Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations of college students. Many of these organizations are located in brownstones in and around frat row.
The Columbia University Greek community is comprised of 11 fraternities in the Interfraternity Council (IFC); six fraternities and six sororities in the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC); and five sororities in the Panhellenic Council (NPC).
The Inter Greek Council (IGC) oversees these 28 fraternities and sororities.
Students interested in joining Greek life can refer to the "Go Greek" section of the Inter-Greek Council's website, which lists recruitment information for all 28 Greek organizations.
Greek organizations regularly hold philanthropy and service events that are open to the Columbia community. The IGC lists upcoming Greek events that are open to all Columbia students in the "Announcements and Events" section of the Columbia Greek Life website. The section is updated every Friday with Greek life announcements and upcoming events for the week. The IGC encourages all members of the community to participate in these events.
Contents
What Columbia Greeks Do
- Each chapter holds large-scale philanthropy and service events every semester and requires members to participate in a variety of community service and educational events. The Columbia Greek Life website details information on every chapter's service and philanthropy work.
ALPHA Standards of Excellence
- All chapters must meet the "ALPHA Standards of Excellence” each semester. ALPHA Standards are instituted by the university to uphold and promote community standards of philanthropy, service, and fraternal development. The ongoing recognition of Columbia fraternities and sororities depends on their meeting or exceeding the requirements of these standards. Examples of ALPHA Standards include organizing large-scale philanthropy events, holding educational workshops, and organizing leadership development programs.
Greek Life Facts
Academic Performance
- The average GPA for Greeks is consistently above the average GPA for Columbia students.
- In spring 2013, it was announced that the average Greek GPA for the 2012 calendar year was a 3.32. To add context, the average grade given out in an econ class is a 3.18 and the majority of Greek life members are econ majors.
Greek Community Philanthropy and Community Service Performance
- In spring 2012, it was announced that during the 2011 calendar year, Columbia Greek organizations raised a total of $242,400 for philanthropy (average of $251.74 per individual member.)
- Greeks donated a total of 23,996 hours towards community service (average of 24.9 hours per member.)
- In 2013 78% of total Relay for Life funds raised were raised by Greeks ($56,275.22 out of $72.632.65). In 2012 58% of total funds were raised by Greeks ($37,349 out of $66,459).
Growth in Greek Life
Columbia traditionally had a very low-profile frat scene, with Greek life playing relatively little role in student life, with participation hovering around 10%. Since 2006, however, participation has exploded and nearly doubled to closer to 20%[1].
This has perhaps been the outcome of Columbia's alleged "War on Fun." There is of course a delicious irony here, in that Columbia has consciously killed off its dorm social scene in favor of a fraternity social scene. The increasingly expensive/lame bar scene in Morningside Heights and increased NYPD crackdowns on underage drinking, once rare, might also have something to do with the trend.
Since 2012, the Inter-Greek Council has released annual reports detailing achievements in academics, philanthropy, and charity work.[2][3]
In spring 2012, the following statistics were released on the composition of the Greek community:
- CC: 14.55% (662/4550 Student body)
- GS: 2.51% (38/1515 Student body)
- SEAS: 8.54% (174/2038 Student body)
- Barnard: 14.48% (346/2390 Student body)
- List College: 15.5% (31/200 Student body)
List of Fraternities and Sororities
Organization | Type | Chapter Designation | Year Founded | Governing Board | National Association | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha Epsilon Pi | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Beta Theta Pi | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Delta Sigma Phi | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Kappa Delta Rho | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Phi Gamma Delta | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Pi Kappa Alpha | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Psi Upsilon | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Sigma Alpha Epsilon | Fraternity | New York Mu | 1895 | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | None | Active 1895-1961 Reformed as a colony in 2012 |
Sigma Chi | Fraternity | Nu Nu | 1894 | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | 523 West 113th Street | Active 1894-1964; 1984-present |
Sigma Nu | Fraternity | Delta Gamma | 1908 | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | 556 West 113th Street | |
Sigma Phi Epsilon | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | 550 West 113th Street | |||
Zeta Beta Tau | Fraternity | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Alpha Phi Alpha | Fraternity | Multicultural Greek Council | National Pan-Hellenic Council Organizations | ||||
Lambda Phi Epsilon | Fraternity | Multicultural Greek Council | National Asian Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association Organizations | ||||
Phi Iota Alpha | Fraternity | Multicultural Greek Council | National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations | ||||
Pi Delta Psi | Fraternity | Multicultural Greek Council | National Asian Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association Organizations/North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Sigma Lambda Beta | Fraternity | Multicultural Greek Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | ||||
Delta Sigma Theta | Sorority | Multicultural Greek Council | National Pan-Hellenic Council Organizations | ||||
Kappa Phi Lambda | Sorority | Multicultural Greek Council | National Asian Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association Organizations | ||||
Lambda Pi Chi | Sorority | Multicultural Greek Council | National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations | ||||
Sigma Iota Alpha | Sorority | Multicultural Greek Council | National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations | ||||
Sigma Lambda Gamma | Sorority | Multicultural Greek Council | National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations | ||||
Omega Phi Beta | Sorority | Multicultural Greek Council | National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations | ||||
Alpha Chi Omega | Sorority | Panhellenic Council | Panhellenic Conference | ||||
Alpha Omicron Pi | Sorority | Panhellenic Council | Panhellenic Conference | ||||
Delta Gamma | Sorority | Panhellenic Council | Panhellenic Conference | ||||
Kappa Alpha Theta | Sorority | Panhellenic Council | Panhellenic Conference | ||||
Sigma Delta Tau | Sorority | Panhellenic Council | Panhellenic Conference | ||||
Gamma Phi Beta | Sorority | Panhellenic Council | Panhellenic Conference | Approved for opening in 2015. | |||
Alpha Delta Phi | Co-Ed Society | N/A | 1836 | Interfraternity Council | North-American Interfraternity Conference | 526 West 114th Street | Active 1836-1840; 1881-present. No longer affiliated with Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity as of 1992 |
List of Inactive and Unrecognized Greek Organizations
Organization | Type | Chapter Designation | Year Founded | Governing Board | National Association | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha Chi Rho | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Beta Sigma Rho | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Delta Kappa Epsilon | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Kappa Alpha Psi | Fraternity | National Pan-Hellenic Council Organizations | Inactive | ||||
Omega Psi Phi | Fraternity | National Pan-Hellenic Council Organizations | Inactive | ||||
Tau Epsilon Phi | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Delta Phi | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Alpha Phi Delta | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Alpha Sigma Phi | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Delta Upsilon | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Delta Chi | Fraternity | Inactive | |||||
Phi Kappa Psi | Fraternity | New York Gamma | 1872 | N/A | N/A | Inactive. Active 1872-1876; 1892-1991 | |
Phi Delta Theta | Fraternity | N/A | 1884 | N/A | N/A | 565 West 113th Street[4] | Inactive |
Theta Nu Xi | Sorority | Chi | 2004 | Inactive | |||
Zeta Psi | Fraternity | Alpha | 1879 | Inactive since 2009 | |||
Alpha Kappa Psi | Co-Ed Professional Fraternity | Unrecognized by the University | |||||
St. Anthony Hall/Delta Psi | Fraternity | Unrecognized by the University | |||||
Theta Tau | Co-Ed Professional Fraternity | Unrecognized by the University | |||||
Alpha Kappa Alpha | Sorority | National Pan-Hellenic Council Organizations | Inactive/Unrecognized by the University |
Columbia-Barnard Arrangements
Barnard did not formally recognize any Greek organizations, with the SGA claiming that the "discriminatory" admissions policies and membership dues requirements place Greek organizations at odd with Barnard's student government charter, until 2010
Barnard students have historically joined Columbia chapters of sororities. As a result of the boom in Greek life popularity, the Intergreek Council approached SGA to seek formal recognition. When SGA demurred, CCSC, ESC, and GSSC pressured Barnard's SGA to repeal their decision. In the end, a compromise was reached wherein SGA would fund a lump sum to Greek life (roughly $1000, which represents about 10% of the IGC budget). However, this situation is still considered unsatisfactory by many in CC and SEAS, since a disproportionate amount of their student life fees are going to support Barnard students in sororities.
External links
- Columbia Greek Life Website
- New alcohol policy pleases Columbia’s Greeks, Columbia Spectator, 9 December 2009
- Greek life interest booms, Columbia Spectator, 1 March 2010
- No new recognition for Greek life at BC, Columbia Spectator, 6 April 2010
- Greek life considers BC participation cap, Columbia Spectator, 26 April 2010
- Barnard funding for sororities, but not recognition, Columbia Spectator, 27 April 2010
- F@CU Makes It Rain, Bwog, 20 June 2010 - See especially discussion in comments about the politicking between the Columbia student councils and Barnard SGA over funding and student participation in Greek Life.
References
- ↑ https://twitter.com/blueandwhitemag/status/335442466767523840
- ↑ http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/sites/dsa/files/forms/Archigos.SP2012.pdf
- ↑ http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/sites/dsa/files/forms/Archigos%20Spring%202013.pdf
- ↑ Later occupied by Sigma Chi. The building was eventually knocked down to make way for Broadway Residence Hall, but its facade was preserved. It still has the Sigma Chi greek letters on the outside.