Greek Trivia and Fun Facts

[Cookiez17]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Which chapters were not at Penn State? Or Illinois?

Both campuses actually never had Alpha Sigma Tau on them! This was just looking at the irishpipes threads and counting each chapter.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Cookiez17

Both campuses actually never had Alpha Sigma Tau on them! This was just looking at the irishpipes threads and counting each chapter.

(referring to Penn State and U of Illinois)
I know Alpha Sigma Tau was once part of the Association of Education Societies (which merged into the NPC in 1951) which would have focused on Teacher's Colleges, but I would have *expected* that to have changed since then...

Looking at the active chapters of Alpha Sigma Tau at https://alphasigmatau.org/members/find-a-chapter/ I don't see *any* active chapters at the primary Land Grant University for a State. So for example, 15 active chapters in Pennsylvania, including most of the former teacher's colleges in the State, but has never had a chapter at Penn State. (And doesn't currently have one (and not sure ever had one) at the other large schools mentioned: Illinois, Indiana, & Ohio State) (it did have a chapter at Miami U of Ohio, Kappa chapter)

I'm not sure if the Sorority has a specific policy for focusing on expansion at smaller schools and/or former teachers colleges, but at least at this point, it appears so from their active chapter list.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by GoldBows

I found this to be really interesting so I did a little more digging (thanks insomnia) to see how many each campus had open at the same time. All of my years are based off the list that IrishPipes puts out for her NPC recruitment thread.

1) A lot of chapters closed and reopened in the late 80s at Illinois so this might be wrong but according to the dates in IrishPipes's thread, Illinois has only ever been home to 24 NPCs at one time, in 1988.
Tri Sigma's chapter became inactive in 1987, but in 1988 Zeta Tau Alpha and Delta Zeta reopened their chapters. Alpha Sigma Tau has never had a chapter at Illinois.


2) Penn State has also only ever had 24 NPC chapters at one time, between 1962-1966. Alpha Sigma Alpha colonized in '62 and the Delta Phi Epsilon chapter became inactive in '66. However, Sigma Kappa didn't join the campus until '92. Alpha Sigma Tau has also never had a chapter at Penn State.


3) Indiana has only ever been home to 23 of the 26 current NPC organizations at the same time - in 2016, after Sigma Kappa recolonized but before Tri Delta's chapter became inactive in 2017.
Alpha Sigma Tau and Phi Sigma Sigma have never had chapters at IU, and Tri Sigma's chapter has been inactive since 1994.


4) Miami University has only had 21 NPC chapters open at the same time, in 1992 after Alpha Sigma Alpha recolonized but before Tri Sigma became inactive in 1993.
The Alpha Sigma Tau chapter has been inactive since 1929, Sigma Delta Tau became inactive in 1987 and Phi Sigma Sigma didn't join the campus until 2016. Delta Phi Epsilon and Theta Phi Alpha have never had chapters at Miami University.

5) Ohio State has only had 20 NPC chapters open at the same time, between 1948-1958 after Delta Phi Epsilon recolonized and ending when the Phi Sigma Sigma chapter became inactive in '58.
The Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter has been inactive since 1934, the Theta Phi Alpha chapter has been inactive since 1944, the Sigma Kappa chapter was inactive between 1940-1991, and Alpha Omicron Pi didn't join the campus until 1993. Alpha Sigma Tau and Tri Sigma have never had chapters at Ohio State.

We march to the beat of our own drum

Originally Posted by naraht

(referring to Penn State and U of Illinois)
I know Alpha Sigma Tau was once part of the Association of Education Societies (which merged into the NPC in 1951) which would have focused on Teacher's Colleges, but I would have *expected* that to have changed since then...

Looking at the active chapters of Alpha Sigma Tau at https://alphasigmatau.org/members/find-a-chapter/ I don't see *any* active chapters at the primary Land Grant University for a State. So for example, 15 active chapters in Pennsylvania, including most of the former teacher's colleges in the State, but has never had a chapter at Penn State. (And doesn't currently have one (and not sure ever had one) at the other large schools mentioned: Illinois, Indiana, & Ohio State) (it did have a chapter at Miami U of Ohio, Kappa chapter)

I'm not sure if the Sorority has a specific policy for focusing on expansion at smaller schools and/or former teachers colleges, but at least at this point, it appears so from their active chapter list.

I honestly don't know why. Perhaps housing has something to do with it? (We don't have a national housing corporation). Either way, it really is interesting that in 120 years, the sorority has had a similar focus in expansion efforts.

The one school that has always confused me, though, is Penn State's main campus. About a quarter (20) of our collegiate chapters are in the state, including two on PSU branch campuses. Housing wouldn't be an issue. There have clearly been plenty of opportunities to present there, but I don't know that we ever have. I know we haven't in the recent past (last 20 years).

[Cookiez17]

On the 26 NPCs that's something I would love to see someday at a school.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by Cookiez17

On the 26 NPCs that's something I would love to see someday at a school.

That would be one l-o-o-o-o-n-g recruitment.

[Cookiez17]

Yeah I can't wrap my head around doing 13 houses over 2 days and then afterwards the max for philanthropy/sisterhood/etc.

Just my hunch but I feel like Indiana or some huge school like that could have it happen in the future. But that's me speculating

[Cheerio]

Originally Posted by Cookiez17

Yeah I can't wrap my head around doing 13 houses over 2 days and then afterwards the max for philanthropy/sisterhood/etc.

Just my hunch but I feel like Indiana or some huge school like that could have it happen in the future. But that's me speculating

Virtual Recruitment means no running from house to house for parties, a BOON to the University of Illinois and/or Indiana University as their sorority homes are spread far and wide. Perhaps one of them may become the first campus to garner all 26 NPC groups at one time.

[d59u]

In 1930 University of Illinois had 33 sororities & 80 fraternities active! That includes NPHC, locals & small nationals then existing. I would love to hear a first-hand account of how rush was conducted then. Almost all of the groups had housing of some sort and for a few years in the 1920s more than 20 Greek houses were under construction at the same time.

[UVASquirrel]

Interesting fact about Alpha Phi and Alpha Gamma Delta. Both are part of the Syracuse Triad (along with Gamma Phi Beta). One of Alpha Phi's founders was a cousin of 2 of Alpha Gam's founders....so we really ARE family!!

[PKT4LIFE]

Here's a fact pertaining to both Phi Delta Theta and Phi Kappa Tau founding at Miami University

Phi Delta Theta fraternity was founded in 1848, in Elliott Hall, room 202, by co-founders Robert Morrison and John M Wilson.

Phi Kappa Tau founders William H. Shideler and Clinton D. Boyd lived together in the same room (room 202) in Elliott at the time of their fraternity's founding in 1906.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by PKT4LIFE

Here's a fact pertaining to both Phi Delta Theta and Phi Kappa Tau founding at Miami University

Phi Delta Theta fraternity was founded in 1848, in Elliott Hall, room 202, by co-founders Robert Morrison and John M Wilson.

Phi Kappa Tau founders William H. Shideler and Clinton D. Boyd lived together in the same room (room 202) in Elliott at the time of their fraternity's founding in 1906.

That IS a coincidental Fun Fact!

[honeychile]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there chapters of Alpha Sigma Tau at some of PSU's branch campuses? I thought I remembered seeing that at one point.