Chi Psi
Chi Psi (ΧΨ) is a fraternity consisting of active chapters (known as "Alphas") at 32 American colleges and universities. The mission of the Chi Psi Fraternity is to create and maintain an enduring society which encourages the sharing of traditions and values, respect for oneself and others, and responsibility to the university and community.
| Chi Psi | |
|---|---|
| ΧΨ | |
 | |
| Founded | May 20, 1841 Union College Schenectady, New York, U.S. |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | National |
| Colors | Purple Gold |
| Flag |  |
| Chapters | 31 active |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Website | www |
Chi Psi was founded on Thursday May 20, 1841, by 10 students at Union College in Schenectady, New York with the idea of emphasizing the fraternal and social principles of a brotherhood. It was the first Greek-letter organization to be founded on these grounds, rather than the literary characteristics of the seven then-existing societies. In 1846, Chi Psi was the first fraternity in the nation to establish a fraternity house.[1] The first fraternity house was located at the University of Michigan. Thanks to the building's resemblance to a hunting lodge, Chi Psi now refers to all its houses as Lodges.[2]
Chi Psi's official colors are Royal Purple and Gold. Chi Psi's national headquarters, the Central Office, is in Nashville, Tennessee.
History
Chi Psi was founded on Thursday May 20, 1841, by 10 students at Union College with the idea of emphasizing the fraternal and social principles of a brotherhood. The 10 founding members were: Philip Spencer (later hanged on charges of mutiny aboard the brig USS Somers), Robert Heyward McFaddin (1822–1858) of Greensboro, Alabama, Jacob Henry Farrell, John Brush Jr., Samuel Titus Taber, James Lafayette Witherspoon (cousin of McFaddin), William Force Terhune, Alexander Peter Berthoud, James Chatham Duane, and Patrick Upshaw Major.
Values and the Chi Psi Gentleman
Chi Psi is founded upon the fraternal aspects of brotherhood and embraces a number of values in its pursuit to establish this brotherhood. These values were first adopted at its founding in 1841, and later, a restatement of principles was given at the 122nd National Convention in 1963. Some of these values are as follows: Chi Psi is defined by the values which are collectively accepted by its members. The extent to which these values are practiced is the measure of our fraternity; Chi Psi is committed to the growth of the individual in a social environment which nurtures integrity, dignity, and maturity while enjoying shared experiences and college sociability; and Chi Psi recognizing that academic achievement is fundamental to the development of the individual, stands for intellectual growth and the attainment of human potential.[3]
Chi Psi also embraces the idea of being a true gentleman, by following the definition of a gentleman as put forward by John Walter Wayland's "The True Gentleman":
The True Gentleman is the man whose conduct proceeds from goodwill and an acute sense of propriety and whose self-control is equal to all emergencies; who does not make the poor man conscious of his poverty, the obscure man of his obscurity, or any man of his inferiority or deformity; who is himself humbled if necessity compels him to humble another; who does not flatter wealth, cringe before power, or boast of his own possessions or achievements; who speaks with frankness but always with sincerity and sympathy; whose deed follows his word; who thinks of the rights and feelings of others rather than his own; and who appears well in any company; a man with whom honor is sacred and virtue safe.[4]
Program for Excellence
In pursuit of the values the fraternity put forth and in order to make up for a lack of leadership opportunities available on college campuses, the Chi Psi Educational Trust has funded the Program for Excellence. Consisting of numerous sessions and workshops the Program for Excellence focuses on instilling the members of Chi Psi with a respect for themselves, the people they are around, and their community.[5][6]
Purple & Gold
The Chi Psi newsletter, The Purple & Gold was first published in November 1883, and is currently received by all current brothers on a lifetime subscription.[7]
Chapters
Chi Psi has active chapters, which are known as Alphas, at 32 American colleges and universities.
Active Alphas
Dormant Alphas
| Institution | Date founded | Name | Dormant since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams College | 1842 | Theta | 1963 |
| Middlebury College | 1843 | Mu | 1994 |
| Bowdoin College | 1844 | Eta | 1993 |
| University of Michigan | 1845 | Epsilon | 2016 |
| Columbia University | 1846 | Zeta | 1885 |
| Princeton University | 1851 | Delta | 1859 |
| College of the City of New York | 1857 | Kappa | 1873 |
| Furman University | 1858 | Upsilon | 1898 |
| Brown University | 1860 | Lambda | 1870 |
| Amherst College | 1864 | Chi | 2017 |
| Wofford College | 1869 | Tau | 1906 |
| University of Rochester | 1884 | Omega | 1889 |
| Northwestern University | 1892 | Epsilon Delta | 2012 |
| Stanford University | 1895 | Gamma Delta | 1971 |
| UCLA/UC-Irvine | 1949 | Lambda Delta | 1994 |
| Penn State University | 1997 | Nu Delta | 2004 |
Leadership
The President of Chi Psi is known as the #7. The first #7 was elected in 1879, thirty-eight years after the founding of Chi Psi. The #7's are:
| #7 | Alpha | Initiation Year | Term Start | Term End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, Jr. | Theta (Williams College) | 1858 | 1879 | 1882 |
| Elbridge Thomas Gerry | Zeta ( Columbia University) | 1857 | 1882 | 1914 |
| Edward C. Swift | Epsilon (University of Michigan) | 1878 | 1914 | 1919 |
| Albert S. Bard | Chi (Amherst College) | 1888 | 1919 | 1921 |
| Vojta F. Mashek | Psi (Cornell University) | 1889 | 1921 | 1923 |
| John Wendell Anderson | Epsilon (University of Michigan) | 1890 | 1923 | 1930 |
| Vojta F. Mashek | Psi (Cornell University) | 1889 | 1930 | 1934 |
| Frank Matthiessen | Psi (Cornell University) | 1895 | 1934 | 1936 |
| Vojta F. Mashek | Psi (Cornell University) | 1889 | 1936 | 1940 |
| Charles E. Merrill | Chi (Amherst College) | 1908 | 1940 | 1949 |
| Clifford H. Williams | Theta (Williams College) | 1902 | 1949 | 1952 |
| John P. Mentzer | Epsilon Delta (University of Chicago at the time) | 1889 | 1952 | 1955 |
| Harold S. Falk | Iota (University of Wisconsin) | 1906 | 1955 | 1958 |
| Stanley J. Birge | Chi (Amherst College) | 1908 | 1958 | 1961 |
| H. Seger Slifer | Epsilon (University of Michigan) | 1912 | 1961 | 1967 |
| Temple Hoyne Buell | Zeta Delta (University of Illinois) | 1916 | 1967 | 1973 |
| Nelson T. Levings | Omicron (University of Virginia) | 1926 | 1973 | 1977 |
| Oliver R. Rowe | Sigma (University of North Carolina) | 1925 | 1977 | 1985 |
| Robert B. Plunkett | Iota Delta (Georgia Institute of Technology) | 1933 | 1985 | 1988 |
| F. Van S. Parr | Alpha (Wesleyan University) | 1929 | 1988 | 1990 |
| Carleton A. Holstrom | Iota (University of Wisconsin) | 1957 | 1990 | 1992 |
| Robert C. Preble, Jr. | Chi (Amherst College) | 1944 | 1992 | 1995 |
| Dr. George W. Ray III | Alpha (Wesleyan University) | 1954 | 1995 | 2001 |
| Malcolm D. Jeffrey | Theta (Williams College) | 1954 | 2001 | 2004 |
| Dr. Daniel B. Ahlberg | Nu (University of Minnesota) | 1967 | 2005 | 2014 |
| Verne G. Istock | Epsilon (University of Michigan) | 1963 | 2014 | 2019 |
| W. S. "Bill" Hattendorf, Jr. | Alpha Delta (University of Georgia) | 1969 | 2019 | - |
The Executive Director of Chi Psi is known as the #23. The first #23 was appointed in 1921. The #23's are:
| #23 | Alpha | Initiation Year | Term Start | Term End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H. Seger Slifer | Epsilon (University of Michigan) | 1912 | 1921 | 1961 |
| William E. LeClere | Beta Delta (Lehigh University) | 1957 | 1961 | 1967 |
| James E. Bray | Epsilon Delta (Northwestern University) | 1963 | 1967 | 1970 |
| Richard D. Elliott | Beta (University of South Carolina) | 1967 | 1970 | 1972 |
| T. Lee Pomeroy II | Xi (Stevens Institute of Technology) | 1971 | 1972 | 1979 |
| William S. Hattendorf, Jr. | Alpha Delta (University of Georgia) | 1969 | 1978 | 1983 |
| Herbert P. Carroll | Epsilon (University of Michigan) | 1945 | 1983 | 1988 |
| Michael C. Illuzzi | Rho (Rutgers University) | 1977 | 1988 | 1994 |
| Philip L. Smith | Sigma (University of North Carolina) | 1964 | 1994 | 1995 |
| Donald E. Kreger | Epsilon Delta (Northwestern University) | 1951 | 1996 | 1998 |
| Stephen Gardner | Nu (University of Minnesota) | 1987 | 1998 | 2000 |
| Robert K. Windsor | Eta (Bowdoin College) | 1955 | 2000 | 2002 |
| Samuel C. Bessey | Eta Delta (University of Oregon) | 1997 | 2002 | Present |
Notable alumni
References
- "About Chi Psi - Chi Psi Fraternity". www.chipsi.org. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
- The Chi Psi Story, p. 70
- "Governance - Executive Council - Chi Psi Fraternity". www.chipsi.org. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- The Chi Psi Story, p. 19
- The Chi Psi Story, pp. 36–39
- "Educational Programs - Chi Psi Fraternity". www.chipsi.org. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- The Chi Psi Story, p. 184
- "174th Annual Convention in Review". 5 Aug 2015. Retrieved 31 Aug 2015.