Franklin and Marshall College

Franklin and Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational liberal arts college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the 25th oldest college or university in the United States.

History of F&M Greek System

In 1854, Phi Kappa Sigma was founded as the all-male college's first fraternity. The chapter existed for 129 years, until losing its national charter in 1983. It has since been reinstated.

Related Topics:
1854 - Phi Kappa Sigma - Fraternity - 1983

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Chi Phi, founded on December 1, 1854, remains the longest continuously-running fraternity at F&M and the only one with a fraternity house actually on the campus grounds. In 1929, through a special lease agreement with the college, the chapter built its house on the college campus at 603 Race Avenue. The house was dedicated and opened in 1929, during the chapter's 75th anniversary celebration. During World War II, with school and fraternity attendance down, the house was converted to a temporary infirmary. In 1998, due to a series of disagreements with the college, the lease was terminated and the fraternity was evicted. On February 7, 2001, after three years, Chi Phi renegotiated a new lease with F&M and they reoccupied the house the following August.

Related Topics:
Chi Phi - December 1 - 1854 - Fraternity house - 1929 - 1998 - February 7 - 2001 - August

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In 1978, the school's first sorority--Sigma Sigma Sigma--was chartered. In 2005, the chapter became inactive.

Related Topics:
1978 - Sorority - Sigma Sigma Sigma - 2005

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In April of 1988, the College's Board of Trustees voted to no longer officially recognize the school's fraternities and sororities. This was known as "derecognition." At the time, three of the school's fraternities had recently lost their national charters due to various offenses. In an effort to repair the system, the college administration proposed eight specific reforms to the Greek Counsel, which were ultimately rejected by all of the organizations. The result was derecognition. Derecognition was highly unpopular with the student body, but it served to remove the college from any liability associated with hazing and underage alcohol abuse, issues that were in the national public eye at that time. The experiment met with mixed results. Despite the decree, the Greek System continued--albeit unofficially--and the college kept a watchful eye on how it developed without financial or administrative support. No Greek chapters were closed during this time and membership was generally not affected. But after several years unsupervised, a small number of fraternities struggled with health code violations, fires and one unfortunate accidental alcohol-related death. Owing to several factors, including dwindling financial support from fraternity and sorority alumni and legitimate concerns about student academics, health and safety, the college announced on May 19, 2004 that it would reinstate a new, revised Greek System beginning on September 1, 2004 after a 16 year absence.

Related Topics:
April - 1988 - Fraternities and sororities - Fraternities - Liability - Hazing - May 19 - 2004 - September 1

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