Greek life at the University of Georgia

Greek Life Office

Type	Fraternities Sororities
Headquarters	Athens, Georgia
Location	USA
Associate Dean	Claudia Shamp
Website	Official site

Greek life at the University of Georgia comprises more than three dozen active chapters of social fraternities and sororities. While most of the groups are chapters of national organizations, including members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference, National Panhellenic Conference and National Pan-Hellenic Council, independent groups and those with other affiliations also exist. The Greek Life Office was located in Memorial Hall for many years but moved to the Tate Student Center in late 2008 as a result of the expansion to the Tate Center.

According to self-published records of the UGA Panhellenic Council students with Greek affiliation made up 23 percent of the undergraduate student body as of 2007, including 21% of the males and 24% of the females.^[1] Perhaps the most prominent features of Greek life at the University are the large, mostly Greek Revival and Victorian, mansions maintained by the national fraternities and sororities as chapter houses and lodges lining Milledge Avenue and South Lumpkin Street and the ubiquitous t-shirts worn by students on campus commemorating Greek social events.

History

A historic picture of Phi Kappa Hall

While the first collegiate fraternities were founded in the early 19th century, Greek letter fraternities did not find their way to the University of Georgia until after the American Civil War (the Mystical Seven Secret Society was founded at UGA in 1846, but it was Hebrew in nomenclature, not Greek). This was due, in large part, to the existence of the long-established literary societies, Demosthenian and Phi Kappa which served many of the social needs of the early student body. The first Greek letter fraternity to charter at the university was Sigma Alpha Epsilon in 1865. By the 1870s, a number of fraternities existed on campus, presenting a challenge to Demosthenian and Phi Kappa. The trustees of the university, in a move common during that time, outlawed the groups in favor of the literary societies. While some continued sub rosa, many died out. In 1878, Patrick Hues Mell was asked to become chancellor of the university, and did so only on the condition that the fraternities be allowed back on campus. The modern Greek system at the university then began to take shape, and eight groups were represented by the end of Chancellor Mell's tenure. Mell himself was said to have accepted honorary membership in Sigma Alpha Epsilon.^[2][3]

Since then, women's fraternities—also known as sororities—have joined the system, as well as numerous groups focused on particular ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The first sorority to charter at the school was Phi Mu in 1921. The University of Georgia was home to the first chapter of the Alpha Sigma Rho, the first Asian-interest sorority. The second chapter of Alpha Sigma Rho was established at nearby rival, Georgia Tech.^[4]

Demosthenian Hall at the University of Georgia

Many leaders in the state of Georgia and the United States have had their roots in the University of Georgia's Greek system, and many campus leaders also emerge from the Greek houses. The overall grade point average of Greek undergraduate students is consistently higher than the campus as a whole. Approximately 84% of Greek women earned a GPA of over a 3.0.^[5]

Housing

Perhaps the most prominent features of Greek life at the University of Georgia are the large, mostly Greek Revival and Victorian, mansions maintained by the national fraternities and sororities as chapter houses and lodges lining Milledge Avenue and South Lumpkin Street. Some members of the community have raised concerns about Greek houses, particularly fraternity houses which often fall into disrepair, becoming a bad influence on neighborhoods. The latter sentiments resulted in a 2006 moratorium passed by the Athens-Clarke County government that prevented new construction of fraternity and sorority houses in areas zoned for multi-family residences and commercial businesses until August 2006.^[6][7] Now all new Greek housing built in those zones require special approval.^[8]

In 2005 the University announced that five of the fraternities on Lumpkin Street would need to be relocated by June 2008. The school plans to build academic buildings on the house sites, which the University owns and the fraternities lease. UGA offered to relocate the Lumpkin fraternities and two others to River Road, located on east campus. Kappa Alpha, Chi Phi, and Alpha Tau Omega did not take up the offer and have decided to move off campus. In October 2008, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Tau Epsilon Phi and Sigma Nu broke ground for the new Greek Park located on River Road. The four new houses were complete August 2009 for fall rush. Sigma Chi, having signed a renewable 40-year land lease with the University in 1996,^[9] continued to maintain their house next to the Zell B. Miller Learning Center. However, in fall of 2012, Sigma Chi's housing lease was up for negotiation with UGA administration. The fraternity's property was to be relocated off-campus to accommodate new academic buildings for the Terry College of Business.^[10] Construction of the new Business Learning Center began its planning phase in early 2013. Ground will be broken in December 2013.

Government

Fraternities and sororities have formed governing councils which are advised by the Office of Greek Life. The Interfraternity Council or IFC, which governs fraternities, was originally known as the Panhellenic Council. It changed its names in the 1940s to distinguish it from the governing council for the sororities, which is also called the Panhellenic Council. Several former IFC presidents have gone on to achieve political prominence, including Governor and United States Senator Herman Talmadge, Governor Ernest Vandiver, Governor Ellis Arnall and State Senator David Shafer.

A number of University of Georgia organizations began as IFC projects. The Pandora yearbook was first published by the IFC. Homecoming was created by the IFC. The Miss UGA Scholarship Pageant and Miss Georgia Football Pageant were both sponsored by the IFC. The IFC also operates the IFC Scholarship Fund, which was created in the 1940s from war bonds purchased by the fraternity chapters.

Honorary organizations and secret societies

The university is home to a chapter of the Order of Omega, an honor society which selects the top 3% of Greek students for membership.^[11] A group unique to University of Georgia is the men's secret society known as the Order of the Greek Horsemen which annually inducts five fraternity men, all leaders of the Greek system. Its purpose and function remains a closely guarded secret.

The Panhellenic sororities also have secret societies known as Trust of the Pearl, which inducts five accomplished sorority women each spring. Another secret society within the Panhellenic sororities at the university is the Palladia Secret Society. Twelve women are invited to join the Palladia. It has been said that members of the Pearl often wear a single strand of pearls and red g-strings when gather in public. A lesser known secret society at the University of Georgia is Silver Rose Society. It is said to have started in 1983. ^[12] the Mystical Seven Secret Society was founded at UGA in 1846.

The origin of secret societies at the University of Georgia are filled with mystery. The first known reference to secret societies at the University of Georgia was somewhere between 1866 and 1871. It was known that secret societies existed before the Civil War, but it isn't clear if the societies existed previously. Urban legends have it that secret societies at the university stem far before the 1860s. The university was established in 1785. Many point to the university's founder, Abraham Baldwin, for the origin of societies. Baldwin was an alumnus of Yale University, home to one of the most well-recognized secret society in the nation, Skull and Bones.^[13]

List of chapters

Sororities

The following groups are considered to be a part of the University of Georgia's Greek Life. They are listed in order of their chapter's founding at the University of Georgia.

• Panhellenic Council

• Not in Panhellenic Council

Fraternities

The following groups are members of the Interfraternity Council (IFC). They are listed in order of their chapter's founding at the University of Georgia.

Historically black sororities and fraternities

The following groups are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The University of Georgia has active chapters of 8 of the 9 historically black Greek letter organizations in NPHC.

Fraternities

• Alpha Phi Alpha – Zeta Pi Chapter 1969
• Kappa Alpha Psi – Zeta Iota Chapter 1971
• Phi Beta Sigma – Zeta Nu Chapter 1972
• Omega Psi Phi – Beta Zeta Chapter 1974

Sororities

• Alpha Kappa Alpha – Eta Xi Chapter 1973
• Delta Sigma Theta – Zeta Psi Chapter 1969
• Zeta Phi Beta – Chi Epsilon 1975
• Sigma Gamma Rho – Lambda Delta 1988

Other fraternities and sororities

The following groups are members of the Multicultural Greek Council.

• Delta Phi Lambda Asian-interest sorority
• Sigma Beta Rho Multicultural Fraternity
• Lambda Phi Epsilon Asian-interest fraternity
• Lambda Theta Alpha Latin sorority
• Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino fraternity
• Sigma Sigma Rho South-Asian Sorority
• Lambda Theta Phi Latin fraternity
• Gamma Eta Multicultural Sorority
• Delta Phi Omega South-Asian Interest Sorority
• Delta Epsilon Psi South-Asian interest fraternity
• Alpha Sigma Rho Asian-interest sorority
• Xi Kappa Asian-interest fraternity

Delta Phi Lambda and Lambda Phi Epsilon, along with Sigma Beta Rho, went on to establish the Multicultural Greek Council at the University of Georgia. Currently eight other national organizations have joined the Multicultural Greek Council and have been servicing the University community through various events and community service. The Multicultural Greek Council is composed of Delta Phi Lambda, Lambda Phil Epsilon, Sigma Beta Rho, Lambda Theta Alpha, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, Sigma Sigma Rho, Lambda Theta Phi, Gamma Eta, Delta Phi Omega, Delta Epsilon Psi, Alpha Sigma Rho, and Xi Kappa.

Christian Greek-letter social organizations include Beta Upsilon Chi fraternity and Sigma Alpha Omega sorority.

Xi Delta is an independent local social sorority and is not associated with any specific culture or heritage.

Zeta Beta Tau, a chapter of Phi Epsilon Pi from 1905 until its merger into ZBT in 1970, previously closed in 2004, was re-established and recognized as a colony by IFC in 2010.

Greek-letter service organizations include Gamma Sigma Sigma sorority and Alpha Phi Omega co-ed fraternity. UGA is also home to a chapter of Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity.

Co-ed business fraternities on campus include Delta Sigma Pi and Alpha Kappa Psi.

The Alpha Tau chapter of Gamma Phi Delta sorority, chartered at the University of Georgia in 2009, is a sorority for business and professional women. Gamma Phi Delta is open to all majors.

The UGA School of Music accommodates two professional musical organizations, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity and Sigma Alpha Iota sorority. Kappa Kappa Psi, national co-ed band service fraternity, installed a chapter in 1999.

In 2000, UGA's chapter of Sigma Alpha, the professional agricultural sorority, was chartered. As of 2015 there are approximately 90 members currently enrolled at UGA. It is considered one of the premier College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences organizations.

Inactive organizations

• Sigma Chi was kicked off of the University of Georgia campus after the new wave 1980s band A Flock of Seagulls played at a party at their house in 1990. Thousands went to the house after word got around that A Flock of Seagulls was playing. A noise violation as well as fire and other safety violations were broken and the fraternity was kicked off campus at that time for years before being reinstated.
• Acacia Fraternity (closed 1989)
• Alpha Kappa Lambda (1996–2010)
• Alpha Xi Delta (1961–1976)
• Delta Chi (closed 2008)
• Delta Kappa Epsilon (closed 1995)
• Delta Phi Epsilon (1935–2007; recolonizing 2015)
• FarmHouse
• Sigma Tau Gamma
• Theta Nu Epsilon (secret society)
• Zeta Psi (2007–2008)
• Kappa Sigma (closed 2010)

Notable alumni

Business

• Saxby Chambliss US Senator from Georgia, Sigma Chi
• Daniel P. Amos, CEO of AFLAC – Sigma Nu
• Eugene R. Black, Sr. – President of Atlanta Trust Co. Bank and Chairman of the Federal Reserve 1933 to 1934 – Chi Phi
• Eugene R. Black, Jr. – Grandson of Henry W. Grady and President of the World Bank 1949 to 1963 – Chi Phi
• Reggie Bradford – Former CMO of WebMD and former President of Tandberg Television. Founder of ViTrue, Inc. – Sigma Chi
• A.D. "Pete" Correll, Chairman and CEO of Georgia-Pacific Corporation – Sigma Chi
• Frank Hanna III, Entrepreneur/Merchant Banker/Author/Philanthropist – FIJI
• Brown L. Whatley, Chairman of Arvida Corp., President of Mortgage Bankers Association of America – Sigma Chi

Education

• Jack N. Averitt – Dean Emeritus, Professor Emeritus and Head of History Dept. at Georgia Southern. Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies at GSU named in his honor – Sigma Chi
• David Crenshaw Barrow, Jr. – Chancellor, University of Georgia – Chi Phi
• Dr. Alfred Blalock – Noted research surgeon at Vanderbilt and Johns Hopkins and developer of the Blalock-Taussig Shunt. His work on blue baby syndrome has been documented in the 2004 movie Something the Lord Made – Sigma Chi
• Harmon White Caldwell – President of the University of Georgia 1935 to 1948 and Chancellor of the University System of Georgia 1948 to 1964 – Chi Phi
• P.K. Yonge – Chairman of the Florida Board of Control 1909 to 1917 – Chi Phi
• Tomlinson Fort, Jr. – Head of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie-Mellon and Vanderbilt. Provost and Vice President of Cal Poly – Sigma Chi
• Walter B. Hill – Chancellor, University of Georgia – Chi Phi
• Charles Knapp, Former President, University of Georgia – Phi Delta Theta
• Robert D. McTeer – Chancellor, Texas A&M University System – Sigma Chi
• Charles Snelling, Chancellor, University of Georgia – Sigma Nu
• William Tate (academic) – Dean of Students, Dean of Men 1946 to 1971, Dean Emeritus, University of Georgia – Delt

Entertainment

• John Bell – Lead Singer of Widespread Panic – Sigma Phi Epsilon
• Fred Newman – Actor, voice actor and composer. Men in Black, Harry and the Hendersons, Gremlins, Grand Theft Auto 2 – Sigma Chi
• Phil Walden – Founder of Capricorn Records – Phi Delta Theta
• Kyle Chandler – Emmy Winning Actor of NBC's Friday Night Lights (TV series) – Sigma Nu
• Ray Charles - Visionary Soul Singer and Pianist - Sigma Nu
• John Hopkins - Founding member of and bass player for the Zac Brown Band - Phi Kappa Psi
• Erin Grizzle - Miss United States winner 2009 - Xi Delta

Government

• William Tapley Bennett Jr. – US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, to Portugal and to NATO – Sigma Chi
• Emory Speer – U.S. Congressman, Georgia 1879 to 1883 – Chi Phi
• Jesse G. Bowles – Assoc. Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia – Chi Phi
• George Dekle Busbee – Governor, Georgia – Phi Delta Theta
• Garland T. Byrd – Lt. Governor of Georgia -Sigma Chi
• Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Senator – Sigma Chi
• Charles Gordon Edwards, U.S. Congressman – Sigma Nu
• Thomas S. Felder – Attorney General, Georgia 1911 to 1914 – Chi Phi
• Barry Fleming – Congressman, Majority Whip Georgia House of Representatives- FIJI
• Marion B. Folsom – U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare – Sigma Nu
• Joe Frank Harris, Governor of Georgia – Lambda Chi
• Nathaniel E. Harris – Governor, Georgia – Chi Phi
• Johnny Isakson, U.S. Senator – SAE
• Jack Kingston, U.S. Congressman – Lambda Chi
• Bert Lance – Director of the Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) in the Jimmy Carter Cabinet – Sigma Chi
• Henderson Lovelace Lanham – U.S. Congressman – Sigma Chi
• Robert D. McTeer – President of Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Sigma Chi
• Peter Meldrim – President of the American Bar Assoc. – Chi Phi
• Ofira Navon – First Lady of Israel, 1978–1983 – Delta Phi Epsilon
• Sonny Perdue, Governor of Georgia – Kappa Sigma
• Alec Poitevint, Chairman, Georgia Republican Party – Theta Chi
• William Hayes Pope – Chief Justice, Supreme Court of New Mexico – Chi Phi
• Richard B. Russell, U.S. Senator – SAE
• Samuel Rutherford, U.S. Congressman – Sigma Nu
• Carl Sanders – Governor, Georgia – Chi Phi
• John Marshall Slaton – Governor, Georgia – Chi Phi
• Eugene Talmadge, Governor of Georgia – Sigma Nu
• Herman Talmadge, Governor of Georgia and U.S. Senator – Sigma Nu
• R. Lindsay Thomas, U.S. Congressman – Sigma Nu
• Earnest Vandiver – Governor, Georgia – Phi Delta Theta
• Boykin Wright – Attorney General, Georgia 1902 – Chi Phi

Journalism

• John T. Edge, Commentator & Director of the Southern Foodways Alliance – Sigma Nu
• Paul Fersen, Author of The Art of Flyfishing, The Orvis Book of Dogs, A Peach Tree in an Apple Orchard – Sigma Chi
• Henry W. Grady, Journalist, Orator and Spokesman for the New South – Chi Phi
• Lewis Grizzard, writer – Sigma Pi
• Tom Johnson, president of CNN – Sigma Nu
• Eddie Garrett, Public Relations Executive, board member of prestigious Peabody Awards - Pi Kappa Phi
• Steve Koonin, former President of Turner Broadcasting, current Owner and CEO of the Atlanta Hawks - Alpha Epsilon Pi

Military

• Colonel Charles A. Beckwith – Credited with the creation of the counter-terrorism special forces unit Delta Force. Author of Delta Force: The Army's Elite Counterterrorist Unit – Sigma Chi
• RADM Jacob E. Cooper – Awarded Navy Cross with Gold Star for valor in combat during World War II – Sigma Chi
• Colonel James R. Lockett – Awarded two Silver Stars during the Spanish–American War. World War II Camp Lockett was named in his honor – Sigma Chi

Sports

• Spurgeon Chandler – MLB MVP and former UGA quarterback – Alpha Gamma Rho
• W. A. Cunningham – UGA football head coach. UGA basketball head coach – Sigma Chi
• Bucky Dilts – Three year NFL punter – Chi Phi
• Paul Fersen – NFL offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints – Sigma Chi
• Michael Gearon – part owner of Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Thrashers and Philips Arena – Sigma Chi
• Bill Hartman – All American, All SEC RB and member of College Football Hall of Fame – Chi Phi
• Len Hauss – 3 time All Pro, 5 time Pro Bowler for the Redskins, President of the NFLPA – Sigma Chi
• L. Milton "Red" Leathers – All SEC, All American and NFL player – Chi Phi
• Bob McWhorter – All American, four-time All SEC DB and member of the College Football Hall of Fame – Chi Phi
• T. J. Middleton – Tennis professional. 1994 Wimbledon mixed doubles finalist. 2004 Over 35 Wimbledon doubles champion – Sigma Chi
• Virlyn B. Moore, Jr. – 1936 U.S. Olympic baseball team – Chi Phi
• Reid Patterson – 1956 Olympic swimmer and former 50 freestyle world record holder, UGA Circle of Honor – Sigma Chi
• Will Muschamp – University of Florida Head Coach – Kappa Alpha Order
• George Patton, Atlanta Falcon defensive linemen, elected to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame – Sigma Nu
• Billy Payne, Chairman Augusta National and Atlanta Olympic Committee – Phi Delta Theta
• William Oscar Payne – University of Georgia Athletic Director 1936–1943. Payne Hall named in his honor – Sigma Chi
• Larry Rakestraw – Chicago Bears quarterback – Sigma Chi
• Nolen Richardson – New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds 3rd baseman. UGA baseball head coach – Sigma Chi
• Preston Ridlehuber – scored game-clinching touchdown for Oakland Raiders in the Heidi Game – Sigma Nu
• Freddy Sale – MLB pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates – Sigma Chi
• Mark Schlabach – Author and columnist for ESPN.com – Sigma Nu
• Sonny Seiler – Former Georgia swimmer. Owner of Georgia mascot Uga – Sigma Chi
• Frank Sinkwich – Heisman Trophy winner – PIKE
• Rankin M. Smith, Sr. – Owner of Atlanta Falcons 1965 to 2001 – Chi Phi
• Vernon "Catfish" Smith – Member of the College Football Hall of Fame and UGA Circle of Honor, UGA baseball head coach – Sigma Chi
• Bill Stanfill, NFL player – Sigma Nu
• Fran Tarkenton, NFL quarterback – SAE
• Charley Trippi, NFL running back – Lambda Chi
• Hines Ward, NFL wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Super Bowl XL MVP – Phi Beta Sigma
• Greg Blue, former NFL safety – Phi Beta Sigma
• Phillip Daniels, former NFL defensive end – Phi Beta Sigma
• Robert Edwards (running back), former NFL running back – Phi Beta Sigma
• Terrence Edwards, former NFL wide receiver – Phi Beta Sigma
• Verron Haynes, former NFL running back – Phi Beta Sigma
• D. J. Shockley, former NFL quarterback – Phi Beta Sigma
• Marcus Stroud, former NFL defensive end – Phi Beta Sigma
• Chris Terry, former NFL offensive tackle – Phi Beta Sigma

References

External links

• Office of Greek Life