Greek Council Records

Finding Aid

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Collection Summary

Identifier

UA 34

Title

Greek Council Records

Creator

Greek Council and various fraternities and sororities at South Dakota State University

Dates

1980-2007

Extent

0.21 linear feet (1 small document case)

Language

English

Repository

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Access note

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Preferred Citation

Name of item . Greek Council Records. UA 34. South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Abstract

The Greek Council is the governing body of the Greek system at South Dakota State University. The collection is composed of flyers, newsletters and clippings of various fraternities and sororities on the campus of South Dakota State University. Included is material for Alpha Xi Delta, Ceres, Chi Omega, FarmHouse, Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Historical Note

The Greek Council is the governing body of the Greek system at South Dakota State University. The Council develops and enforces policies, which help ensure a healthy future for the system. The Council also coordinates educational programs, Greek Week, an all-campus philanthropy project, and other activities. Men's fraternities recognized at South Dakota State University in 1999 are Alpha Gamma Rho, FarmHouse, Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Delta and Sigma Phi Epsilon. Women's sororities recognized at South Dakota State University in 1999 are Alpha Xi Delta, Chi Omega, and Ceres.

There are several honorary societies recognized at South Dakota State University. These have been filed with the Student Organization record group (UA 35).

Alpha Xi Delta

Alpha Xi Delta is a women's fraternity at South Dakota State University based on social integration and community involvement. The national chapter was founded April 17, 1893 and the local chapter was founded November 17, 1968. This fraternity stresses scholarship, professional development, social integration, and campus and community involvement.

This fraternity includes attributes that include members with varied backgrounds and majors, campus and community involvement, and philanthropic events. They strive for outstanding involvement among the community, internal growth and creating a well-rounded individual.

Alpha Xi Delta participates in many events including adopt-a-family for Christmas, a Halloween carnival for Brookings area children and an Easter egg hunt.

Ceres

For many years, FarmHouse fraternity chapters had "little sister" programs. These programs gave women student's opportunities to participate in FarmHouse activities. However, the number of women entering the agriculture work force was increasing, and the demand for a female version of FarmHouse was evident. At the 1984 FarmHouse conclave, a "Proposal for the Establishment of an Agricultural Sorority" was passed unanimously. Several women's groups, which had been affiliated with FarmHouse as clubs or colonies, indicated that they wanted to be a part of the forming of the proposed ag-related women's sorority. Eventually, they came to the conclusion that this agriculture women's group would be called Ceres Women's Fraternity, taking its name from Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.

The object of Ceres is to build the whole person, to effect bonds of sisterhood, and to unify as a comprehensive entity. It is committed to building qualities of leadership, to building meaningful fellowship, and to building a desire for scholastic achievement. Members' commitment to Ceres is predicated on the values and ideals descriptive of a rural environment and offers lifelong sisterhood to women with an appreciation of agriculture.

Ceres was inducted at South Dakota State University in November 1991. The Ceres chapter on campus participates in many activities around the community, including highway clean up and helping with projects for area schools and nursing homes.

Chi Omega

The Xi Theta chapter of Chi Omega women's fraternity was founded April 15, 1967. It was the first women's fraternity that came to South Dakota State University. This fraternity was founded on six principles: friendship, high standards of personnel, sincere learning and creditable scholarship, participation in campus activities, career development, and community service. Some activities that Chi Omega is involved in include campus cleanup, and fundraising for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

FarmHouse

FarmHouse fraternity was founded on the University of Missouri campus on April 15, 1905. It developed out of an outgrowth of friendships formed among men within the College of Agriculture to perpetuate the congenial association of the men within the college. The intention was not to found a fraternity and hence, the club chose a non-Greek name, FarmHouse, to reflect the similar interests and backgrounds of those involved, but out of this organization grew a national Greek fraternity.

The Brookings chapter of FarmHouse began in the 1950's. Their objective is to encourage the growth of a man intellectually, spiritually, socially, morally and physically. It promoted growth through providing opportunities and encouraging leadership, scholarship and fellowship. The FarmHouse fraternity is a dry house, meaning it does not allow alcohol. It is involved in many activities including adopt-a-highway and providing help to domestic abuse shelters.

Lambda Chi Alpha

Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity is one of the largest men's general fraternities in North America. Founded in 1909 at Boston University, it is designed to prepare its members to be leaders for the world in which they will live. It has a mission to inspire the highest level of character, values, scholarship, and service in each of its members. It was the first fraternity to eliminate pledging and remains a leader in the fight against hazing, alcohol abuse, and other challenges facing today's college student.

Lambda Chi Alpha serves to complement higher education by providing opportunities for academic achievement, leadership development, and lifelong friendships. Lambda Chi Alpha became a recognized men's fraternity at South Dakota State University in 1968. Members attend biannual leadership seminars with members from all the chapters throughout the nation, and bimonthly educational programs. This fraternity is involved in several activities to help the community and university. One of the premier events is the football run that the group is involved in. This run, from Sioux Falls to Brookings, assists the Children's Care Hospital.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon

The South Dakota Theta chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was installed at South Dakota State University on February 27, 1971. The mission of Sigma Alpha Epsilon is to promote the highest standards of friendship and service to its members based upon the ideals set forth by its founders and a specifically enunciated True Gentlemen oath. Among the principles of SAE is developing in its members a sense of duty through social interactions, service and community outreach, fostering personal development including leadership, scholarship, citizenship, social and moral responsibility and developing, maintaining and enforcing standards and expectations for the conduct of its members within and outside of the fraternity.

Sigma Phi Epsilon

Sigma Phi Epsilon was founded at Richmond College on November 1, 1901 on the cardinal principles of virtue, diligence and brotherly love. In 1996-97, students at South Dakota State University succeeded in getting a national charter on the campus.

This fraternity is open to all students and is social based. This is a non-pledging fraternity. New members are immediately lifetime members with several goals to aim for throughout their membership.

The group hosts many fundraisers and philanthropic events throughout the year, including Coats-For-Kids in local churches, and Adopt-A-Highway. Other benefits include spaghetti feeds, car washes, and food drives to help organizations such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the American Heart Association and the local food pantry.

Sigma Phi Epsilon is dedicated to taking care of their members academically and in the future. The fraternity has an academic plan, which encourages members to remain in good academic standing by maintaining at least a 2.5 grade point average. The national headquarters of Sigma Phi Epsilon maintains a national database to help members with job searches, resume references upon graduation from college and making friends in different parts of the country.

Contents Note

This collection is composed of composed of flyers, newsletters and clippings of various fraternities and sororities on the campus of South Dakota State University. Included is material for Alpha Xi Delta, Ceres, Chi Omega, FarmHouse, Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Key Words

Alpha Xi Delta (Women's Fraternity)

Ceres (Sorority)

Chi Omega Fraternity. Xi Theta Chapter

FarmHouse Fraternity

Greek letter societies

Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity

Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Theta Chapter

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity

South Dakota State University -- Greek Council

Students -- Societies, etc.

Container List

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Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.

Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.

South Dakota State University supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted as a result of their fragile condition or by contractual agreements with donors.

Copyright note

Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different materials. Many of the documents and other historical materials in the Archives are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. There are other materials in the Archive carrying a copyright interest and must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although the copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the researcher to properly use copyrighted material.

Arranged and Described by

Crystal J. Gamradt, 1999 April 13, additions made 2008 October 8.