| 1932 |
Pi Kappa Alpha (Gamma Rho Chapter)
founded at NU. The chapter will close in 1998.
Theta Xi (Alpha Kappa Chapter) founded at NU. The chapter will close
in 1988. (Bairds). |
University Fraternity Board Formed. This board consisted
of alumni of each fraternity to discuss a variety of matters, typically
related to housing. The executive board consisted of a President, Vice
President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer.
Dues were $2 per fraternity with membership. (Archives).
Triangle (Northwestern Chapter) founded at NU. The chapter will close
in 1987. (Bairds). |
| 1937 |
IFC Hell Week Resolution Passes.
The resolution formally abolishes Hell Week activities. Groups must post
a $75 bond with the University as a means to stay in compliance with the
resolution. Failure to comply results in forfeiture of the bond. (Archives). |
| A&O Interfraternity Ball sponsors the Interfraternity
Ball at the Morrison Hotel. Fraternities subsidize the event. (Archives). |
| 1939 |
 photo: Construction
of Phi Psi House, 1939
A&O Interfraternity Ball at
the Knickerbocker Hotel. (Archives).
Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity merges with local group called the Wranglers.
(Archives).
photo: May Sing, Pi Kappa Alpha, 1939 |
A&O Interfraternity Ball at the Edgewater Beach
Hotel. (Archives).
486 men went through fraternity rush. 385 men pledged fraternities;
up from previous years. (Archives).
The first chapter of Evans Scholars was founded at Northwestern by
world class amateur golfer “Chick” Evans, who had to drop
out of the University after his freshman year due to lack of finances. |
| 1941 |
Summer live-in fees in fraternities
were set at $45. University President Franklin Bliss Snyder commits to
considering a collective purchasing plan for fraternities and sororities.
(Archives).
Kappa Alpha Psi joins IFC. They were the first Historically Black Fraternity
to be recognized. Alumni members of the University Fraternity Board inquire
about whether or not Kappa Alpha Psi would be invited to board meetings.
(Archives).
Kappa Sigma (Epsilon Delta Chapter) founded at Northwestern.
The fraternities donate $750 to be used for a portrait of Dr. Scott
for Scott Hall. They were attempting to commission the same artist who
did the portrait of Mrs. Scott. (Archives). |
| A&O Interfraternity Ball at the Stevens Hotel.
(Archives). |
| 1943 |
 Because of concerns related to only
500 civilian men rushing, a Wartime IFC was proposed. (Archives).
Panhellenic hosts a workshop entitled "Sororities in a World
at War" with the intent of fostering better cooperation among member
groups. It was the first of its kind at NU. (Archives)
photo: Pi Kappa Alpha at the football game, 1940's |
4,000 students were comprised of three-fourths women
at the close of the spring term. By the following fall, enrollment consisted
of 3,200 women and 1,600 men. With veterans returning to campus, it was
expected that gender portions would be equal in the fall. (Archives).
It was recorded in the University Fraternity Board’s minutes
that “2 or 3 of the best nationals not now represented on campus
were interested in starting chapters here.” Within the next seven
years, the expansion of six new fraternities would occur. (Archives). |
| 1945 |
The Navy had been utilizing fraternity
houses to accommodate the men in their programs. By May, ten of the houses
had been turned back to the University; the University offered to return
the houses to the fraternities if they agreed to “double up”.
A very heated debate occurred about whether or not fraternities should,
would, and could “double up” in the University-owned houses.
The groups would be doubled up once the veterans returned to campus and
until the housing crunch was lessened or all the houses were returned by
the Navy. (Archives).
Due to a breakdown in rules and regulations about rushing and initiation
activities, IFC was non-existent. The University Fraternity Board was
charged with reorganizing IFC. (Archives).
Alpha Delta Pi (Gamma Beta Chapter) founded at NU. The chapter will
close in 1971 (Bairds). |
| The University built 141 Quonset Units on north campus
to house approximately 1,000 veterans and faculty, but they were still
not abundant enough. Fraternity men who lived within 1 hour and 15 minutes
of the University were urged to commute to campus because many chapters
were housing veterans due to the housing crunch. (Archives). |
| 1947 |
Alpha Tau Omega (Illinois Epsilon
Xi Chapter) forms at NU.
Zeta Psi (Omega Chapter) founded at NU. The chapter will close in 1992.
(Bairds). |
| Delta Kappa Epsilon Chapter founded at NU. The chapter
will close at an unknown date. (Bairds). |
| 1949 |
Psi Upsilon (Epsilon Omega Chapter)
founded at NU. |
| Theta Chi (Delta Iota Chapter) founded at NU. |
| 1951 |
Rush is Delayed. Rush Week and New Student Week are
combined for the first time. Rush has historically been held before the
beginning of classes, but many felt it was important for the young women
to meet the President of the University before selecting a chapter. The
overlap of the programs did allow for many families to save money because
they no longer needed to find housing during Rush and students were able
to begin building friendships outside the Rush process. (Archives).
Theta Delta Chi (Kappa Triton Chapter) is founded at NU. The chapter
will close in 1989. |
 Chi Phi Fraternity (Pi Chapter) founded at NU.
photo: Evans Scholars, 1954 |
| 1957 |
The Interfraternity
Council begins conducting “liquor
checks” in fraternity houses to enforce the dry campus policy.
(IFC Minutes).
Northwestern hosts the Big Ten Greek Leadership Conference on campus.
(Archives).
photo: May Sing, Chi Omega, 1950
|
IFC develops a 5-year scholastic rating for each
chapter to be used in Rush. The ratings would reflect which chapters were
consistently above average academically over the past five years. (IFC
Minutes).
IFC and Panhellenic have a joint Greek publication called “The
Oracle”. (IFC Minutes). |
| 1961 |
Greeks Against Discrimination (GAD) was founded by
a member of Alpha Omicron Pi to work toward equal treatment and opportunities
for all students. (Archives).
A non-discrimination policy was passed with the intent to allow and
encourage minority students to pledge groups. Despite having passed,
a change in recruitment would not be seen for several years. (Archives). |
| Northwestern Recruits Female African-American. Active
recruiting began for female African-American students. Previously, there
had not been a concerted effort to recruit this population. This year,
47 female and 77 male African-American students enrolled. (Archives). |
| 1967 |
First African-American Women Pledge. Of the 20 African-American
women who rushed, only two pledged and they were the first African-American
women to pledge at NU. Audrey Hinton pledged Alpha Omicron Pi and Debra
Smith pledged Alpha Epsilon Phi. AOPi was seen as a “liberal” group
both locally (their involvement in founding GAD) and nationally (five other
chapters had pledged African-American women). AEPhi was seen as an open
group because of the similar discrimination Jewish members felt. At this
time, there were 9 African-American men in fraternities at NU. (Archives).
Phi Sigma Kappa (Rho Pentaton Chapter) Fraternity founded at NU. The
chapter will close in 1976. (Bairds).
Sigma Alpha Mu (Beta Pi Chapter) Fraternity founded at NU. The chapter
will close in 1990.
|
| Alpha Kappa Alpha (Gamma Chi Chapter) founded at
NU. |
