urn:taro:uh.ua.00019 Fraternity and Sorority Records, 1950-1965 Text converted by SPI Content Sciences Inc., July 2003. Finding aid written in English. Fraternity and Sorority Records1950-1965 Local fraternities and sororities were first allowed on the UH campus in 1950. In 1955, the local fraternities were allowed affiliation with national organizations. This collection includes minutes, rules and regulations, correspondence, and other materials related to the formation of fraternities and the process of nationalization of these groups on the UH campus. 60 volumes; 6 linear feet 1969-017 Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries Historical Note

While social fraternities and sororities are seen as part of everyday life on the modern college campus that has not always been the case. When Houston Junior College was established, fraternities and sororities were not seen as being necessary or even desirable as part of the educational landscape. This ban against "secret" societies was re-affirmed in 1940 when the Board of Regents voted to clarify the student handbook to say "the Board of Education has ruled that there are to be no fraternities, sororities, secret or exclusive organizations in any way connected with the University." Fraternities were seen as "undemocratic" and many people spoke again allowing them at the University.

These regulations remained in place until December of 1950, when the board approved the recommendations of the Faculty Committee on Fraternities and Sororities, with some special provisions. The provisions included that the groups be local only, that they must conform to the same rules as other student organizations, that they would be administered by the Dean of Women or Men as appropriate, housing would be under the direction of the housing office, and that at least a C average for members be maintained.

In 1955 rules and regulations were established governing the affiliation of local fraternities and sororities with national organizations. The rules seen as of greatest importance were that nationals coming to the campus initially had to use one of the fourteen local fraternities to become established or "colonize" and that the Administration of the University reserved the right to accept or reject any or all national fraternities seeking to establish chapters. Additionally, only members of the National Interfraternity Conference in good standing were eligible to establish chapters and any national fraternity coming on the campus would be governed by the rules and regulations of the University of Houston.

 Scope and Contents

This collection consists of sixty bound volumes of minutes, rosters, and other materials relating to various aspects of social fraternities and sororities at the University of Houston. The volumes date from 1950 to 1965, with the bulk of materials dating from 1956 to 1964. Subjects include the nationalization of the University's fraternities, fraternity housing, and rules and regulations governing fraternities. The collection has been divided into five series: Fraternity and Sorority Nationalization Records, Interfraternity Council, Fraternity Housing Records, Alumni Interfraternity Council Records, and Phi Eta Sigma Records.

 Access Restrictions

Open for research.

 Use Restrictions

The material in this collection is in the public domain. However, Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, and all reproduction restrictions apply.

Index Terms

Terms are either Library of Congress Subject Headings or taken from local sources.

 Subjects (Organizations) University of Houston. Greek letter societies University of Houston. Interfraternity council University of Houston. Student organizations University of Houston. Social organizations Formats Minutes Rosters Preferred Citation:

Fraternity and Sorority Records, Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries.

Processed by Original by Tyler Selle, October 1997, additional by Sarah E. Frazer, December 2002

 Detailed Description Fraternity and Sorority Nationalization Records

The process of nationalizing University of Houston's social fraternities began in the early 1950s. Nationalization affiliated local groups with fraternities and sororities recognized across the country. This series consists of 17 volumes containing correspondence, regulations, and minutes. Materials date from 1950 through 1956.

 Fraternity-Sorority Nationalization, U of H, 1954-56 Nationalization of Fraternities, University of Houston, 1955 General Nationalization Procedures, U of H, 1956 Alpha Delta Psi Pledging Phi Sigma Kappa, U of H, 1956 Alpha Kappa Pi Pledging Sigma Alpha Epsilon, U of H, 1956 Alpha Sigma Tau Pledging Phi Epsilon Pi, U of H, 1956 Cavaliers Pledging Sigma Nu, U of H, 1956 Delta Theta Pledging Delta Sigma Phi, U of H, 1956 Gan Bey Pledging Sigma Chi, U of H, 1956 Kappa Delta Kappa Pledging Sigma Alpha Epsilon, U of H, 1956 Lambda Delta Chi Pledging Delta Chi, U of H, 1956 Phi Delta Tau Pledging Kappa Alpha Order, U of H, 1956 Phi Kappa Alpha Pledging Phi Kappa, U of H, 1956 Rho Beta Pledging Tau Kappa Epsilon, U of H, 1956 Sigma Alpha Chi Pledging Pi Kappa Alpha, U of H, 1956 Tau Kappa Sigma Pledging Lambda Chi Alpha, U of H, 1956 Usonian Pledging Pi Kappa Phi, U of H, 1956 Interfraternity Council

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) at the University of Houston began in 1948 as a governing board for all social fraternities. Originally, the organization used the name Samurai. Until the group's name changed to the IFC in 1954, it appears Samurai and Interfraternity Council were used interchangeably. Additionally, it appears that IFC was adopted to provide a more official name after nationalization. This series is divided into two sub-series Minutes and Rosters.

 Minutes

This sub-series consists of twenty-one volumes dating from 1952 through the Fall of 1965. While most of the materials are meeting minutes, pledge lists, correspondence from faculty advisor L. Standlee Mitchell, and other miscellaneous items are also amongst the records.

 Minutes of the Inter-Fraternity Council University of Houston, 1952 Minutes of the Inter-Fraternity Council University of Houston, 1953 Minutes of the Interfraternity Council University of Houston, 1954 Samurai Minutes U of H, 1952-1954 Minutes of the Interfraternity Council University of Houston, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1955 I. F. C. Minutes, 12-13-55 to 8-14-56 Interfraternity Council U of H, 1956-1957 U of H IFC Minutes, 1957-1958 U of H Interfraternity Council, Fall 1958 U of H Interfraternity Council, Spring 1959 I. F. C. Minutes-Reports, Fall 1959-Spring 1960 U of H Interfraternity Council Minutes, 1960-1961 I. F. C. Minutes, Fall Semester 1961 I. F. C. Minutes, Spring Semester 1962 I. F. C. Minutes, Spring 1962 I. F. C. Minutes, Fall 1962 I. F. C. Minutes, Spring 1963 I. F. C. Minutes, Fall 1963 I. F. C. Minutes, Spring 1964 Interfraternity Council, Spring 1965 Minutes and Rosters for I. F. C., Fall 1965 Rosters

This sub-series consists of eight volumes dating from the 1959-1960 academic year through the Fall of 1964. Most of the volumes consist of IFC rosters of both fraternity members and pledges, correspondence, and some published material.

 Fraternity Rosters, Fall-Spring Semesters, 1959-1960 U of H Fraternities Rosters, Fall and Spring Semesters, 1960-1961 Rosters of Chapters for Fraternities, Fall and Spring, 1961-1962 Rosters, Fall 1962 Rosters, Spring 1963 Roster, Fall 1963 I. F. C. Rosters, Spring 1964 Fraternity Membership Rosters, Fall 1964 Fraternity Housing Records

With an increase in activity among its social fraternities, the University of Houston saw the need to formalize housing regulations. The administration appears to have dealt with the situation by surveying other institution's policies. This series consists of one volume dating from 1956 to 1958. It contains surveys, plot plans, correspondence, membership lists, and legal agreements.

 U of H Fraternity Housing, September 1956-January 1958 Alumni Interfraternity Council Records

The Alumni Interfraternity Council (AIC) at the University of Houston formed in the late 1940s or early 1950s to "establish a common ground for the open discussion and coordinated action on such subjects that are of vital importance to the University and Fraternity System."1

1Taken from Model Constitution for Alumni Interfraternity Council, A. I. C. Minutes, January 1942-June 1958.

The AIC acted as an advisory council to the University and formed various committees to aid in the governance of its social fraternities. Materials in this series are primarily minutes and reports from AIC meetings. Other items include documents pertaining to and outlining the organizational structure of the AIC and its committees. There are twelve volumes in this series dating from 1955 through the 1961-1962 academic year.

 Minutes Alumni Sponsors Committee, U of H, 1955-56 Minutes Advisory Council Committee, U of H, 1955-56 U of H A. I. C. Minutes, January 1942-June 1958

[Note: The earliest material in this volume is dated 1955, despite the title.]

 U of H Alumni Interfraternity Council, 1958-1959 Alumni Interfraternity Council, Fall 1957-60 U of H Alumni Interfraternity Council, Minutes and Reports, Fall & Spring 1960-1961 A. I. C. Minutes, 1961-1962 Alumni Interfraternity Council, 1961-62 A. I. C. Minutes, Spring 1963 A. I. C. Minutes, Fall 1963 A. I. C. Panhel, Fall 1964 Alumni Interfraternity Council, 1964-65 Phi Eta Sigma Records

Members of the honor society, Phi Eta Sigma, advocated the formation of a chapter at the University of Houston after several members of the organization transferred here from other schools. The local chapter was organized on March 4, 1965. The Phi Eta Sigma records consist of a single volume of: minutes, rosters, memos, programs, and correspondence. Material dates from February 1964 through 1965.

 Installation of Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Society, Spring 1965