Kappa Sigma Kappa

Kappa Sigma Kappa
ΚΣΚ
Founded	September 28, 1867 (1867-09-28) Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Virginia
Type	Social
Colors	Royal Purple and Gold
Flower	Purple iris

Kappa Sigma Kappa (ΚΣΚ) is the name given to one of three separate college fraternities that have claimed a common name, history, and traditions. The original incarnation of Kappa Sigma Kappa was founded at Virginia Military Institute on September 28, 1867.

First incarnation (1867–1886)

Kappa Sigma Kappa was originally founded at Virginia Military Institute on September 28, 1867 by four cadets: John M. Tutwiler, James Gennell Hust, Kenneth McDonald, and David Gamble Murrell. On that night, Cadet Tutwiler invited the three other cadets to his room where the fraternity was founded. The original name selected for the fraternity was C.E.C., but it was soon changed to Kappa Sigma Kappa. The letters "C.E.C." would continue to retain ritual significance in the new fraternity. As a result of their efforts, ten chapters had been chartered by 1885. After three of the strongest chapters closed, the seven remaining chapters became part of Phi Delta Theta in 1886.

Number	Chapter	Installation Date	College or University	Location	Status
1.	Gamma	1867	Virginia Military Institute	Lexington, Virginia	Chapter closed in 1885 following a ban on fraternities at VMI
2.	Epsilon	1871	Washington and Lee University	Lexington, Virginia	Became the Virginia Zeta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta in 1886
3.	Zeta	1874	Virginia A&M College	Blacksburg, Virginia	Chapter closed in 1886 following a ban on fraternities at Virginia A&M
4.	Delta	1875	University of Virginia	Charlottesville, Virginia	Chapter closed in 1884
5.	Eta	1881	Emory and Henry College	Emory, Virginia	Chapter closed in 1886
6.	Upsilon	1881	Randolph-Macon College	Ashland, Virginia	Merged with Virginia Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta in 1886
7.	Nu	1882	University of Richmond	Richmond, Virginia	Merged with Phi Delta Theta in 1886
8.	Rho	1883	Bethel Military Academy	Warrenton, Virginia	Chapter closed in 1886
9.	Omega	1885	University of North Carolina	Chapel Hill, North Carolina	Merged with North Carolina Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta in 1886
10.	Alpha	1885	Louisiana State University	Baton Rouge, Louisiana	Charter was withdrawn in 1886. Became the Phi Chapter of Sigma Nu in 1887.

Second incarnation (1935–1962)

Almost fifty years after the original fraternity had dissolved, a group of four students at the University of Virginia desired to form a new social fraternity in 1935. The group was led by St. Paul Henstridge. They were attracted to the Kappa Sigma Kappa badge, so they decided to revive the former fraternity as their own. After searching the University of Virginia archives, the students found the names of three members from the old Delta Chapter who were still alive, including two charter members. They then discovered that one of the founders of the original fraternity, Kenneth McDonald, was still alive and living in San Francisco, California. The students made contact with McDonald, and he assisted them in redeveloping the fraternity and learning many of the original fraternity traditions. The second incarnation of Kappa Sigma Kappa was officially established in September 1935, and seven chapters of the new Kappa Sigma Kappa were established before World War II.

After the war, the fraternity placed an emphasis on expansion. New chapters were rapidly established, and members of the fraternity felt the need to become better organized on a national level. The fraternity held its first national convention in St. Louis, Missouri in 1948. National conventions continued to be held every year, but the fraternity still lacked a strong national organization. Although the fraternity had experienced great growth in the years after the war, Kappa Sigma Kappa found itself struggling by the early 1950s. It had chartered several chapters on campuses of unaccredited schools, and as it result Kappa Sigma Kappa was unable to obtain membership in the National Interfraternity Conference (NIC). As a result of its lack of NIC membership, lack of uniform chapter operations, and lack of a strong national organization and central office, Kappa Sigma Kappa began rapidly losing its chapters in the 1950s as they began to affiliate with other NIC fraternities.

Kappa Sigma Kappa saw a merger with Theta Xi as its opportunity to repair its rapidly deteriorating situation. Following a series of meetings, the national organization of Kappa Sigma Kappa officially merged with Theta Xi on August 20, 1962. As a result of the merger, twenty-one chapters of Kappa Sigma Kappa located at accredited schools became chapters of Theta Xi. Each of the chapters was given a new Greek-letter chapter designation that was prefaced by the letter Kappa. Additionally, as part of the terms of the merger, the fraternity flower of Theta Xi was changed from the white carnation to the blue iris, the Theta Xi coat of arms was modified to replace the fleurs-de-lis with upright crescents, and the fraternity pledge manual title was changed from The Theta Xi Pledge Manual to The Quest For Theta Xi.

Number	Chapter	Installation Date	College or University	Location	Status
1.	Delta	1935	University of Virginia	Charlottesville, Virginia	Chapter closed
2.	Pi	1935	Lebanon Valley College	Annville, Pennsylvania	Chapter closed in 1942 during WWII, after the war became local fraternity known as Knights of the Valley
3.	Beta	1937	Western Reserve University	Cleveland, Ohio	Chapter closed in 1942
4.	Theta	1937	Texas College of Mines	El Paso, Texas	Chapter closed in 1942
5.	Iota	1940	Youngstown State University	Youngstown, Ohio	Became the Kappa Alpha Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
6.	Kappa	1941	Arkansas Agricultural and Mechanical College	Monticello, Arkansas	Became the Kappa Beta Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
7.	Lambda	1941	Waynesburg College	Waynesburg, Pennsylvania	Chapter closed
8.	Upsilon	1942	Randolph–Macon College	Ashland, Virginia	Chapter closed by 1943
9.	Omicron	1945	Fairmont State College	Fairmont, West Virginia	Became the Kappa Gamma Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
10.	Mu	1946	New Mexico Highlands University	Las Vegas, New Mexico	Chapter closed
11.	Xi	1946	Concord College	Athens, West Virginia	Became the Kappa Epsilon Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
12.	Phi Delta	1946	Fort Hays Kansas State College	Hays, Kansas	Became the Alpha Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Lambda in 1962
13.	Sigma	1946	Indiana Institute of Technology	Fort Wayne, Indiana	Became the Kappa Delta Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
14.	Tau	1946	Eastern Illinois State College	Charleston, Illinois	Chapter closed
15.	Chi	1946	Arizona State College	Flagstaff, Arizona	Chapter closed
16.	Florida Alpha	1946	University of Tampa	Tampa, Florida	Became the Epsilon Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon in 1955
17.	Psi	1947	Central Missouri State College	Warrensburg, Missouri	Became the Epsilon Phi Chapter of Theta Chi in 1962
18.	Michigan Alpha	1947	Detroit Institute of Technology	Detroit, Michigan	Chapter closed
19.	West Virginia Gamma	1947	Morris Harvey College	Charleston, West Virginia	Became the Kappa Zeta Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
20.	West Virginia Delta	1947	Glenville State College	Glenville, West Virginia	Became the Kappa Eta Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
21.	West Virginia Eta	1947	West Virginia Wesleyan College	Buckhannon, West Virginia	Because the Kappa Tau Chapter of Theta Xi in 1963
22.	Illinois Gamma	1947	Western Illinois University	Macomb, Illinois	Became the Kappa Theta Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
23.	Indiana Beta	1947	Ball State College	Muncie, Indiana	Became the Kappa Kappa Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
24.	Maryland Alpha	1947	University of Baltimore	Baltimore, Maryland	Chapter was not eligible for the 1962 merger with Theta Xi, became part of the third Kappa Sigma Kappa organization
25.	British Alpha	1947	Northern Polytechnic Institute	London, England	Chapter closed in 1951
26.	New Zealand Alpha	1947	University of Canterbury	Christchurch, New Zealand	Chapter closed in 1951
27.	Tasmania Alpha	1947	University of Hobart	Hobart, Tasmania	Chapter closed in 1951
28.	California Alpha	1947	Sacramento State College	Sacramento, California	Chapter closed in 1952
29.	Arkansas Beta	1947	Henderson State Teachers College	Arkadelphia, Arkansas	Became the Kappa Iota Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
30.	Canadian Alpha	1948	University of Manitoba	Winnipeg, Manitoba	Chapter closed in 1960
31.	Michigan Beta	1948	Lawrence Institute of Technology	Southfield, Michigan	Continued as local group until October 5, 1968 when it was chartered ad Kappa Chi Chapter of Theta Xi
32.	Ohio Epsilon	1948	Cedarville College	Cedarville, Ohio	Chapter closed
33.	California Gamma	1948	Armstrong College	Berkeley, California	Chapter closed
34.	New York Alpha	1948	University of Buffalo	Buffalo, New York	Chapter closed
35.	Michigan Zeta	1951	Hillsdale College	Hillsdale, Michigan	Became a local fraternity at the time of the 1962 Theta Xi merger
36.	Indiana Gamma	1952	Tri-State University	Angola, Indiana	Formerly a chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma, Alpha Lambda Tau and Tau Kappa Epsilon. Chapter was not eligible for the 1962 merger with Theta Xi, became part of the third Kappa Sigma Kappa organization.
37.	New York Epsilon	1953	Alfred State College	Alfred, New York	Chapter disaffiliated with Kappa Sigma Kappa in 1954 and became local fraternity Kappa Sigma Epsilon
38.		1958	Western Carolina University	Cullowhee, North Carolina	Became the Kappa Phi Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962
39.		1950	Lenoir-Rhyne Universtiy	Hickory, North Carolina	Became the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Theta Xi in 1962

Third incarnation (1962–1992)

Seven active chapters of the former Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity were not accepted by Theta Xi in the 1962 merger, because they were located at unaccredited schools. Although their national organization had merged and was now a part of Theta Xi, these seven chapters formed a new national structure and continued to use the Kappa Sigma Kappa name. In turn, they began approving new chapters of Kappa Sigma Kappa on more campuses, often at community colleges. During the late 1970s, the national organization dissolved but the Pennsylvania Alpha Chapter remained active until 1992.

10	Missouri Alpha	1966	Finley College of Engineering	Kansas City, Missouri	closed
1.	Maryland Alpha	1948	University of Baltimore	Baltimore, Maryland	Merged with Maryland Beta Chapter in 1974, now closed
2.	Illinois Epsilon	1949	Chicago Technical College	Chicago, Illinois	Closed. School ceased operations in 1977.
3.	New York Gamma	1950	Erie County Technical Institue	Buffalo, New York	Closed in 1975
4.	Indiana Gamma	1952	Tri-State University	Angola, Indiana	Became a chapter of Kappa Sigma in 1966
5.	New York Eta	1958	Westchester Community College	Valhalla, New York	Closed in 1967
6.	New York Theta	1958	Hudson Valley Community College	Troy, New York	Closed
7.	Pennsylvania Alpha	1966	Spring Garden College	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Closed in 1992
8.	Texas Alpha	1968	University of Corpus Christi	Corpus Christi, Texas	Closed
9.	New Jersey Alpha	1962	Mercer County Community College	Trenton, New Jersey	Closed

Symbols and traditions

Badge

The badge is a gold Jerusalem cross in the center of which is a circular black enameled disc displaying the letters of the fraternity. The letters "C.E.C." are engraved on the back of every badge.