. 4 Fraternity Row
5
Theta Chi
1953
Phi Delta Theta (1953–2006) and Theta Chi (2013–Present). Current Address: 22F Old Fraternity Row
6
Sigma Phi Epsilon
1953
Current Address: 22H Old Fraternity Row
7
Phi Gamma Delta
1953
8
Rethink Waste
1959
Theta Chi (1959–1996) and Sigma Chi (1999–2019). Current Address: 24D New Fraternity Row
9
Lambda Chi Alpha
1959
Phi Kappa Sigma (1959–1996), Pi Kappa Alpha (1996–2006), Lambda Chi Alpha (2010–Present). Current Address: 24C New Fraternity Row
10
Kappa Sigma
1959
Current Address: 24B New Fraternity Row
11
Kappa Alpha
1959
Current Address: 24A New Fraternity Row
12
Pi Kappa Alpha (demolished)
1956
Original address: No. 5 Fraternity Row
13
old Sigma Chi (demolished)
Alpha Epsilon Pi (1950s–1965) and Sigma Chi (1965–1996)[16]
14
old Lambda Chi Alpha (demolished)
1959
Gallery of fraternity lodges
Kappa Alpha (1961)
Kappa Sigma (1961)
Phi Delta Theta (1961), now Theta Chi
Phi Gamma Delta (1961)
Phi Kappa Sigma (1961), later Pi Kappa Alpha and now Lambda Chi Alpha
Phi Sigma Delta (1961), later Zeta Beta Tau and now law student housing
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (1961), now the student organization lodge
Sigma Phi Epsilon (1961)
Theta Chi (1961), later Sigma Chi and now the Rethink Waste lodge
Sorority cottages
When sororities first arrived at the University of Richmond in 1987, they initially met in various rooms across campus. However, in 2012, a complex was built which features eight conjoined "cottages" and a larger event space known as "The Web."[17]
