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honeychile 09-08-2006 11:08 PM

Chapter Designations
 
Over the years, I've noticed that most GLOs seem to have some sort of pattern in naming a new chapter; sometimes by Greek Alphabet, sometimes by State & Greek Alphabet, etc.

How does your GLO designate each chapter?

Alpha Delta Pi: Greek Alphabet: Alpha through Omega, then Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega, then Beta Alpha through Beta Omega, and so on. The sole exception is Omega Alpha, which is for Alumnae Initiates.

KSUViolet06 09-08-2006 11:51 PM

Tri Sigma goes in Greek alphabetical order through Psi, then starts over again with Alpha Alpha to Alpha Psi, Beta Alpha to Beta Psi, and so on. Since Omega chapter is reserved to members who pass on, we do not use Omega in our chapter designations.

SAEalumnus 09-09-2006 01:14 AM

SAE chapters are designated by state and greek initial(s). The first chapter was Alabama Mu, with mu chosen to represent our 'mother' chapter. The next several followed in order of the Greek alphabet (Tennessee Nu, North Carolina Xi, etc.).

Some chapter designations were taken from the original local society to receive the charter (eg. New York Sigma-Phi at Bard College), or chosen to represent the institution (eg. Massachusetts Iota-Tau at M.I.T.).

Eventually the current system was developed whereby the first chapter chartered in a given state is [State] Alpha, then [State] Beta, and eventually [State] Alpha-Alpha, etc.

Each individual chapter is referred to as a Chapter Collegiate. Upon graduation, alumni in good standing are designated as members of the Chapter Alumnus, those not in good standing as members of the Chapter Quiescent, and deceased Brothers as members of the Chapter Eternal.

irishpipes 09-09-2006 08:44 AM

I know there is an old, old thread about this, but I am not good at the search function. :)

AOII does not use any order. We allow our colonies to select their own designation. The designation must also then stand for the chapter sub-motto. My chapter at the University of Illinois wanted to use Iota for Illinois, so they chose the sub-motto iso fore which is Greek for sharing equal burdens. Some use an English sub-motto, for example Alpha Gamma's is "always genuine" and Tau Delta's is "true to duty."

Most of our oldest chapters are our single-lettered ones, but those are not in order, and actually some of our oldest 24 chose double-letter designations, and the single letter "Mu" was never used to name a chapter. So in order of founding, our oldest chapters are:

Alpha (Barnard/Columbia)
Pi (Sophie Newcomb/Tulane)
Nu (NYU)
Omicron (Tennessee)
Kappa (Randolph-Macon Women's College)
Zeta (Nebraska)
Sigma (Cal-Berkeley)
Theta (DePauw)
Beta (Brown)
Delta (Tufts)
Gamma (Maine)
Epsilon (Cornell)
Rho (Northwestern)
Lambda (Stanford)
Iota (Illinois)
Tau (Minnesota)
Chi (Syracuse)
Upsilon (Washington)
Nu Kappa (Southern Methodist)
Beta Phi (Indiana)
Eta (Wisonsin)
Alpha Phi (Montana State)
Nu Omicron (Vanderbilt)
Psi (Penn)
Phi (Kansas)
Omega (Miami Ohio)
Omicron Pi (Michigan)
Alpha Sigma (Oregon)
Xi (Oklahoma)

Emory Kappa 09-09-2006 09:18 AM

AOII's naming is very interesting!

Kappa is alphabetical also, though it did not have an Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, Alpha Gamma series. The order goes straight from single letters double letters beginning with Beta.

I should probably dig out my history book to find out why!

AGDee 09-09-2006 09:34 AM

Alpha Gam's naming convention is a little complicated. The first 24 chapters were in order of installation. I'm pasting the rest from a post by greeklawgirl from a couple years ago:

At the 1909 convention, Grand Council decided to create four provinces: Alpha in the Northeast, Gamma in the Southeast, Beta in the Midwest, and Delta in the West. Sometime after 1909 but before 1922, Epsilon Province was created to govern the lower Midwest.

After Omega chapter was chartered in 1922, all chapters thereafter were named by the province that they were in, NOT in Greek alphabetical order. For instance:

While Alpha Zeta chapter was founded in 1930, Delta Alpha chapter was founded in 1923. Epsilon Alpha was founded in 1922.

** Back to me now: So, all chapters in the Northeast begin with Alpha. When they got to Alpha Omega, they went to Zeta's. So Northeast chapters are Alpha, Zeta, Lambda,

Midwest: Beta, Eta, Mu

South: Gamma, Theta, Nu

West: Delta, Iota, Xi

Lower Midwest: Epsilon, Kappa, Omicron

Of course, we haven't reached all of those yet, but that is how they are figured out. Our newest chapter is Theta Chi at Virginia Tech.

Trying to keep them straight can be tough sometimes. When my duties were extended to include oversight of the whole northeast, I got Zeta Eta, Zeta Theta, Zeta Beta.. trying to keep them straight took a while.

Kevin 09-09-2006 09:52 AM

There's only one chapter whose name starts with "Alpha." That's the Alpha Chapter (VMI). Also, no chapter uses the "Omega" letter.

We go through the greek alphabet, then on to the double letters starting with Beta Alpha going to Beta Psi, then to Gamma Alpha, etc.

Elephant Walk 09-09-2006 10:49 AM

I wish we did ours like the fiji's do it..

they use the greek letters to write the name (sorry that was confusing

For example, Univ of Oklahoma, in Norman is:
Nu Omicron (Norman Oklahoma)

University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is:
Phi Alpha (Fayetteville, Arkansas)

I thought it was kind of clever.

TSteven 09-09-2006 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk
I wish we did ours like the fiji's do it..

they use the greek letters to write the name (sorry that was confusing

For example, Univ of Oklahoma, in Norman is:
Nu Omicron (Norman Oklahoma)

University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is:
Phi Alpha (Fayetteville, Arkansas)

I thought it was kind of clever.

Some Fiji chapters designations are derived from the university's initials.

University of Kentucky = Upsilon Kappa
Texas A&M University = Alpha Mu

carnation 09-09-2006 11:11 AM

I love Pi Phi's system because it's easier to keep locations straight!

First chapter in Alabama, Alabama Alpha
Second-Alabama Beta
Third-Alabama Gamma, yea us!:D

Etc.

Tom Earp 09-09-2006 02:06 PM

LXA early on was a funny way to start.
Alpha of course is Boston Un. but, the first actual chapter was Gamma, Un. Mass. (Mass. Agricultural College)

When letters were sent to schools, they were given a designation even if they did not accept the invitation.

After that Alpha designations came into being as chapters were insituted.

In the 1939 merger of TKN into LXA their chapters were given designations that started with Theta, Kappa, and Nu. TKN used State and Letter designation.

Colonys used be given Letter designations and are now give numbers until chartering.

aephi alum 09-09-2006 04:29 PM

Alpha Epsilon Phi designates chapters using Greek letters as follows:

Alpha through Omega
Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega
Epsilon Alpha through Epsilon Omega (there is no Epsilon Upsilon)
Phi Alpha through Phi Omega
Beta Alpha etc.

JonInKC 09-09-2006 06:52 PM

TKE just uses the normal designations, Alpha thru Omega, then Alpha-Alpha, and so on...the only exception to the rule is our Sigma chapter is called Scorpion chapter because the chapter at Cornell was known as the Scorpions before they affiliated with TKE. There was some kind of special concession made, apparently.

Also, for some reason the Eta series is skipped completely. It goes from Zeta-Omega straight to Theta-Alpha.

Drolefille 09-10-2006 01:00 PM

Sigma Kappa uses the "standard" naming except there are no Eta ____ or Iota ____ chapters. My guess on the Eta is that there are too many er.."puns" that can be made with that designation... (who wants to be Eta Pi chapter after all...)

No odd chapter designations that I'm aware of except that our Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were all at the same school, then got folded into each other and then closed when Colby College banned Greek Life.

Tom Earp 09-10-2006 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille
Sigma Kappa uses the "standard" naming except there are no Eta ____ or Iota ____ chapters. My guess on the Eta is that there are too many er.."puns" that can be made with that designation... (who wants to be Eta Pi chapter after all...)

No odd chapter designations that I'm aware of except that our Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were all at the same school, then got folded into each other and then closed when Colby College banned Greek Life.


Why did Colby close out Greeks there?

We had a chapter back when.

Drolefille 09-10-2006 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp
Why did Colby close out Greeks there?

We had a chapter back when.

As far as I know the standard "greek life=bad" thing.

Not sure of the details. Just that we lost our Alpha (with Beta and Gamma coming along for the ride)

irishpipes 09-10-2006 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Earp
Why did Colby close out Greeks there?

We had a chapter back when.

1984

DeltAlum 09-10-2006 03:05 PM

Delt basically uses the "Greek alphabet in order, then double letters in order, etc." system.

There is a complication, however. In the early history of the Fraternity, when a chapter closed, other chapters could move "up" in the alphabet. By becoming the "main" or controlling chapter (before there was a Central Office) a chapter could gain the "Alpha" designation. Our original founding chapter at Bethany College closed and then recolonized later and is now known as the "Theta Founding Chapter." Our present "Alpha" was the fourth or so, and has closed and recolonized at least once to my knowledge. My chapter, "Beta" was not the second chapter founded, and missed becoming the "Alpha" chapter by a very small margin in the early years. Beta is the oldest continuoulsly operating chapter in the Fraternity, though, having been open since 1862.

But, the real answer to the threads question is that we go Alpha-Omega, then Alpha Alpha thru Alpha Omega, to Beta Alpha, etc.

AOII*Azra-elle 09-10-2006 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishpipes
I know there is an old, old thread about this, but I am not good at the search function. :)

AOII does not use any order. We allow our colonies to select their own designation. The desgnation must also then stand for the chapter sub-motto. My chapter at the University of Illinois wanted to use Iota for Illinois, so they chose the sub-motto iso fore which is Greek for sharing equal burdens. Some use an English sub-motto, for example Alpha Gamma's is "always genuine" amd Tau Delta's is "true to duty."

Most of our oldest chapters are our single-lettered ones, but those are not in order, and actually some of our oldest 24 chose double-letter designations, and the single letter "Mu" was never used to name a chapter. So in order of founding, our oldest chapters are:

Alpha (Barnard/Columbia)
Pi (Sophie Newcomb/Tulane)
Nu (NYU)
Omicron (Tennessee)
Kappa (Randolph-Macon Women's College)
Zeta (Nebraska)
Sigma (Cal-Berkeley)
Theta (DePauw)
Beta (Brown)
Delta (Tufts)
Gamma (Maine)
Epsilon (Cornell)
Rho (Northwestern)
Lambda (Stanford)
Iota (Illinois)
Tau (Minnesota)
Chi (Syracuse)
Upsilon (Washington)
Nu Kappa (Southern Methodist)
Beta Phi (Indiana)
Eta (Wisonsin)
Alpha Phi (Montana State)
Nu Omicron (Vanderbilt)
Psi (Penn)
Phi (Kansas)
Omega (Miami Ohio)
Omicron Pi (Michigan)
Alpha Sigma (Oregon)
Xi (Oklahoma)



This is true. My collegiate chapter was at U. of Northern Colorado. We called ourselves Epsilon Gamma. It stood for Ever Giving, Ever Growing. There is a secret meaning, but only us EG's know what it is! ;)

FAB*SpiceySpice 09-10-2006 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk
I wish we did ours like the fiji's do it..

they use the greek letters to write the name (sorry that was confusing

For example, Univ of Oklahoma, in Norman is:
Nu Omicron (Norman Oklahoma)

University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is:
Phi Alpha (Fayetteville, Arkansas)

I thought it was kind of clever.


That is really kind of cool, I've never heard about this (which is strange considering most of my guy friends and boyfriends in college were Fiji's). I've always wondered why they were the Chi Mu chapter but now it makes sense; Columbia, Missouri.

What happens if there is a chapter that opens that has the same "city initials" (I don't know what else to call them) as another chapter? For instance, let's say there was a chapter that opened in Crystal, Minnesota (yeah I had to look up a city that started with a "C", I am lame), what would they use since Chi Mu (C, M) are already being used?

Did I just make that way more complicated than necessary? And does anyone have any idea what I am trying to say? :o

Also, as far as I know/remember Phi Mu does chapters in order, starting with the single greek letters in alphabetical order and then doing Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, etc. Not too exciting. If any Phi Mu knows more about this, please let me/us know...I should know, but I've forgotten by now...bad Kiki. :( ;)

tunatartare 09-11-2006 12:02 AM

I wonder if Sammy does their chapter naming the same way as FIJI. Their chapter at Adelphi University used to be the Delta Phi chapter before it got shut down.

TSteven 09-11-2006 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FAB*SpiceySpice
What happens if there is a chapter that opens that has the same "city initials" (I don't know what else to call them) as another chapter? For instance, let's say there was a chapter that opened in Crystal, Minnesota (yeah I had to look up a city that started with a "C", I am lame), what would they use since Chi Mu (C, M) are already being used?

Did I just make that way more complicated than necessary? And does anyone have any idea what I am trying to say? :o

Since some Fiji chapter designations are derived from the university's initials, then I would guess they the chapter would select the university initials.

Two examples I know of.

University of Kentucky = Upsilon Kappa Chapter
Texas A&M University = Alpha Mu Chapter

TSteven 09-11-2006 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy
I wonder if Sammy does their chapter naming the same way as FIJI. Their chapter at Adelphi University used to be the Delta Phi chapter before it got shut down.

I do not know about Sammy (Sigma Alpha Mu), but Alpha Epsilon Pi also has a few chapter designations that may be derived from both the city/state and or from university's initials.

City/State = Lambda Kappa (Lexington, Kentucky) at The University of Kentucky

University = Sigma Iota at Southern Illinois University

MysticCat 09-11-2006 10:27 AM

Phi Mu Alpha uses a chapter designation system that I haven't seen used by any other GLO, except (I think) Alpha Chi Omega. And I have no idea how or why we got started using it.

Our first 24 chapters have single-letter designations in Greek-alphabetical order, Alpha through Omega. (We do use Omega.) The next chapter after Omega was Alpha Beta, then Alpha Gamma, Alpha Delta and so on. Once we got to Alpha Omega, we went to Beta Gamma, Beta Delta, Beta Epsilon.... After Beta Omega came Gamma Delta, Gamma Epsilon, and ... well, you see the pattern. Only letters that come (alphabetically) after the first letter of the chapter designation were used for the second letter.

Using this method, we finally got around to only one "Psi ____" chapter: Psi Omega. We then went back to Beta and chartered Beta Alpha, then Gamma Alpha and Gamma Beta, then Delta Alpha, Delta Beta and Delta Gamma, and so on. The result is that the Beta Alpha chapter is significantly younger than the Beta Gamma chapter.

We never use double letter designations (Beta Beta, Gamma Gamma, Delta Delta, etc.) The one exception is Alpha Alpha, which is the designation for honorary members initiated by the national Fraternity.

Colonies bear the name of the state followed by a Greek letter, like "Alabama Alpha," unless the colony is a recharter. In the latter case, it uses the designation of the original charter.

BaylorBean 09-11-2006 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille
Sigma Kappa uses the "standard" naming except there are no Eta ____ or Iota ____ chapters. My guess on the Eta is that there are too many er.."puns" that can be made with that designation... (who wants to be Eta Pi chapter after all...)

No odd chapter designations that I'm aware of except that our Alpha, Beta, and Gamma were all at the same school, then got folded into each other and then closed when Colby College banned Greek Life.

There are one set of specific chapter designations actually. When we merged with Pi Kappa Sigma, all those chapters were given the designation of Delta _____ for the Sigma Kappa Chapter names.

Drolefille 09-11-2006 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaylorBean
There are one set of specific chapter designations actually. When we merged with Pi Kappa Sigma, all those chapters were given the designation of Delta _____ for the Sigma Kappa Chapter names.

Cool didn't know that. (Do you have any more info on that merger btw? I'm interested in details of Pi Kappa Sigma, but don't know where to find info about it. )

AChiOhSnap 09-11-2006 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat81
Phi Mu Alpha uses a chapter designation system that I haven't seen used by any other GLO, except (I think) Alpha Chi Omega. And I have no idea how or why we got started using it.

Our first 24 chapters have single-letter designations in Greek-alphabetical order, Alpha through Omega. (We do use Omega.) The next chapter after Omega was Alpha Beta, then Alpha Gamma, Alpha Delta and so on. Once we got to Alpha Omega, we went to Beta Gamma, Beta Delta, Beta Epsilon.... After Beta Omega came Gamma Delta, Gamma Epsilon, and ... well, you see the pattern. Only letters that come (alphabetically) after the first letter of the chapter designation were used for the second letter.

Using this method, we finally got around to only one "Psi ____" chapter: Psi Omega. We then went back to Beta and chartered Beta Alpha, then Gamma Alpha and Gamma Beta, then Delta Alpha, Delta Beta and Delta Gamma, and so on. The result is that the Beta Alpha chapter is significantly younger than the Beta Gamma chapter.

We never use double letter designations (Beta Beta, Gamma Gamma, Delta Delta, etc.) The one exception is Alpha Alpha, which is the designation for honorary members initiated by the national Fraternity.

Colonies bear the name of the state followed by a Greek letter, like "Alabama Alpha," unless the colony is a recharter. In the latter case, it uses the designation of the original charter.

You're right. AXO has this same method, although I think we're only on the "Kappa _____" chapters. We also don't have double letter chapters (i.e. Gamma Gamma). I wonder what we'll do when we get to the Psi chapter.... Anyway it's such an orderly and neat classification system, I love it. I would go crazy if we had the "New York Alpha, Beta, Gamma" system or "University of New Mexico's 'Upsilon Nu Mu' chapter" system.

Denise_DPhiE 09-11-2006 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy
I wonder if Sammy does their chapter naming the same way as FIJI. Their chapter at Adelphi University used to be the Delta Phi chapter before it got shut down.

Huh? If Sammy did it like Fiji, Adelphi would be Gamma Nu (Garden City, NY). What does Delta Phi mean to you?

Drolefille 09-11-2006 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denise_DPhiE
Huh? If Sammy did it like Fiji, Adelphi would be Gamma Nu (Garden City, NY). What does Delta Phi mean to you?

I think she means in relation to "A-DEL-PHI" being "Delta Phi"

Denise_DPhiE 09-11-2006 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille
I think she means in relation to "A-DEL-PHI" being "Delta Phi"

OH! Well, it is a stretch from the Fiji thing then. (Hey, you are good at word plays!)

Drolefille 09-11-2006 03:16 PM

lol, see post 22 by TSteven. Some of the Fijis use the university name. Assuming that Alpha Upsilon had been used, it's conceivable that Sigma Alpha Nu could have used Delta Phi.

/don't know if you're serious or joking about the word plays, but I am good at them :D Also Sudoku! :p

Denise_DPhiE 09-11-2006 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille
/don't know if you're serious or joking about the word plays, but I am good at them :D Also Sudoku! :p

LOL! I was/am serious that you figured that out and was even going to say, hey, you must rock at Sudoku! (I totally stink at both!)

Buttonz 09-12-2006 09:30 PM

SDT does Alpha to Omega :)

ECUJacob 09-15-2006 12:57 AM

The second Beta Constitution (1840) provided for names to be given to chapters. Following a practice prevalent at the time, chapters were named for their geographic location. For example, the University of Ohio, the Athens Chapter or Jefferson College, the Canonsburg Chapter.

By 1842, the Constitution was amended to provide that each chapter be given a Greek-letter name indicating it's priority of establishment. hence, Miami University (Ohio) became Alpha in 1839, Cincinnati became Beta in 1840, Western Reserve became Gamma in 1841, etc. While exceptions have occurred, for the most part this practice has been followed ever since.

Following that naming convention, we name our chapters in Greek-letter order (Alpha, Beta, Gamma ... Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, Alpha Gamma, etc.). That being said, If you look at the list of ALL of our chapters (active and closed), you'll notice that some letters (i.e. Chapter names) were skipped and then revisited in later years. We are currently in the Zeta range somewhere near Zeta Sigma I think.

Drolefille 05-06-2007 08:35 PM

Bumping cause I like this thread.

ISUKappa 05-06-2007 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emory Kappa (Post 1317040)
AOII's naming is very interesting!

Kappa is alphabetical also, though it did not have an Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, Alpha Gamma series. The order goes straight from single letters double letters beginning with Beta.

I should probably dig out my history book to find out why!

To add on to this, the designations of some early chapters that closed after only a few years were then used for chapters that opened in the early 1880s. After the 1890 convention, I believe, it was decided those chapters would have the letter "Beta" preceeding the original chapter name to designate they were the second chapter of that letter (does that make any sense?)

So when the chapter at Iowa opened in 1882 they were originally known as the Zeta chapter, but after 1890, they became the Beta Zeta chapter because they were the second chapter to use the letter Zeta, and that is how they are known today. So there are some two-letter chapters that are actually older than some single letter chapters.

tallgreekalum 05-06-2007 09:12 PM

AD
 
Alpha Delt doesn't use the greek letter naming convention normally, except when a local fraternity is allowed to keep their name as a chapter designator, ie: Lambda Phi (MIT), Northeastern (Nu Epsilon Zeta). Chapters are named after the school, Massachusetts, Cornell, Harvard, etc., the town the school is located in, Middletown, or in a few cases some geographic feature, such as the Great Lakes or Peninsular Chapters.

exlurker 05-06-2007 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille (Post 1318138)
Cool didn't know that. (Do you have any more info on that merger btw? I'm interested in details of Pi Kappa Sigma, but don't know where to find info about it. )

For information about Pi Kappa Sigma's early years a good bet if you cn find it is the book "Golden Years with Pi Kappa Sigma 1894 - 1949," by Emma Newell Seaton (historian). It's hardcover, 529 pages plus index, but only take the sorority up to 1949, long before the merger. It might still be around in some college libraries or used bookstores, as well as possibly some of the SK chapters that were formerly Pi Kappa Sigma.

ETA: Back to the topic: Pi Kappa Sigma used the Alpha - to- Omega, then Alpha Alpha ans so on system, with very rare exceptions. For instance the Pi Kappa Sigma chapter at Southwest Missouri State *should* have been "Alpha Upsilon," but it was formed from a local, Theta Nu Theta. and

"So great was the attachment to the parent name that the petitioners asked permission of the Grand council of Pi Kappa Sigma to keep at least part of that name . . . ."

The result? The chapter designation was Theta Nu.

notmanhattan 05-06-2007 10:37 PM

_
 
I know earlier in the thread they talked about FIJI chapters being named after their towns or their schools. But what about the FIJI chapter at the University of Georgia-- Kappa Deuteron. Anyone know where this came from?

banditone 05-07-2007 12:13 AM

I think that Fiji naming scheme is pretty cool. Mostly because I know Fiji's who are awesome guys.

Question: So how do you determine your oldest chapters if you don't do it by a standard 1) letter, then 2) two letter form?

For instance, in Sigma Nu if I hear a chapter update from a single letter chapter, I KNOW it's some old-school chapter founded in the 1800's. (Beta is the oldest still active chapter. As our founding site, VMI, no longer allows fraternities)

How do you know?


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