Three letter chapters

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I happened across a company selling chapter guards that has different pricing based on one, two, or three letter chapter designations. I have never known of a three letter chapter. Does anyone else know of GLO's that have chapters with three lettters? And, why (if it's open information)? I'm pretty sure that nobody has enough collegiate chapters to have used up all of the two letter designations, but maybe some groups give letters to their alumnae chapters? Just curious.

[NinjaPoodle]

Sigma Gamma Rho has three letter chapters, of which I am a member: Beta Theta Sigma. Now that you know, I will have to kill you. No, not really. Well, maybe.

Oh, some of the D-9 use 3 -letter chapters.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by NinjaPoodle

Sigma Gamma Rho has three letter chapters, of which I am a member: Beta Theta Sigma. Now that you know, I will have to kill you. No, not really. Well, maybe.

Oh, some of the D-9 use 3 -letter chapters.

Is it because you have more than 600 collegiate chapters, or is it because you don't just go through the single letters, followed by alpha alpha through alpha omega, etc.?

[naraht]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Is it because you have more than 600 collegiate chapters, or is it because you don't just go through the single letters, followed by alpha alpha through alpha omega, etc.?

Alpha Phi Omega has more than 600 chapters and thus has three letter chapters. In 1979, Omega Omega at Gallaudet University was followed by Alpha Alpha Alpha at Maryville University, We just chartered (August 13th) Alpha Eta Beta.

Our chapter letters are assigned in the order Alpha, Beta, Gamma, ... Omega, Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, ... Alpha Omega, Beta Alpha...., there are a few glitches, of course. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...(chronological)


I think all nine of the NPHC fraternities have three letter chapters with a specific greek letter typically placed at the end of the names of graduate chapters.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by naraht

I think all nine of the NPHC fraternities have three letter chapters with a specific greek letter typically placed at the end of the names of graduate chapters.

There are 5 NPHC fraternities. Not all of them use Greek letters for graduate/alumni chapters.

As for the 4 NPHC sororities, Delta does not have three letter chapters and does not use Greek letters for alumnae chapters (stopped doing that many years ago). We would have three letter chapters if we still used Greek letters for alumnae chapters. Some of the alumnae chapters used to be three letter (alumnae) chapters generations ago.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

There are 5 NPHC fraternities. Not all of them use Greek letters for graduate/alumni chapters.

As for the 4 NPHC sororities, Delta does not have three letter chapters and does not use Greek letters for alumnae chapters (stopped doing that many years ago). We would have three letter chapters if we still used Greek letters for alumnae chapters. Some of the alumnae chapters used to be three letter (alumnae) chapters generations ago.

OK, to be specific, note this is from about 30 minutes of research on Wikipedia and google. (note, I'm using the terms graduate chapters and alumni/ae chapters interchangably here, I know some use one term and one the other)

Alpha Phi Alpha: Graduate chapters end in Lambda, many three letter.
Omega Psi Phi: A mess. Some of the newer undergrad chapters are three letters. Some of the later(?) graduate chapters are three letters with the second and third the same. Maybe they started with having all chapters assigned names in order and latter changed to the 2nd & 3rd identical.
Kappa Alpha Psi: Appears to use only geographic names for graduate chapters .
Phi Beta Sigma: Graduate chapters end in Sigma, many three letter
Iota Phi Theta: Graduate chapters end in Omega, many three letter

Alpha Kappa Alpha: Graduate chapters end in Omega, many three letter
Delta Sigma Theta: Formerly used: Most graduate chapters end in Sigma, many three letter. Changed to geographic names during the 1956 National Convention (December 26-30, 1956) (term changed from graduate chapters to alumnae chapters)
Zeta Phi Beta: Graduate chapters end in Zeta, may three letter
Sigma Gamma Rho: Graduate chapters end in Sigma, many three letters

So I count it as 6 that more or less follow the "end in a specific letter" rule, one (DST) that used to, one that never did(KAPsi) and I'm still trying to figure out Omega Psi Phi.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

As for the 4 NPHC sororities, Delta does not have three letter chapters and does not use Greek letters for alumnae chapters (stopped doing that many years ago). We would have three letter chapters if we still used Greek letters for alumnae chapters. Some of the alumnae chapters used to be three letter (alumnae) chapters generations ago.

Wow, that's really interesting that you changed it (I gather they are all now called Walla Walla WA Alumnae Chapter or what have you) - are you at liberty to say why?

Our pre-reorganization chapter at Brenau was called the Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter. I can't find any evidence that Sig Ep (the fraternity) ever had a chapter there, so I have no idea what this was about. I'd love to know though. (PS: We released the chapter to Tri Delta in 1914 and it is their Alpha Epsilon chapter.)

[knight_shadow]

The 3-letter chapters I've seen have been for alumni/alumnae groups.

[ForeverRoses]

AOII has one chapter that has a three letter designation. I believe the chapter was a local that then affiliated with us. However the chapter is no longer open. But AOII also doesn't follow a sequential naming structure for chapters.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

AOII has one chapter that has a three letter designation. I believe the chapter was a local that then affiliated with us. However the chapter is no longer open. But AOII also doesn't follow a sequential naming structure for chapters.

And we don't use chapter guards.