This article includes Cornell University's fraternities and sororities. The Cornell University Greek system dates to the first months of university operation during the autumn of 1868. Cornell's co-founder and first president, Andrew Dickson White was a strong promoter of fraternities as a means of teaching self-governance to young students. Among its leaders, other strong supporters of the Greek system were Presidents Edmund Ezra Day and Frank H.T. Rhodes.
Among general ("social") organizations, Cornell currently recognizes 29 Interfraternity Council fraternities, 11 Panhellenic Association sororities, and 15 Multicultural Greek and Fraternal Council fraternities and sororities.[3]
Fraternities constituting the Interfraternity Council (IFC) are listed by dates of local founding and noted with national conference membership where applicable. As of 2023, there are two gender-neutral and 29 male-only fraternities. Fraternities may be suspended ("de-recognized") or closed for disciplinary or other reasons as determined by the IFC, governing bodies including national organizations, and/or the University. Dormant houses, which include both closed fraternities and/or those that have forfeited their housing, are italicized. Active houses, including those that have been suspended for a year or less are in bold.
ΘΔΧ - Theta Delta Chi, Beta Charge, 1870-1999, 2003–2023, NIC. Agreed to withdrawal of recognition for at least three years, effective fall 2023, for violations of social event policy[36]
ΣΔΠ - Sigma Delta Pi (Vitruvian), 1871–1874[16]: 8th ed [ag]
ΑΕΠ - Alpha Epsilon Pi, 1917–1976, 1978–2001?, 2005–2023, NIC. Agreed to the withdrawal of recognition for at least three years, effective fall 2023, for violations of social event policy[47]
Sororities constituting the Panhellenic Council (PHC) are listed with dates of local founding and national conference membership, these are women's organizations, voluntarily coordinating their efforts within the PHC. As part of PHC or national organization self-governance, or University disciplinary action, chapters may be suspended ("de-recognized") or closed for a time. If a chapter is closed and/or forfeits its housing, it will be listed as a dormant chapter. Active groups are in bold, and dormant groups are in italics. See the Office of Student Life for current PHA members.
Sororities and Fraternities constituting the Multicultural Greek and Fraternal Council (MGFC) were originally affiliated with specific ethnicities or languages. Most of these organizations are now fully integrated as are the rest of Cornell's Greek letter organizations. All MGFC chapters are. Listed with dates of local founding and national conference membership, these are men's and women's organizations that voluntarily coordinate their efforts within the MGFC. As part of MGFC or University self-governance during disciplinary action, chapters may be suspended ("de-recognized") for a time. Unless the suspensions result in long-term closure of the chapter or forfeiture of a building, they should not be removed from this list. Active groups are in bold, and dormant groups are in italics. See the Office of Student Life for current MGFC members. The inter-Greek councils often cooperate on programs and policies, as do individual chapters from among the several Greek councils.
These organizations have a similarly long pedigree on the Cornell campus but are largely non-residential. Members of the social and academic fraternities and sororities may join or be asked to join, as may non-Greek students. Multiple affiliations are allowable. The cut-off line where any campus organization falls within these headings or without is somewhat arbitrary; those formed before 1990 are listed under these subheadings in various volumes of the Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, which for more than a century has been the data source of record for such organizations. Newer groups have been placed in categories that match Baird's categories. The latest, 1991 version of Bairds was published before the national development of some of the societies here, and therefore, position and inclusion are, in some cases, assumptive.[16]
Honor societies recognize students who excel academically or as leaders among their peers, often within a specific academic discipline. Many honor societies invite students to become members based on scholastic rank (the top x% of a class) and/or grade point, either overall, or for classes taken within the discipline for which the honor society provides recognition. In cases where academic achievement would not be an appropriate criterion for membership, other standards are usually required for membership (such as completion of a particular ceremony or training program). These societies recognize past achievements. Pledging is not required, and new candidates may be immediately inducted into membership after meeting predetermined academic criteria and paying a one-time membership fee. Because of their purpose of recognition, most honor societies will have much higher academic achievement requirements for membership than professional societies. It is also common for a scholastic honor society to add a criterion relating to the character of the student. Some honor societies are invitation-only while others allow unsolicited applications. Finally, membership in an honor society might be considered exclusive, i.e., a member of such an organization cannot join other honor societies representing the same field. Governance varies from faculty-guided to purely student-run.
Listed by date of local founding with national conference membership, these are co-ed, non-residential, achievement-based organizations that self-select members based on published criteria.
Professional societies work to build friendship bonds among members, cultivate their strengths so that they may promote their profession, and provide mutual assistance in their shared areas of professional study.
Listed by date of local founding with national conference membership, these are primarily co-ed and non-residential organizations, of an array of professional interests. Membership in a professional fraternity may be the result of a pledge process, much like a social fraternity, and members are expected to remain loyal and active in the organization for life. Within the group of societies dedicated to a professional field of study, for example, law societies, membership is exclusive; however, these societies may initiate members who belong to other types of fraternities. Professional Societies are known for networking and post-collegiate involvement. Governance varies from faculty-managed to purely student-run.
Service societies are listed with dates of local founding and national conference membership, if any; these are non-residential, co-ed organizations designed to provide campus and community service. These organizations are self-governed.
During the 1948-1949 school year, then Cornell University President Edmund Ezra Day formally distanced the university leadership and the increased discrimination that he observed at Cornell since 1910. His speech at the time marked the beginning of an effort to end such unlawful practices, a goal to which the University remains committed.[citation needed] Following hearings into discrimination within Cornell's system of private fraternities and sororities, fifteen fraternities liquidated private holdings and entered into the Cornell University Residence Plan of 1966, or CURP'66, an agreement which required all signatories to refrain from unlawful discrimination.[92] The majority of CURP ’66 houses are on the Cornell West Campus. The plan created a system of 'living and learning' in small residences.
Each Group House was to be maintained by a Priority Group electing its Group Sponsor. Phi Kappa Psi, for instance, sponsored Group House No. IV d/b/a/ The Irving Literary Society, and developed its parcel on Cornell's West Campus. Cornell desired an academic atmosphere in student residence “units” providing appropriate facilities for intellectual and cultural activities and by encouraging student participation in these pursuits.[93] CURP ’66 was not simply the creation of University-owned fraternities and sororities, but a plan to provide a supplement to the University-maintained dormitory complex, the existing Cornell Greek System, off-campus apartments, and rooming houses. The vision was to organize “Small Residences” together, regardless of their national or local orientation as fraternities or cooperatives.[93] The University program provided for no discrimination based on race, creed, color, or national origin. The issue of gender was addressed in the equal promotion of female, male, and gender-neutral Group Houses.[94] In 1997, Cornell's president, Hunter Rawlings, reaffirmed the Board of Trustees' commitment to the Cornell University Residence Plan of 1966.[95]
The current CURP ’66 was created from an existing University leasing system dating to the 1881 decision by Andrew Dickson White to favor fraternities over dormitories. White thought fraternities “’[would] arouse in the students a feeling of responsibility both for the care of the property and for the reputation of the house . . . [and] fastens upon [students’] duties and responsibilities similar to those of men in the active world was among the better solutions of the problems [of] . . . students in American universities.’”[96]: 33–34 White’s vision, in turn, developed from the professional analysis of American architect and planner, Frederick Law Olmsted, who saw the erection of residential clubhouses on Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act as a reform over the barracks-like dormitories used by existing American universities and colleges.[97] Like White, Olmsted felt clubhouses maintained by the students would form part of the educational experience. They were to be modeled on the typical rural household of the era, small country villas thought to avoid the negative aspects of the Industrial Revolution.[96]: 21–23
Group House No. II, possessed by Delta Tau Delta, signatory since June 8, 1960, 104 Mary Anne Wood Drive (in residence);
Group House No. III, Chi Phi ("Craigielea"), signatory since November 15, 1960, 107 Edgemoor Lane (in residence);
Group House No. IV, "Ivy," possessed by Phi Kappa Psi ("The Gables"), signatory since November 30, 1959, 525 Stewart Avenue, service deliveries to 120 Mary Anne Wood Drive; Phi Psi is also the successor organization to the Irving Literary Society. First, to sign in to the revised Group Housing Plan in 1959, it was fourth in accession due to negotiations over the sale of its property at 312 Thurston Avenue, the former Wyckoff Mansion (in litigation);
Group House No. V, possessed by Sigma Phi Epsilon, signatory since 1962, 109 McGraw Place (in residence);
Group House No. VI, possessed by Delta Upsilon, signatory since 1962, 6 South Avenue (in residence);
Group House No. VII, occupied by Phi Sigma Sigma, and formerly possessed by Kappa Alpha, which was a signatory in 1991 (signing was delayed for three decades, for reasons unknown), 14 South Avenue;
Group House No. VIII, possessed by Zeta Psi, signatory since 1963, 534 Thurston Avenue (in residence);
Group House No. IX (demolished 2020), formerly possessed by Chi Omega, signatory since 1963, 10 Sisson Place,; later occupied by Sigma Alpha Mu[98]
Group House X, occupied by University Residence Life, 201 Thurston Avenue, and formerly possessed by Lambda Upsilon Lambda, signatory since 1965 when the CURP program was closed out in favor of a return to individual leasing.
Chapters with university-owned facilities under other agreements
The university-owned property at 722 University Avenue was also leased to several Greek-letter groups, including Pi Kappa Phi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Chi Rho, Alpha Epsilon Phi, and finally Lambda Upsilon Lambda, which vacated in 2006. The house was demolished in 2017.[100]
Many fraternities and sororities have remained outside the ambit of University ownership. As of October 2017[update], these chapters include the following:
^Cornell's chapter of ΧΨ was dormant for ten years shortly after the Civil War, according to Baird's. That record notes that since its revival it "has stood well."
^ abcΦΔΘ and ΚΣ nationals withdrew from the NIC in 2002. ΛΧΑ ended its affiliation in 2015. TKE resigned its membership in 2016. ΦΣΚ withdrew in 2002 and rejoined in 2006.
^Cornell is the Founding (or "Alpha") Chapter of Delta Chi. Originally a professional law fraternity, in 1909 it became a general fraternity, disallowing new members who were already part of other fraternities.
^Seal and Serpent is one of the oldest independent fraternities in continuous existence. In 2016, the fraternity ended its participation in the IFC, becoming an Independent Recognized Student Organization. The house continues to be governed by its alumni board and the university and follows the University's anti-hazing policy. In 2020, the house voted to become gender-neutral.
^Baird's notes that Cornell's Beta chapter of ΦΣΔ absorbed the Alpha Iota chapter of Phi Alpha fraternity at the merger of those two fraternities in 1959. This was ten years before ΦΣΔ's merger into ΖΒΤ.
^This entire 5-chapter national fraternity, including Cornell's Beta chapter, was absorbed into ΒΘΠ in 1879.
^ΤΚΕ came from several predecessor groups, including Kappa Psi at its 1923 founding, then absorbing the Scorpion Club and most of Sigma Phi Sigma at re-establishment in 1940, according to the Ithacating blog. It appears ΤΚΕ's original Sigma chapter was renamed as Scorpion chapter to note its predecessor group at re-establishment.
^Baird's listing for Sigma Phi Sigma explains that that national fraternity only formed in 1908, four years after the Ithacating blog cites the creation of its Cornell chapter. The Baird's Archive online solves the mystery, noting that a predecessor group called the Cayuga Club formed in 1905 before merging into ΣΦΣ.
^Baird's notes that "most" of the members of the Cornell Sigma Phi Sigma chapter joined ΤΚΕ.
^There is a discrepancy in the Baird's Online Archive, which has this predecessor group forming in 1918. Likely a typo there. Two earlier groups, Skull and Bandhu are noted to have become ΦΔΣ.
^The ISWZA group itself formed from an informal group called Mug and Jug, which appears to have lasted only two or three months.
^Name changed from Beta Samach to Beta Sigma Rho in 1920 and again at the merger with Pi Lambda Phi in 1972. After the merger into the Pi Lam chapter in 1972, Pi Lam closed in 1976.
^Baird's listing for Sigma Phi Sigma explains that the national fraternity only formed in 1908, four years after the Ithacating blog cites creation of its Cornell chapter. The Baird's Archive online solves the mystery, noting that a predecessor group called the Cayuga Club formed in 1905 before merging into ΣΦΣ.
^Baird's notes that "most" of the members of the Cornell Sigma Phi Sigma chapter joined ΤΚΕ.
^ΟΑΤ was a national Jewish fraternity, founded at Cornell. It was noted (Sanua, p.79) as "the most Jewish of fraternities". Its house kept a kosher kitchen. All chapters closed during the Great Depression; most of these were absorbed by Tau Delta Phi
^Baird's notes that Cornell's Beta chapter of ΦΣΔ absorbed the young Alpha Iota chapter of Phi Alpha fraternity at the merger of those two fraternities in 1959. This was ten years before ΦΣΔ's merger into ΖΒΤ.
^The dormant Cornell chapter of Phi Beta Delta was absorbed in 1941 by the older Delta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi, welcoming its alumni into that fraternity.
^The small national of Theta Alpha was founded at Syracuse, placing its Beta chapter at Cornell in 1915, which had been a local called Omicron Sigma Omicron
^This local chapter became Beta chapter of ΑΕΠ soon after the establishment of its national at NYU
^This was the Alpha chapter of ΒΣΡ. Baird's Manual notes that the fraternity's name was changed to ΒΣΡ at the addition of its third chapter, at Columbia University in 1919. It is fair to say that ΒΣΡ began in 1910, albeit under the earlier name.
^This small national was founded in 1920 at CCNY. Its Zeta chapter at Cornell merged into Phi Beta Delta in 1934, to re-establish ΦΒΔ.
^This was the Delta Alpha chapter of the fraternity. At dissolution, some members joined Beta Kappa. The December 1934 Omegan newsletter notes that the Alpha chapter of Beta Psi at Illinois had attempted a merger with Alpha Sigma Phi at the demise of its national, thus in 1934.
^Sigma Omega Psi was a small Jewish fraternity that merged in 1940 with the larger Alpha Epsilon Pi. At the time of the merger, Cornell's Phi chapter was dormant, it having been founded sometime after 1923 according to Baird's 10th edition. [the online Baird's Archive pins this somewhere after 1926 considering the fraternity's known chapter order.] Sigma Omega Psi alumni were accepted into ΑΕΠ as a result of the merger.
^This was the Theta chapter of θΚΦ during its existence, though its national was later renamed.
^Eleusis was founded as a local in 1912, becoming ΘΚΝ in 1931; only a few years later this small national merged with Lambda Chi Alpha.
^The short-lived Alpha Pi chapter of Beta Kappa didn't survive its mid-Depression founding. Six years later, in 1942 this national fraternity merged into Theta Chi, already present on the Cornell campus. As part of the national terms of the merger, Beta Kappa's 56 young alumni were accepted as alumni of Theta Chi. However, the Baird's Archive notes this group, perhaps a portion of its actives only, was absorbed by ΑΤΩ.
^The Alpha Beta chapter of the small national fraternity Kappa Nu petitioned to join Phi Sigma Epsilon in 1962, having chosen not to participate in Kappa Nu's merger with Phi Epsilon Pi in 1961 as both fraternities (ΚΝ and ΦΕΠ) were then present on the Cornell campus. The resulting Phi Tau chapter of Phi Sigma Epsilon later was released (a second time) when that fraternity merged with Phi Sigma Kappa. National fraternity Phi Epsilon Pi itself later became part of Zeta Beta Tau.
^Baird's notes that Cornell's Beta chapter of ΦΣΔ absorbed the young Alpha Iota chapter of Phi Alpha fraternity at the merger of those two fraternities in 1959. This was ten years before ΦΣΔ's merger into ΖΒΤ.
^Cornell was the only campus where active chapters of both Phi Sigma Kappa and Phi Sigma Epsilon existed at the time of their merger in 1985. Rather than merge the chapters, Phi Sigma Epsilon's Phi Tau chapter was released to seek another national affiliation, and after a search, joined Theta Chi, also in 1985. To explain, two years prior, in 1983, Theta Chi on the campus had lost their charter due to rules violations, as noted in a historical piece from AEPi, accessed June 14, 2017. AEPi's campus history had noted this situation as the former (1983) Theta Chi members had been absorbed en masse into the AEPi chapter on the campus. The new, 1985 edition of Theta Chi (from Phi Sigma Epsilon) had no connection to the former Theta Chi chapter but was granted its Lambda Chapter name and occupied its building. Meanwhile, the Alpha Chi Omega sorority occupied the former Phi Sigma Epsilon chapter's former building, according to a local real estate blog at the time, accessed June 14, 2017. As a postscript, Theta Chi was again closed in 1999 due to drug use violations, and a 2003 recolonization attempt was unsuccessful.
^Formed as a continuation of ΦΔΘ at its 1970 closure, this group successfully re-emerged three years later to re-join the parent fraternity.
^Baird's 5th ed. notes this chapter began "at the opening of the University in (~Fall of) 1868"; it has traditionally been listed as the third society formed on the campus.
^ΦΚΨ address in 2016, 120 Mary Ann Wood Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850
^This small, now-dormant national was formed at Dartmouth in 1858, also known by the name Vitruvian. Its Beta chapter was placed at Cornell. Not to be confused with the Spanish language honor society of the same name.
^This chapter originated as ΦΚΨ, vacating that original chapter in 1876, long before the formation of the NIC and rules against such "poaching". ΦΚΨ would return a decade later. Both groups were stable on the Cornell campus for well over a century. ΨΥ address before May 2016 closure, 2 Forest Park Lane, Ithaca, NY 14850
^The 1889/90 Cornellian yearbook notes ΘΝΕ without a founding date. This is in keeping with the affected secrecy of the group. Somewhat of a pariah, it was rejected by the NIC early in its life because of fears of membership drain of sophomores from other societies, and behavioral issues. Sometime after Cornell's Delta chapter of the fraternity died, the national made efforts to reform and was eventually admitted into the NIC. Active dates from the Theta Nu Epsilon Wikipedia page.
^This was the Alpha chapter of this small, short-lived national.
^ΑΤΩ's address, before its 2013 closing, was 625 University Ave., Ithaca, NY 14850
^Q.T.V. was the only Greek society whose esoteric name used Latin letters.
^The original Pi Lambda Phi chapter was short-lived, existing from 1897 to 1901. It was restored with the assimilation of a local, coincidently named Beta Sigma, that had formed the year prior in 1910. This earlier local had no organizational connection with the later-developed Beta Sigma Rho. In 1972 these two Cornell chapters would themselves merge when Beta Sigma Rho national was absorbed by Pi Lambda Phi.
^Theta Xi chose to disband in 2010. It had targeted transfer students since its recolonization in 2007.
^This chapter originated two years prior in a local club formed with the unfortunate name Swastika in 1906. Adopting this ancient symbol was a coincidence; the group had no relation to the later national socialist party of Germany. In 1910 the young ΑΧΡ chapter absorbed another local club called Obelisk, formed in 1907.
^Noted in remarks by Acting President Crane, two years after the group's inception. The Huntington Club was named after an important bishop of the church and already had 34 residents at its first home, the former Court Inn, on Dryden Road. staff (1913).
^The short-lived Alpha Pi chapter of Beta Kappa didn't survive its mid-Depression founding. Six years later, in 1942 this national fraternity merged into Theta Chi, already present on the Cornell campus. As part of the national terms of the merger, Beta Kappa's 56 young alumni were accepted as alumni of Theta Chi. However, the Baird's Archive notes this group, perhaps a portion of its actives only, was absorbed by ΑΤΩ.
^Cornell was the only campus where active chapters of both Phi Sigma Kappa and Phi Sigma Epsilon existed at the time of their merger in 1985. Rather than merge the chapters, Phi Sigma Epsilon's Phi Tau chapter was released to seek another national affiliation, and after a search, joined Theta Chi, also in 1985. To explain, two years prior, in 1983, Theta Chi on the campus had lost their charter due to rules violations, as noted in a historical piece from AEPi, accessed June 14, 2017. AEPi's campus history had noted this situation as the former (1983) Theta Chi members had been absorbed en masse into the AEPi chapter on the campus. The new, 1985 edition of Theta Chi (from Phi Sigma Epsilon) had no connection to the former Theta Chi chapter but was granted its Lambda Chapter name and occupied its building. Meanwhile, Alpha Chi Omega sorority occupied the former Phi Sigma Epsilon chapter's former building, according to a local real estate blog Theta Chi was again closed in 1999 due to drug use violations, and a 2003 recolonization attempt was unsuccessful.
^ΣΦΕ address in 2016 was 109 McGraw Place, Ithaca, NY 14850
^This small, now-dormant national was formed in New York for graduate students in 1913, placing its Beta chapter at Cornell. Not to be confused with a fraternity formed at Eastern Michigan University under the same name.
^ΑΦΔ was non-residential as of 2016. ΑΦΔ's Mu chapter is no longer recognized by Cornell IFC, as of January 20, 2019.
^Baird's Manual names this chapter the Scorpion chapter of that fraternity, indicating the Scorpion local's role as the primary of several groups that merged to form ΤΚΕ at Cornell at its re-establishment in 1940.
^This chapter had been the Theta chapter of Theta Kappa Phi during its brief active tenure. It kept that chapter name as a dormant chapter at the time of the merger with Phi Kappa Theta in 1959.
^Delta Sigma Lambda absorbed the two remaining chapters of Theta Alpha in 1933, including Cornell's Beta chapter, which was renamed Lambda chapter of the larger fraternity, but the chapter at Cornell died, in 1935 or 1936 and no later than 1937, at the demise of the entire national.
^ΚΑΘ disaffiliated 1881 to 1965, becoming Prospect of Whitby cooperative during that time. ΚΑΘ re-founded in 1980 with no association with the former organization.
^The chapter continued as an independent, ΚΚΨ, while ΚΚΓ was 'dormant' 1969-1977
^From 1892 to 1893, this chapter was named NY Alpha chapter.
^This organization merged twice in 1931. The original Club Hispania joined Phi Lambda Alpha and that fraternity nationally merged into Phi Iota Alpha in late December of that same year, according to Phi Iota Alpha records.
^The first "International Latino Fraternity" was founded at Cornell, with the establishment of Alpha Chapter of Alpha Zeta, not to be confused with the Professional (Agricultural) fraternity of that same name, also on the Cornell campus. While short-lived, this group sparked many imitators, as noted by Oliver Fajardo
^ΡΨ, for Chinese students, was founded at Cornell in 1916 with the Chinese name Su Ye She, at a time when Chinese students were unable to join other fraternities. It became a national organization in 1925, and international in 1929. The Cornell chapter ceased in 1931, but other chapters of the national organization continued, becoming co-educational in 1975. Rho Psi continues elsewhere as a Chinese interest club. The fraternity adopted the name Rho Psi Society, indicating its co-educational status, also in 1975.
^This organization merged twice in 1931. The original Club Hispania joined Phi Lambda Alpha and that fraternity nationally merged into Phi Iota Alpha in late December of that same year, according to Phi Iota Alpha records.
^This national sorority, founded at Binghamton University, is dormant.
^The Cornell local Der Hexenkreis was a founder of Mortar Board nationally, however, the Cornell chapter, which never relinquished its historical roots as a 130-year-old society recently left Mortar Board and reclaimed independence as a strictly Cornellian society
^For a time Baird's had noted this chapter as inactive, however as of November 2021 it's back on the national website. Reactivation for most honor societies only requires a faculty sponsor.
^Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. pp. II–45, 46. ISBN978-0-9637159-0-6.
^Weston, Caroline, 722 University Avenue Ithaca, New York, Just Places Lab, Cornell University College of Art, Architecture, and Planning, retrieved July 18, 2024