List of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute fraternities and sororities

The following is a list of fraternities and sororities at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As of 2018, there are 30 active fraternities, five active sororities, and one co-ed service fraternity. The governing body of all fraternities is the Inter-Fraternity Council.

The RPI Union

Active fraternities

• Acacia, founded on April 10, 1949

• Alpha Chi Rho (ΑΧΡ; Crows), Delta Phi chapter, founded on October 23, 1948

• Alpha Epsilon Pi (ΑΕΠ), Rho Pi chapter, founded in 1951

• Alpha Phi Alpha (ΑΦΑ)

• Alpha Phi Omega (ΑΦΩ), Epsilon Zeta chapter (co-ed, not in IFC), founded on May 11, 1947

Serves as RPI's premier co-ed service fraternity. APO runs services out of their office on the third floor of the Student Union including Lost & Found, back exams, 3D printing & Information Cards

• Alpha Sigma Phi (ΑΣΦ), Beta Psi chapter

Notable alumni include Al Beard ('81), Michael John Matla ('81), and Paul Stockert ('83).

The Theta chapter of Chi Phi at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

• Chi Phi (ΧΦ), Theta chapter, founded in 1878

The Theta chapter of Chi Phi is one of the oldest fraternities on campus and owns two houses next door to each other at 1981 and 1985 15th St., across from the Quad and Student Union. The Chi Phi house at 1981 15th street was constructed in 1912 and is the oldest continually occupied fraternity house on RPI's campus. Notable alumni from Chi Phi at RPI include George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., inventor of the ferris wheel, and Frank Osborn founder of Osborn Engineering and designer of the original Yankee Stadium, Tiger Stadium, and Fenway Park. Chi Phi organizes the annual St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser for pediatric cancer research on RPI's campus that continually raises over $20,000 every year.

• Delta Kappa Epsilon (ΔΚΕ; Dekes), founded in 1867

DKE used to own the current admissions building located next to Theta Xi and across from both RSE and the Student Union.

Delta Kappa Epsilon Coat of Arms

• Delta Phi (ΔΦ), Lambda chapter, founded in 1864

Lambda chapter of Delta Phi is rich in Rensselaer history. Its members include three Rensselaer presidents (including George Low, known for putting the first man on the moon), and there are about 16 structures on campus named after Delta Phi alumni. Such buildings include the George M. Low Building, Livingston Houston Fieldhouse, Cornelius Barton Hall, Nason Hall, Mason Lab (no longer in existence), Hearne Dormitory, Church I - VI and Caldwell Lab.

• Delta Tau Delta (ΔΤΔ; Delts), Upsilon chapter, founded in 1879

Upsilon chapter of Delta Tau Delta is located at 133 Sunset Terrace, neighboring Acacia and Phi Kappa Theta. The Delts' house is one of the largest on campus.

• Lambda Chi Alpha (ΛΧΑ), Epsilon Eta chapter, founded in 1937

Located at 200 Sunset Terrace

• Phi Iota Alpha (ΦΙΑ; Phiotas), Alpha chapter, founded on December 26, 1931

• Phi Kappa Theta (ΦΚΘ; Ski Lodge), Sigma chapter, founded in 1925. Current house was designed by brother Robert Trudeau in 1971. It will always be home of Apres Ski. Notable members include Neil Patel, Thomas Jansson, and James Fisher.

• Phi Mu Delta (ΦΜΔ; Phi Mud), Nu Theta chapter, founded in 1918

• Phi Sigma Kappa (ΦΣΚ; Phi Sig or Church), Gamma Tetarton chapter, founded October 14, 1950

Located at 316 Congress Street, at the corner of Congress Street and 13th Street, the Gamma Tetarton chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa is also the very first fraternity in the country to ever purchase and live in a church. Their house is one of the largest fraternity houses in the country, and is also the largest fraternity house on campus. The house used to be the former iconic St. Francis DeSales Church, which closed on February 1, 2009. The Gamma Tetarton chapter completed the purchase of the St. Francis DeSales Church on February 4, 2011.

• Pi Delta Psi (ΠΔΨ), Theta chapter, founded in 1997

Pi Delta Psi is currently the only Asian interest Greek organization on campus.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ; Pikes)

• Pi Lambda Phi (ΠΛΦ; Pilam), founded in 1954

• Psi Upsilon (ΨΥ; Psi U), Epsilon Iota chapter, founded on April 16, 1982

Originally a part of the TEP (Tau Epsilon Phi) fraternity, the chapter split off from TEP in January 1978 to become a co-ed local fraternity. A few years later, Epsilon Iota officially became the 37th chapter of the Psi Upsilon international fraternity on April 16, 1982, and remains co-ed with an approximately equal number of male and female brothers. The chapter currently resides at 2140 Burdett Avenue in Troy. The Epsilon Iota chapter holds the record for longest number of days (178) in "hockey line" at RPI, breaking the previous record of 33 days.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ; SAE), New York Epsilon chapter, founded on December 8, 1951

Located at 12 Myrtle Ave.

• Sigma Phi Epsilon (ΣΦΕ; SigEp), New York Delta chapter, founded in 1938

Located at 2005 15th Street

• Tau Epsilon Phi (ΤΕΦ; TEP), Epsilon Iota chapter

• Theta Xi (ΘΞ; Zoo), Alpha chapter, founded on April 29, 1864

The Alpha chapter of Theta Xi is the oldest active fraternity at RPI. Distinguishable alumni include former RPI President Palmer C. Ricketts (A84), William H. Wiley (A11), Mordecai T. Endicott (A21), James Hall (A38), Emil H. Praeger (A272), and Allen B. Dumont (A349) all of which have been inducted into the RPI Hall of Fame. Numerous campus buildings and rooms are named after Alpha chapter alumni: the Darrin Communications Center, named after David M. Darrin (A566); Ricketts Building, named after Palmer C. Ricketts (A84); Waite Dormitory, named after Christopher Champlain Waite (A3) who is one of the fraternities founding members; Hall Hall named after James Hall (A83); DuMont room in the Student Union named after Allen B. DuMont (A349); and many more. The origin of the nickname "The Zoo" or just "Zoo" is rumored to be from the early 1960s when Theta Xi brothers engaged in an altercation with another fraternity during an RPI hockey game. It is believed that RPI's newspaper, The Poly, stated in an article about the altercation that the brothers of Theta Xi acted like "a zoo".

In December 2013, the chapter house was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Theta Xi Fraternity Chapter House

• Zeta Psi (ΖΨ; Zetes), Pi chapter, founded on January 13, 1865

The Pi chapter went inactive in 1894 and was reactivated in 1951. It remained active until the alumni/elders shut down the chapter house in 1978 (for disciplinary reasons) and reactivated the chapter in 1979 with all new members. The Pi chapter has remained in continuous operation since the second reactivation. It is located at 25 Belle Avenue.

Active sororities

The governing body of all sororities is the Panhellenic Council.

• Alpha Gamma Delta (ΑΓΔ), Zeta Eta chapter

Alpha Gamma Delta was founded on May 30, 1904 at Syracuse University. The Zeta Eta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta is one of over 110 chapters nationwide.

• Alpha Phi (ΑΦ), Theta Tau chapter

Alpha Phi was founded at Syracuse University in 1872 by ten women. The Theta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute originated as Phi Alpha Sigma, a local sorority located on RPI campus. The Theta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi is one of over 150 chapters in both the United States and Canada. Alpha Phi is one of four international sororities at RPI.

• Alpha Omega Epsilon (ΑΩΕ), founded April 23, 2006

ΑΩΕ is a social and professional sorority for women in engineering and technical sciences. It is a member of the Professional Fraternity Association at the international level; however, the Tau chapter is also a member of the local Panhellenic Council.

• Pi Beta Phi (ΠΒΦ)

Pi Beta Phi was founded by 12 women at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois on April 28, 1867. Pi Phi is the first women's fraternity to be modeled on the men's groups and the first to start a chapter at another college. The New York Epsilon chapter of Pi Beta Phi was installed on November 17, 1984. The chapter began as Kappa Phi, a local sorority founded on April 27, 1982, as the third sorority on campus. Their chapter house is at 8 Sherry Road.

• Sigma Delta (ΣΔ)

Sigma Delta is a local, professional sorority which was incorporated on March 29, 1996 and founded on April 12, 1996. While based on Latin American values, over the years they have grown to a multicultural organization with members from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.

Inactive chapters

A number of fraternities and sororities have existed at RPI, and have subsequently shut down either due to low membership or campus suspension.

Suspended Fraternities

• Sigma Chi (ΣΧ), Delta Psi chapter, founded on December 2, 1950 (Suspended, pending investigation)

The Delta Psi chapter of The Sigma Chi Fraternity was chartered on December 2, 1950. Before that, Sigma Chi existed on the RPI campus as a local fraternity known as Phi Epsilon Phi. Sigma Chi is currently located at 58 Pinewoods Avenue.

• Phi Kappa Tau (ΦΚΤ), Rho chapter (Suspended until 08/2021)

Serving five years of campus suspension; rushing fall 2021. Alpha Gamma Delta currently resides in their chapter house

• Phi Gamma Delta (ΦΓΔ; FIJI), Tau Nu chapter, founded in 1984. (Suspended until 08/2020)

Located at 82 3rd Street in Downtown Troy. Their house used to be the iconic 1st Baptist Church in Troy. They are the second fraternity to ever live in a church.

• Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ; Castle), Alpha Tau chapter, founded in 1906. (Suspended, duration pending investigation)

Originally the local Fraternity, "The Rensselaer Technical Society", the chapter was incorporated in 1909, and rechartered in 1931 to form the Alpha Tau chapter of the national fraternity Pi Kappa Phi. Pi Kappa Phi "Castle" is located in its long time home in the Central Troy Historic District, The Pane mansion. The Paine Mansion was constructed in 1894 and is located at 49 2nd street.

• Rensselaer Society of Engineers (RSE), founded 1866 (Suspended until 2019, pending re-recognition)

The Rensselaer Society of Engineers was founded as the Pi Eta scientific society in 1866, and became the Rensselaer Society of Engineers in 1883.

• Tau Kappa Epsilon (ΤΚΕ), Gamma Epsilon chapter, founded on October 14, 1949. (Suspended until 2019, pending re-recognition)

• Theta Chi (ΘΧ), Delta chapter, founded in 1908 (Suspended, pending re-recognition)

Located at 2100 Burdett Ave.

Inactive Fraternities

• Kappa Alpha Psi (ΚΑΨ), 2005-2009

Closed due to low membership

• Lambda Upsilon Lambda (ΛΥΛ), 1998-2015

Closed due to low membership

• Zeta Beta Tau (ΖΒΤ), 1962-2008

Closed due to low membership

• Alpha Tau Omega (ΑΤΩ), 1922-1966

Closed due to low membership

• Phi Sigma Delta (ΦΣΔ) 1913-1962

Formed in 1913, the Gamma chapter of Phi Sigma Delta became Zeta Beta Tau in 1962.

• Sigma Delta (ΣΔ), 1859-1864

Local fraternity which disbanded soon after 8 members tendered their resignations in October 1863. Those 8 members became the founding members of Theta Xi in 1864. Not to be confused with Sigma Delta, the local professional sorority.

• Theta Delta Chi (ΘΔΧ), 1853-1896

The Delta Charge of Theta Delta Chi was RPI's first fraternity. Theta Delta Chi served as the sole fraternity on campus until the founding of Sigma Delta in 1859. The Charge had a prominent existence at Rensselaer throughout much of the 19th century until its charter was surrendered in 1896 because of low membership.

Inactive Sororities

• Phi Sigma Sigma (ΦΣΣ)

Phi Sigma Sigma was the first national nonsectarian sorority, founded by 10 women at Hunter College, NY in 1913 Their goal was to have membership open to all women of character regardless of background; a sorority committed to sisterhood, excellence in scholarship, and selfless giving. It is the only sorority that was open to diverse membership from inception and the only one with a ritual that was not based in any one religion. The Gamma Theta chapter was founded at RPI in 1976 as the first national sorority at the mostly male institution. The chapter became inactive in due to low membership.

External links

• RPI Union
• Interfraternity Council (IFC)
• Panhellenic Council
• Dean of Students: 2007-2008 5-star Accreditation Results contains an apparently complete list of Greek organizations on campus, including those on suspension, as of 2008-06-03.