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Phi Sigma Kappa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Motto | Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (The Golden Rule) |
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| Colors | Silver and Red |
| Symbol | The Triple T's |
| Flower | Red Carnation and White Tea Rose |
| Founded | March 15, 1873 at Massachusetts Agricultural College |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | International |
| Headquarters | 2925 East 96th Street Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| Chapters | 210+ |
| Cardinal Principles | To Promote Brotherhood, To Stimulate Scholarship, To Develop Character |
| Homepage | phisigmakappa.org |
Phi Sigma Kappa is a fraternity devoted to three cardinal principles: the promotion of Brotherhood, the stimulation of Scholarship, and the development of Character. It was founded on March 15, 1873 by Jabez William Clay, Frederick George Campbell, Joseph Franklin Barrett, Xenos Young Clark, William Penn Brooks, and Henry Hague at Massachusetts Agricultural College in Amherst (now the University of Massachusetts.) Phi Sigma Kappa merged with Phi Sigma Epsilon in 1985 in what was the largest merger in the fraternal world.
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Massachusetts Agricultural College in Amherst-now the University of Massachusetts-is the setting for the founding of Phi Sigma Kappa. Among its other students in the early 1870s it had attracted six men of varied backgrounds, ages, abilities and goals in life, who saw the need for a new and different kind of society on campus. These, the Founders, banded together in their sophomore year (1873) to form a "society to promote morality, learning and social culture."
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The six founders were typically active college students, members of literary and academic societies and athletic groups, editors of campus publications. Hague and Brooks even ran the college store. On March 15, 1873, they met in secret. Brooks had already prepared a constitution and symbolism, and Hague had designed a ritual. The first meeting seemed destined to succeed, for the individuals all had done their work well. The ritual has been changed only six times since, and never drastically. The symbolism and esoteric structure have never been altered. Clay was elected president of the group-which for its first five years had no name. Its cryptic characters could not be pronounced, either, though Brooks recalled that outsiders referred to them as "T, double T, T upside-down."
The Grand Chapter was organized in 1878, to tie alumni and undergraduates in a continuing relationship, and Charles Sumner Howe, an 1876 initiate, was elected its first Grand President (at the age of 20). Phi Sigma Kappa was adopted as the group's official name that same year-after four years of debate and the work of seven committees. It is organized much like the Federal Government into three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Juidicial powers. Under the Laws of the State of Delaware, the legislative branch is comprised of officers from each chapter who serve as delegates at the General Convention. Depending on the size of a particular chapter, each has a number of votes at the Convention to decide on amendments to the Charter, the Constitution, and the Bylaws of the Fraternity. They also have the authority to veto policies made by the Grand Council. The executive branch is comprised of this Grand Council, which includes the Grand President and his Board of Directors. They serve as the main policy making body of the fraternity. The Judicial Power, known as the Court of Honor, is comprised of all living past Grand Chapter/Phi Sigma Epsilon Presidents. The presiding officer is the Chancellor, and the Court serves as an advisory committee to the Grand President and the Council, as well as the court of impeachment for any officer of the Fraternity.
Originally, only one chapter was contemplated by the founders. And although the germ of expansion arrived early, its period of gestation consumed 13 years. As early as 1875 an inquiry had been received from a group at Maine Agricultural College, and a few years later there was an unexpected letter from the University of New Mexico-but nothing came of either "feeler." In 1878, John A. Cutter was inducted into the group, a man destined to have much to do with the preservation of the order's early records and with its expansion beyond the confines of the Massachusetts campus. He later attended Albany Medical College (in 1873 merged with Union College) and established a group, which became Beta Chapter. Cutter was also instrumental in the establishment of Gamma at Cornell. The transition to a national order was accomplished. These same early years saw the pin (or badge) adopted essentially as it is today; an induction ritual, which embodied the concept of universal brotherhood and expanded the order's horizons beyond Massachusetts, was written in 1890; and the first chapter out of the Northeast came into being at West Virginia University (1891).
The 1934 Convention in Ann Arbor brought more changes for the fraternity. Brother Stewart W. Herman of Gettysburg wrote and presented the Creed, and Brother Ralph Watts of Massachusetts drafted and presented the Cardinal Principles. More than a half-century later they stand as Phi Sigma Kappa's heritage personified, as much a part of the Fraternity's individuality as any of its more ancient rituals and symbolism.
In the firm conviction that my Fraternity demands of me a life of Faith and Purpose
I hereby solemnly declare My Faith in the wisdom and love of God; in the dignity and worth of my fellowmen; in the strength and beauty of true Fraternity; in the history and future of my Country; and in the traditions and program of my Alma Mater.
Henceforward, therefore, it shall be My Purpose to remain forever true to this, my fraternity's faith in me and in turn to preserve and promote courageously and unselfishly the chosen ideals of our mutual affection and common endeavor.
To this end I dedicate My Life to the maintenance of this Faith and the pursuit of this Purpose so that the ideals of Phi Sigma Kappa, being embodied in me, may be fulfilled in my Character and Conduct, and be known and honored by all men.
By these things I stand.
The 1938 Convention adopted the six-degree membership structure to honor the six Founders, especially as a tribute to Founder Brooks, who had died only a few weeks earlier. The first professional manager of the Fraternity was hired that same year, marking still another organizational response to growing need in a critical period. The hardships of World War I and the Great Depression were scarcely overcome when World War II arrived. The extraordinary efforts by which the Fraternity survived are another and longer story; the important fact is that Phi Sig did survive. The 1948 Convention in Boston marked the 75th anniversary of the founding. There were 52 active chapters; the Phi Sigma Kappa Foundation had been established, primarily to reward good scholarship among brothers; and the Signet was guaranteed to all members for life under a plan that had few parallels in the Greek world at that time.
The post World War II era saw the Fraternity recover from the worst consequences of that crisis, after which Phi Sigma Kappa and all Greek organizations had to address issues related to membership restrictions, hazing, and the need for responsible programming which complements the educational mission of our host institutions. We have responded to these challenges by removing unwarranted restrictions on qualifications for membership, acting in concert with other NIC fraternities to eliminate hazing, and revising our membership education program to reflect its purpose of building a true appreciation of our fraternal principles. Still, another challenge to fraternities occurred with the anti-Greek feeling which spread throughout the country in the late 1960s and 1970s. Membership in Greek organizations declined significantly during these years, and a number of chapters were lost.
Although the Grand Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa had never previously provided restrictions on membership in its written charter or regulations, an informal "Gentleman's Agreement" encouraged local chapters not to admit minorities to membership.[citation needed] In a letter dated June 28, 1954, D.R. "Spec" Collins, the then-President of Phi Sigma Kappa, announced that from his pointof view, "the entire fraternity system-which is truly an American institution engaged in the service of building good American citizens–is being challenged. Challenged by those subversive elements who, by encouraging us to quarrel among ourselves may cause us to destroy ourselves. The 'divide and conquer strategy' that might well eliminate a great American institution." [1] According to President Collins, members should be warned that an anti-discrimination issue would be raised at the next Phi Sigma Kappa convention, and that members should guard against "subversive elements." [2]
At Phi Sigma Kappa's 1952 General Convention in Roanoke, Virginia, Phi Sigma Kappa's formerly unofficial "Gentlemen's Agreement" was written into the national organization's bylaws as the Bedford Resolution and was adopted by a small majority. The Bedford Resolution read, "That the fraternity's tradition be maintained in the sense that there be no pledging or initiating of Negro men until such time as they are acceptable to all chapters." Chapters at Boston University and Knox College were both expelled from the Grand Chapter in 1953 for pledging an African-American student. The Tau Chapter at Dartmouth College disaffiliated from Phi Sigma Kappa, citing racist membership policies of the fraternity as its motivation. It became a local fraternity, keeping the "Phi" of Phi Sigma Kappa" and the "Tau" from being the Tau Corporation of Phi Sigma Kappa, becoming the new organization of Phi Tau. In May 1956. Phi Sigma Kappa repealed the Bedford Resolution at its next General Convention in 1954.
The merger of Phi Sigma Kappa with Phi Sigma Epsilon was first discussed in 1984. The two organizations were placed next to each other during conferences by virtue of the names' similarity, but discovered that they had more in common than the first two letters of their names. PSE's beliefs in justice, wisdom, and honor closely paralleled PSK's cardinal priciples of brotherhood, scholarship, and character; and many of their rituals shared similarities as well. It only seemed natural that the two groups come together, and on August 14, 1985, the merger was formalized. This event is truly one of the most important milestones in the history of Phi Sigma Kappa. Moreover, it was one of the largest mergers ever in the Greek world. At the Convention in 1987 in Long Beach, California, two years following the merger, the crest and flag were changed in order to incorporate the symbolism of Phi Sigma Epsilon.
Many new challenges have faced Phi Sigma Kappa over the last decade, including risk management, the decline in interest in joining fraternities, and changes in the whole face of higher education. Differences in opinion led the fraternity to leave the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). After an absence from the NIC, Phi Sigma Kappa rejoined in 2006 and continues to play an active role in that organization's leadership. Phi Sig remains a vital force in the Greek system by maintaining national service projects, implementing leadership development programs, and running what is considered to be one of the best websites of any fraternity.[citation needed]
The Foundation, incorporated as an entity separate from the Grand Chapter in 1947, serves as the financial backbone of the fraternity. It is facilitated by a Board of Trustees which appropriates funds for various programs and scholarships administered by the Grand Council. The money for this comes from member dues, pledges, and donations. The Foundation is immensely important to the growth and maintenance of the Fraternity. Some of the programs it funds are Leadership School, Undergraduate Scholarships, the Grand Chapter website, and Regional Conclaves.
- First Degree: members of undergraduate chapters
- Second Degree: members elected to symbolic offices
- Third Degree: alumni and those initiated as graduates, former students, faculty, or honorary members
- Fourth Degree: members appointed to an office by the Grand Council or Grand President
- Fifth Degree: members elected to the Grand Council
- Sixth Degree: members who have been elected Grand President
The official flag is 7x5 feet in dimension and includes three horizontal bars of equal height. The bottom bar is magenta and symbolizes First and Second Degree members, the foundation of the fraternity. The middle bar is silver for Third and Fourth Degree members, indicative of the field of fraternal service. The Greek letters ΦΣΚ are located in the center of this bar. The top bar, also magenta, commemorates Fifth and Sixth Degree members, who are those of Grand Chapter recognition. The silver and red tumbling T's logo inscribed in a triangle of silver is located at the left end of the upper bar.
Each chapter's executive board is composed of six officers according to the ritual of Phi Sigma Kappa:
- President - Presides over the entire chapter and other executive board members
- Vice-President - Manages chapter committees
- Secretary - Records the minutes and handles correspondence
- Treasurer - Works with the chapter's finances
- Sentinel - Guards and presides over chapter rituals and also manages risk.
- Inductor - Presides over the current class of associates
Depending on their size and needs, many chapters have the need for other offices:
- Historian
- Social Chairman
- Alumni Chairman
- Special Projects
- Philanthropy
- Community Service
- Intramural Sports / Athletic Chairman
- Public Relations
- IFC Representative
- Parliamentarian
- Housing Manager
- Risk Management Officer
- Steward
- Chaplain
- Frank J. Lausche Pi Deuteron (Ohio State) Honorary. Former Senator from Ohio; former Ohio governor.
- John V. Tunney Iota Pentaton (Cal. State -Fullerton) Honorary. United States Senator from California.
- R. Smith Simpson Psi Virginia '27. American Consul in Bombay, India; research professor in diplomacy, Georgetown University; author of "Anatomy of the State Department".
- Fred D. Schwengel Gamma Epsilon (Truman State University) '29 One of the founding members and former president of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society and eight term U.S. Representative from Iowa
- Robert E. Leach Pi Deuteron (Ohio State) '33. Ohio Chief Justice.
- Robert V. Denney Sigma Deuteron (Nebraska) '38. Federal Judge and representative from Nebraska.
- James D. Hodgson Beta Deuteron (Minnesota) '38. Former United States Ambassador to Japan; Former Secretary of Labor.
- Gilbert Gude Eta (Maryland) '45. Former Congressman from Maryland; Director, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
- Robert Funseth Psi Triton (Hobart) '48. Retired Assistant Secretary of State.
- Joseph Dini Eta Deuteron (Nevada) '50. Former Speaker, Nevada General Assembly.
- John D. Scanian Beta Deuteron (Minnesota) '51. Former United States Ambassador to Yugoslavia.
- Arthur C. Levitt Chi (Williams) '52. Former Chairman, United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Geore A. Trail Pi (Franklin & Marshall) '58. Retired United States Ambassador to Malawi.
- John H. Sununu Omicron (M.I.T) '61. Former Governor of New Hampshire; Former White House Chief of Staff.
- Anthony Coelho Rho Tetarton (Loyola Marymount) '64. Former U.S. Congressman from California, House Majority Whip.
- Richard Hecklinger Xi (St. Lawrence) '65. United States Ambassador to Thailand.
- Stewart H. Rudisill Rho Deuteron (Gettysburg) '12 Former Chaplain of Phi Sigma Kappa.
- Stewart W. Herman Rho Deuteron (Gettysburg) '30. President, Lutheran School of Theology.
- Alvin S. Rudisill Rho Deuteron (Gettysburg) '50. Chaplain at the University of Southern California.
- J. Walter Larkin Tau (Dartmouth) '24. President, Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology.
- Milton Harris Theta Deuteron (Oregon State) '26. President, American Institute of Chemists.
- Charles C. Price Phi (Swarthmore) '34. Chairman of the Board, Swarthmore College; Winner of the 1974 American Chemical Society Award for Creative Invention of polyether polyurethane rubber; President, World Federalist Educational Fund.
- Lt. Col. John R. Hane Zeta (CCNY) '39. Chief of Aircraft and Guided Missile Section, Technical Training Division USAF in the Pentagon.
- Richard W. Lyman Phi (Swarthmore) '44. President, Rockfeller Foundation; Former President, Stanford University.
- Leonard J. Grant Lambda (George Washington) '50. Retired Vice-President, National Geographic Society.
- Richard F. Gordon, Jr. Lambda Deuteron (Washington) '51. Retired Captain, U.S.N.; NASA Astronaut, missions: Gemini 11 & Apollo 12.
- John Fabian Chi Deuteron (Washington State) '61. Former NASA Astronaut; Veteran of two space shuttle missions.
- Daniel Brandenstein Sigma Zeta (Wisconsin-River Falls) '65. Retired Captain, U.S.N.; Former Chief of the NASA Astronaut Office; Veteran of four space shuttle missions.
- John S. Knight Gamma (Cornell) '18. Publisher and owner, Knight Newspapers; member of Cornell Board of Trustees.
- A. B. Guthrie, Jr. Mu Deuteron (Montana) '23. Pulitzer Prize author.
- Arnold W. Gingrich Delta Deuteron (Michigan) '25. Publisher, ESQUIRE.
- John A. Prestbo Rho Pentaton (Northwestern) '63. Markets Editor, Wall Street Journal; Senior Editor, Dow Jones.
- Steven S. Ross Gamma Tetarton (Rensselaer) '68. Editor, New Engineer Magazine and Environment Regulations Handbook.
- John "Jack" F. Welch Alpha (Massachusetts) '57. Former Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, General Electric Co.
- Pat Coady President of the World Bank
- D. William Brosnan Kappa Deuteron (Georgia Tech) '28. Retired President, Southern Railway System.
- George Murray Campbell Alpha (Massachusetts) '20. Retired Vice-President, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.
- Louis W. Dawson Gamma (Cornell) '19. Former President, Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York.
- Vernon A. Johnson Omega (California) '36. Vice-President, Lockhead Aircraft.
- Reginald H. Jones Mu (Pennsylvania) '39. President of General Electric Company.
- Ronald G. Assaf Eta Triton (Akron) '57. Chairman, Sensormatic Electronics.
- Thomas Cusack Mu (Penn) '77. CEO, Transamerica Life Insurance.
- Jerry D. Choate Xi Triton (San Jose State) '61. Retired Chairman and CEO, Allstate Insurance Company.
- Stephen Courter Kappa (Penn State) '77. Chairman & CEO, NEON, Inc.
- Philip B. Fletcher Xi (St. Lawrence) '54. Retired Chairman & CEO, Conagra, Inc.
- John T. Gilbride Mu (Penn) '38. Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Todd Shipyards.
- Glen Hiner Delta (West Virginia) '56. Chairman, CEO, Owens-Corning Fiberglass.
- Vernon A. Johnson Omega (California) '36. Former Sr. Vice-President, Eastern Region, Lockhead Aircraft; Senior Advisor, Lockhead Aircraft.
- Jerry Johnston Iota Pentaton (Cal. St./Fullerton) '69. President, Chief Operating Officer, The Clorox Company.
- Kurt Landfraf Lamba Tetarton (Wagner) '68. CEO, Educational Testing Service.
- Reginald H. Jones Mu (Penn) '39. Retired Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, General Electric Co.
- Gilbert C. "Gill" Maurer Xi ( St. Lawrence) '50. Retired Executive Vice-President & COO, The Hearst Corporation.
- Robert Mondavi Nu Deuteron (Stanford) '36. Former Chairman, Robert Mondavi Winery.
- Thomas C. Norris Rho Deuteron (Gettysburg) '60. Retired Chairman & CEO, P.H. Glatfelter Co.
- Richard H. Wamhoff Phi Upsilon (Valparaiso) '67. Executive Vice-President Heinz Asia/Pacific.
- John William Townsend, Jr. Chi (Williams) '46. President, Fairchild Space & Electronics Company.
- Robert Wolfe Kappa Deuteron (Georgia Tech) '60. Chairman & CEO, GenCorp.
- Stephen Huse Sigma Triton (Indiana) '68. Famous Restaurateur: Founder of the Noble Romans pizza chain; Owner of Huse Incorporated; Served as Vice chairman and a key executive of Indianapolis-based Consolidated Products, which operates the Steak 'n Shake chain and various specialty restaurants; Owner of St. Elmo's Steak House in Indianapolis.
- Drew Cameron - Andrew D. Cameron Eta (University of Maryland) '89. CEO of Cameron Consortium, LLC and President of HVAC Sellutions. Former PSK District Governor and Chapter Advisor for the Mu Septaton (University of Delaware), which he help charter.
- Don Knotts Delta (West Virginia) '46. Television and movie comedian; Five-time Emmy Award winner.
- David French Gamma (Cornell) '60. Former news anchor, CNN.
- Frank Filipetti Iota Triton (Connecticut) '68. Grammy Award-winning recording engineer.
- Burl Ives Epsilon Delta (Eastern Illinois) '31. Noted actor and folksinger.
- Martin Milner Omega Deuteron (Southern California) '53. Television actor, Route 66, Adam 12, etc.
- Chris Sarandon Delta (West Virginia) '64. Film actor.
- Red Skelton Gamma Epsilon (NE Missouri State) Honorary. Emmy Award-winning television comedian.
- Tom Smothers Xi Triton (San Jose State) '61. One of the Smothers Brothers, popular folk-singing and comedy team.
- Cheech Marin Actor/Comedian
- Julio DiBenedetto Pi Deuteron (Ohio State) '51. Producer and Director of television shows.
- Cedric W. Foster Tau (Dartmouth) '24. News Analyst, MBS; member of executive staff, Yankee Network.
- James L. Loper Chi Triton (Arizona State) '53. Former Executive Director, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
- David Selby Delta (West Virginia) '63. Television and stage actor.
- Pieter Sweval Nu Tetarton (Rutgers) '70. Bassist for Looking Glass (band).
- Robert Lindsey Xi Triton (San Jose St.) '56. Author, The Falcon and the Snowman.
- Gay Talese Omicron Deuteron (Alabama) '53. Author, The Kingdom and The Power, Honor Thy Father, Unto The Sons.
- Lou Boudreau Alpha Deuteron (Illinois) '39. 1948 American League MVP; Sports Announcer; Member of Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Dan Patrick Eta Hexaton (Dayton) '79. Sportscenter anchor, ESPN Sports Network.
- Frank Gifford Omega Deuteron (Southern California) '52. New York Giants star, All-American and Sportscaster, NFL Hall of Fame member.
- Dick Enberg Epsilon Xi (Central Michigan) '56. Nationally known NBC Sportscaster
- Chris Schenkel Delta Triton (Purdue) '45. Nationally known Sportscaster.
- Bryan and Joel Glazer Epsilon Triton (American) '86 and '89. Co-Executive Vice Presidents, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- David P. Montgomery Mu (Penn) '68. President, Philadelphia Phillies.
- R. Dennis Ralston Omega Deuteron (Southern California) '64. World Team tennis pro; Men's and NCAA champion; Tennis Coach, SMU.
- Frederick A. Wyatt Beta (Union) '69. Lacrosse National Hall of Fame.
- Ellis F. White Xi (St. Lawrence) '33. President, Essex County College (N.J.).
- Joseph F. Marsh Delta (West Virginia) '45. President, Concord College.
- John D. Williams Phi Deuteron (Kentucky) '26. Retired Chancellor, University of Mississippi.
- Perry Kendig Pi (Franklin and Marshall) '32. President, Roanoke College.
- Richard W. Lyman Phi (Swarthmore) '44. President of Stanford University.
- Kenneth C. Rogers Xi (St. Lawrence) '50. President, Stevens Institute of Technology.
- Kevin M. Kerr Kappa Hexaton (Stetson) '94. Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life, Penn State University.
- Paul E. Gray Omicron (M.I.T.) '54. President of M.I.T.
- Jack Magruder Gamma Epsilon (Truman State University) '57 President of Northeast Missouri State University on into its transition to Truman State University
For a complete list of all Phi Sigma Kappa chapters, see Chapter Roll on the Phi Sig Wiki.
- Phi Sigma Epsilon
- Phi Tau, former Tau chapter at Dartmouth College
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