Dartmouth College fraternities and sororities

Social fraternities at Dartmouth College grew out of a tradition of student literary societies that began in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

[5] A chapter of Phi Beta Kappa survived at Dartmouth, but by the 1830s had established its role as a strictly literary society by dropping requirements of secrecy for membership and activities.

[8] In 1935, Dartmouth historian and professor Leon Burr Richardson asserted in a survey that, in light of the national suffering, the fraternity chapters should ask themselves if they had "any excuse for existence.

[9][10] The fraternities of Dartmouth College were directly involved in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s, expanding and popularizing an issue that had first appeared as a result of WWII where the service branches became largely integrated.

Ironically, these and other national fraternities moved fairly quickly to remove bias clauses, in comparison to other institutions of society; thus the Dartmouth chapters which were at the forefront of agitating for these changes won the battle, even as they left their former organizations.

Many alumni expressed strong concerns that the need for housing for new sororities would inevitably lead to financial pressure and the possible dissolution of existing fraternities at the college.

These standards included health and safety regulations regarding the conditions of the Greek houses and requirements for Greek-sponsored activities deemed beneficial to the college community at large.

[18] In a December 2006 interview, College President Jim Wright admitted that it had been "a serious mistake" to announce the Student Life Initiative in the manner in which it was presented to the campus, but expressed that in his opinion, "the Greek system at Dartmouth now is stronger than it's ever been.

[26] The Dartmouth chapter objected to a clause in the national fraternity organization's constitution that required all Alpha Chi Rho brothers to "accept Jesus as their lord and savior."

[46] Prominent alumni of the New Hampshire Alpha chapter include Theodor S. Geisel, Class of 1925, better known as "Dr. Seuss", James Forrestal, Class of 1915,[43] who served as Secretary of War under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, former chairman of Dartmouth's board of trustees and CEO of Freddie Mac, Charles E. Haldeman,[47] West Virginia Congressman Alex Mooney,[48] singer Michael Odokara-Okigbo, and Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

[50] In the summer of 2007, the Sigma Nu residence underwent significant structural renovations to bring the building up to the college's minimum standards and improve living facilities.

Several Chi Gamma Epsilon/Kappa Sigma alumni brothers found fame in Major League Baseball careers, including all-star players Brad Ausmus (1991), and Mike Remlinger (1987), and former Baltimore Orioles General Manager Jim Beattie (1976).

This was short-lived; in 1987, because of damage done to the house that the college insisted upon having repaired for safety reasons but the Chi Phi national refused to help finance, the Dartmouth brotherhood again opted to become a local fraternity.

In 1907, Psi Upsilon built the wood frame house it still occupies, designed by noted New Jersey theater architect and Dartmouth alumnus Fred Wesley Wentworth.

Prominent alumni of the Zeta chapter of Psi Upsilon include banker, diplomat, and philanthropist Edward Tuck (1862), former United States Vice President Nelson Rockefeller (1930), and billionaire hedge fund manager of Lone Pine Capital, Steve Mandel (1978).

[63] During a two-year closure 2007–2009, alumni raised millions of dollars and the physical plant was entirely gutted and renovated, with a three-story addition being constructed on the west side of the house.

[77] Epsilon Kappa Theta calls itself "one of the most diverse and progressive" Greek houses on campus,[78] and welcomes queer, non-binary, and gender non-conforming members.

[81] The sorority recruited its first members in the summer of 2009, and Kappa Delta held its first formal rush during the fall 2009 academic term, offering membership bids to 37 women.

The sisterhood of Kappa Delta is involved in numerous philanthropic endeavors, including working with the Girl Scouts of the USA, Prevent Child Abuse America,[83] the New Hampshire Children's Trust,[84] and the Confidence Coalition.

Nine brothers of Theta Chi died in a tragic accident on the morning of February 25, 1934, when the metal chimney of the building's old coal furnace blew out in the night and the residence filled with poisonous carbon monoxide gas.

[103] Phi Tau completely replaced their residence hall in 2002, for $1.8 million, funded in part by the sale of 1,675 square metres (0.4 acres) of land to the college.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ), commonly called SAE, at Dartmouth College was founded in 1903 as a local fraternity named Chi Tau Kappa.

[3] Sigma Alpha Epsilon members are encouraged by their national organization to emulate the tenets of The True Gentleman, a statement written by John Walter Wayland.

[104] Notable alumni of the chapter include the United States Secretary of the Treasury and emeritus CEO of Goldman Sachs Henry Paulson (1968),[105] benefactor to Dartmouth College Barry MacLean (1960),[106] and U.S.

Rich of Lamb & Rich in 1904, and it built its second house on Webster Avenue in 1933. Notable Dartmouth alumni of Beta Theta Pi include but are not limited to: former US Representative from New Hampshire Frank G. Clarke, author Norman Maclean, former Governor of New Hampshire Walter R. Peterson (1947), businessman Alan Reich (1952), former Dartmouth President David T. McLaughlin (1954), owner of the Cincinnati Bengals Mike Brown (1957),[113] founder of the Big East Conference Dave Gavitt (1959),[114] former Athletic Director of Syracuse University Jake Crouthamel (1960),[115] member of College Football Hall of Fame and Chief Executive Officer of the Hanover Company Murry Bowden (1971), professional poker player Chip Reese (1973),[116] Politician Joel Hyatt (1972), US Congressman John Carney (1978), college football coach Buddy Teevens (1978), former NFL football coach Dave Shula (1981),[117] former NFL quarterback Jeff Kemp (1981),[117] Olympic skier Tiger Shaw (1985), former NFL quarterback Jay Fiedler (1994), and actor Brian J.

[118] In the summer of 1995, a member of Beta Theta Pi read a poem aloud during a house meeting that was deemed to be racist and sexist, and resulted in many calling for derecognition of the fraternity.

In response to the murder, College President John Sloan Dickey announced that he felt it was important to reduce the influence of the fraternity system on campus.

[128] A past president of the fraternity, Brian Dale (1980), was one of the passengers on American Airlines Flight 11 that was hijacked and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Pi Lambda Phi was not initially accepted by the Dartmouth Greek community, and efforts in 1924 and 1925 to gain formal admission into the Interfraternity Council failed.