University of Alberta fraternities and sororities

The University of Alberta is a public institution that was formed in 1908 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[1] At the university, fraternities are governed by a local Interfraternity Council and the sororities are governed by the National Panhellenic Council.[2][3] All existing chapters formed after 1929 when a twenty-year ban of fraternities and sororities was lifted.[1]

In 1909, Henry Marshall Tory, the first president of the university, ordered all secret societies to disband, including the local secret societies Upsilon Upsilon and Pi Sigma Phi.[4] The push to remove the ban begun in 1927, when students formed a committee called the Athenian Club to lobby for fraternities.[4] That same year, several men had formed the Rocky Mountain Goat Club, which was only sanctioned due to its lack of any secret rituals or a written constitution.[4]

The University of Alberta's ban on fraternities and sororities ended in 1929, following the departure of President Tory.[4] Members of the Rocky Mountain Goat Club formed one of the university's newest fraternities, Delta Nu (later merged into Phi Kappa Pi).[4]

Phi Delta Theta was the first chapter of a national or international fraternity on campus, officially recognized and chartered on September 12, 1930.[2][5] Also, in 1930, the Athenian Club became a chapter of Zeta Psi.[1] The first national sorority chapter was Delta Gamma, established in May 9, 1931 from the local sorority Phi Gamma.[1][6] All fraternities and sororities at the university occupy houses.[1]

## Fraternities

[edit]

Following are the fraternity chapters at the University of Alberta.[1]

Organization  | Symbols  | Chapter name  | Charter date and range  | Organization's scope  | Status  | References

|
|
|
|
|
|

Delta Chi | ΔΧ | Alberta | April 5, 1997 | North America  | Active  | [9]
Delta Kappa Epsilon | ΔΚΕ | Delta Phi | December 30, 1932 | North America  | Active  | [10][11][12][a][b]
Delta Sigma Phi | ΔΣΦ | Epsilon Alpha | 1965–1971  | North America  | Inactive  | [13][c]
Delta Upsilon | ΔΥ | Alberta | January 19, 1935 | North America  | Active  | [14][15][d]
Farmhouse | FH | Alberta | April 20, 1974 | North America  | Active  | [16][e]
Kappa Alpha Society | ΚΑ | Alberta Alpha | November 5, 1988–2011  | North America  | Inactive  | [17]
Kappa Sigma | ΚΣ | Epsilon-Alpha | May 1, 1939 – 2024  | North America  | Inactive  | [18]
Lambda Chi Alpha | ΛΧΑ | Epsilon-Rho | 1945  | North America  | Active  | [f]
Phi Delta Theta | ΦΔΘ | Alberta Alpha | September 12, 1930 | North America  | Active  | [5][g]
Phi Gamma Delta | ΦΓΔ and FIJI | Epsilon Alpha | October 24, 1970 | North America  | Active  | [19]
Pi Kappa Alpha | ΠΚΑ | Lambda Epsilon | November 11, 2001 | North America  | Active  | [20]
Pi Kappa Pi | ΦΚΠ | Delta Mu | 1930–1975, 19xx ?– 1995  | National  | Inactive  | [4][h]
Sigma Alpha Mu | ΣΑΜ | Mu Beta | March 30, 1941 – 1972  | North America  | Inactive  | [21][i]
Theta Chi | ΘΧ | Zeta Gamma | February 20, 1965 | North America  | Active  | [22][23]
Zeta Psi | ΖΨ | Mu Theta | 1930  | International  | Active  | [j]

1. ^ Chapter formed from Phi Alpha (local), established in 1929.
2. ^ In January 2011, the university suspended the Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter for five years for a hazing incident that took place in October 2010. The university reinstated the chapter in August 2013.
3. ^ Chapter formed from Sigma Alpha Tau (local), established in 1961.
4. ^ Chapter formed from Pi Epsilon (local), established in 1923.
5. ^ Chapter formed from the Agricultural Club (local), established in 1969.
6. ^ Chapter formed from Alpha Chi (local), established in 1940.
7. ^ Chapter formed from Alpha Rho Tau (local), established in 1929.
8. ^ Chapter formed from Delta Mu, established in 1929 by members of the Rocky Mountain Goat Club.
9. ^ Chapter formed from Zeta Alpha Upsilon (local), established in 1935.
10. ^ This chapter formed from the Athenian Club (local), established in 1926.

## Sororities and women's fraternities

[edit]

Following are the sorority chapters at the University of Alberta.[1][24]

Organization  | Symbols  | Chapter name  | Charter date and range  | Organization's scope  | Status  | References

|
|
|
|
|
|

Alpha Gamma Delta | ΑΓΔ | Delta Kappa | February 29, 1964 – 1977; 1996  | North America  | Active  |
Alpha Psi | ΑΨ |  | 2004  | Local  | Active  | [25][a]
Ceres |  | Beta | February 15, 1986 – 19xx ?; March 2007–2023  | North America  | Inactive  | [b]
Delta Delta Delta | ΔΔΔ | Canada Gamma | February 6, 1932 – January 1, 1959  | North America  | Inacitve  | [26][c]
Delta Gamma | ΔΓ | Beta Beta | May 9, 1931 | North America  | Active  | [6][d]
Kappa Alpha Theta | ΚΑΘ | Beta Chi | September 26, 1931 | North America  | Active  | [27][e]
Kore |  |  | 2023  | Local  | Active  | [f]
Pi Beta Phi | ΠΒΦ | Alberta Alpha | September 22, 1931 | North America  | Active  | [28][29][g]

1. ^ This sorority is gender and sexuality inclusive, according to its social media pages.
2. ^ Chapter formed from FarmHouse Little Sisters. The chapter formed Kore when the national sorority went defunct.
3. ^ Chapter formed from Nu Lambda (local), established in 1929.
4. ^ Chapter formed from Phi Gamma (local), established in 1929.
5. ^ Chapter formed from Psi Omega (local), established in 1929.
6. ^ Formed from the Beta chapter of Ceres, a women's agricultural fraternity that went defunct in 2024. It maintains its agricultural purpose and is still a women's fraternity.
7. ^ This chapter formed from Alpha Upsilon (local), established in 1928.

## See also

[edit]

* Fraternities and sororities in Canada

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (April 15, 2025) "Institutions". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed May 29, 2023.
2. ^ a b "Student Groups". University of Alberta. Retrieved 2025-05-29. "Fraternity and sorority chapters are also recognized as student groups and are governed by one of two councils: the Interfraternity Council and the National Panhellenic Council."
3. ^ "Fraternities and Sororities". University of Alberta. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
4. ^ a b c d e f Schoeck, Ellen (2006). I Was There: A Century of Alumni Stories about the University of Alberta, 1906–2006. University of Alberta. pp. 214–215\. ISBN 978-0-88864-464-0 – via Google Books.
5. ^ a b "Locate Phi Delt". Phi Delta Theta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
6. ^ a b "Chapter History". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
7. ^ "Alberta". The Delta Chi Fraternity. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
8. ^ "History". Delta Chi Fraternity Alberta Chapter. 2023-08-27. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
9. ^ Summer 1997 Delta Chi Quarterly p 5
10. ^ "Deke fraternity at the U of A sanctioned". www.ualberta.ca. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
11. ^ "Frat house suspended for hazing reinstated by U of A". CBC. August 12, 2013.
12. ^ "The Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity in Alberta". The Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity in Alberta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
13. ^ Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. III-43–46. ISBN 978-0963715906.
14. ^ "History". Delta Upsilon Alberta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
15. ^ "O Canada!". Delta Tau. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
16. ^ "Current Chapters". FarmHouse. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
17. ^ "Chapter Listing". Kappa Alpha Society. Retrieved 2025-05-30.
18. ^ "Chapter Listing". Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
19. ^ "Our Chapters". Phi Gamma Delta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
20. ^ "Find a Chapter". Pi Kappa Alpha. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
21. ^ Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 315-317.
22. ^ "Chapters". Theta Chi. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
23. ^ Zeta Gamma chapter of Theta Chi
24. ^ "Our Chapters". Sororities at University of Alberta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
25. ^ Polenchuk, Lily; Williams, Emily (2023-02-24). "Alpha Psi Sorority on provisional status after investigation into hazing, discrimination on mental health". The Gateway. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
26. ^ "Canada Gamma". Tri Delta Digital Museum. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
27. ^ "Beta Chi - Alberta". Kappa Alpha Theta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
28. ^ "Pi Beta Phi - Alberta Alpha Chapter". University of Alberta. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
29. ^ "Pi Beta Phi Chapter Installations". The Arrow. 133 (3): 37. Spring 2017 – via issuu.