1930-1969
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1931 |
Phi Gamma Delta re-establishes a chapter on campus. (Archives) |
| 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). |
| 1934 | Alpha Sigma Phi closes the NU chapter. (Archives) |
| 1935 | 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). |
| 1938 | A&O Interfraternity Ball sponsors the Interfraternity Ball at the Morrison Hotel. Fraternities subsidize the event. (Archives). |
| 1939 | A&O Interfraternity Ball at the Knickerbocker Hotel. (Archives).
Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity merges with local group called the Wranglers. (Archives). "The Wranglers" successfully petition the national fraternity of Alpha Delta Phi to become their 35th chapter. (Archives) |
| 1940 |
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). |
| 1942 | 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) |
| 1945 | 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). 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). |
| 1946 | 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).
A chapter of Chi Psi Fraternity is founded at NU. (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). Phi Mu Delta closes the NU chapter. (Archives) |
| 1948 | Delta Kappa Epsilon Chapter founded at NU. The chapter will close in 1959. (Bairds). |
| 1949 | Psi Upsilon (Epsilon Omega Chapter) founded at NU. |
| 1950 | Theta Chi (Delta Iota Chapter) founded at NU.
A chapter of Chi Phi Fraternity is founded at NU. (Archives) The Oaks Club, a local fraternity, successfully petitions to become a colony of the national fraternity of Theta Delta Chi. (Archives) |
| 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).
The Pan-Hellenic Association at NU vetoes a plan for deferred rush (recruitment). (Archives) Theta Delta Chi (Kappa Triton Chapter) is chartered at NU. The chapter will close in 1989. |
| 1952 | Chi Phi Fraternity (Pi Chapter) founded at NU. |
| 1955 | The Interfraternity Council begins religiously integrated recruitment and eliminates the question of religion from their rush information card. (Archives) 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). |
| 1959 | 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). IFC sets a by-law deadline for the removal of clauses in Northwestern fraternities which refused a local chapter the right to select members because of race, religion, or ethnic origin. |
| 1963 | The former student activities group, "Praetorians" is recognized as a local fraternity. (Archives) |
| 1965 | Northwestern Recruits Female African-Americans. 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. |
| 1969 | Alpha Kappa Alpha (Gamma Chi Chapter) founded at NU. |
