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. 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.

Name Charter date and range Type StatusSociety for Inquiry1824LiteraryInactiveCollege literary societies Gamma Phi bef. 1833–1840 Literary Inactive Pi Delta –1840 Literary Inactive Adelphian Society 1840–1880 Literary and oration Inactive Aeonian Society 1840–1887 Literary and orationInactiveThe Record of Phi Kappa Psi - A Short History of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity by Guy Morrison Walker, 1906.Alpha Delta Phi1850–1851; 1964–1972Social fraternityInactive Delta Kappa Epsilon 1856–2009 Social fraternity Inactive Delta Upsilon 1865 Social fraternity ActiveAldelphia1872–1880Social fraternityMergedDelta Phi1874–1876Social fraternityInactiveAeonia1880–1887Social fraternityMergedUnion Debating Society188x ?–1887Literary and orationMerged Beta Theta Pi 1880 Social fraternityActiveTheta Nu Epsilon1880Social fraternityInactive Phi Kappa Psi 1887–1982 Social fraternity InactiveList of Phi Kappa Psi chapters and colonies Phi Gamma Delta 1886–1969, 1976–1989 Social fraternity InactiveList of Phi Gamma Delta chapters and coloniesMadison Club1902–1917Literary and orationInactiveOwls Club1907–1908Non-Greek fraternal organizationInactiveGorgon's Head1908–1934Secret senior honor societyMergedSigma Alpha 1909–1918Social fraternityMergedTheta Mu1911–1912Social fraternityMergedSkull and Scroll1912–1934Secret senior honor societyMerged Theta Chi 1912 Social fraternity ActiveTheta Delta Sigma1914–1917Social fraternityMerged Lambda Chi Alpha 1916–1972 Social fraternity InactiveList of Lambda Chi Alpha chapters Alpha Tau Omega 1917–2000 Social fraternity Inactive Sigma Nu 1917–1968 Social fraternity Inactive Kappa Delta Rho 1917–1972, 1985–2003 Social fraternity Inactive Phi Delta Theta 1918–1968, 1973 Social fraternity ActiveTheta Pi Delta1923–1930Social fraternityMergedDelta Pi Sigma1927–1937Social fraternityMerge Colgate Commons Club 1927–1960 Counter-culture fraternal organization InactiveAlpha Psi Omega1928–May 2023Honor society, theaterInactive Sigma Chi 1930–1963, 1971–2015 Social fraternity InactiveTredecim Senior Honor Society.(previously Konosioni)1934–20xx ?Senior leadership societyActive Phi Kappa Tau 1937–1971, 2007 Social fraternityActivePsi ChiHonor society, psychologyActiveAlpha Beta1951–1956Social fraternityMergedTau Kappa Epsilon1956–1972Social fraternityInactiveAlpha Chi Epsilon1960–1964Social fraternityMergedBeta Beta Beta1971Honor society, biologyActivePhi Tau 1971–20xx ?Social fraternity, localInactiveDelta Nu1979–1981Social sororityMergedDelta Sigma Upsilon 1980–1988Social sorority, localInactive Chi Omega Rho 1981–1990 Social fraternity, co-ed, local Inactive Gamma Phi Beta 1982 Social sorority ActivePhi Eta Sigma1982First-year academic honor societyActivePhi Psi1982–1992Social fraternity, localInactiveAlpha Theta Pi1984–1988Social sorority, localMergedKappa Psi Lambda1984–1986Social sororityMergedZeta Delta Pi1985–1988Social sororityMergedPi Beta Phi1986–1992Social sororityInactive Kappa Alpha Theta 1988–2008 Social sorority Inactive Kappa Kappa Gamma 1988 Social sorority Active Pi Beta Phi 1986–1992 Social sorority Inactive Alpha Chi Omega 1988–1996 Social sorority Inactive Delta Delta Delta 1996 Social sorority Active Brothers of Colgate 1999 Social fraternity, local ActiveAlpha Epsilon Pi 2005–2013Social fraternityInactive Blue Diamond Society 2006 Social fraternity, local ActiveSorella Society2008Social sorority, localActive

Notes

References

Bibliography

The History of Greek Life