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Alpha Delta Phi Society

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Not to be confused with Alpha Delta Phi, the fraternity from which it split.
Alpha Delta Phi Society
ΑΔΦ
Founded1992; 32 years ago (1992)
Brainerd, Minnesota
TypeLiterary and social
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
ScopeNational
MottoManus Multæ Cor Unum (Many Hands, One Heart)
Colors  Emerald and   Pearl
SymbolStar, crescent, sword, spear, escutcheon
Flag
FlowerLily of the Valley
Publication
  • ΑΔΦ Society Newsletter
  • Echoes From on High
  • Society XAIPE
Chapters10
Colonies3
Members1,200 lifetime
NicknameThe Society, Adelphi Society
Headquarters2242 N. Baldwin Way #5B
Palatine, Illinois 60074
United States
Websitewww.adps.org

Alpha Delta Phi Society, also known as The Society or Adelphi Society, is a United States Greek-letter literary and social society that is gender-inclusive.[1][2][3] The society formed in 1992 when four chapters withdrew from the all-male Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.[1] Legally, the two groups are separate entities with different ideologies but continue to share traditions.[4][2]

History

[edit]

Alpha Delta Phi

[edit]
Main article: Alpha Delta Phi § Founding

Samuel Eells and four others founded the literary society Alpha Delta Phi at Hamilton College in 1832.[5][2] The fraternity quickly expanded to other colleges across the United States and in Canada.[5][2]

Coed debate

[edit]

In 1968, the California chapter at the University of California, Berkeley began initiating women in violation of the fraternity's constitution.[6] Soon, the Chicago chapter at Northwestern University also started admitting females.[6] At the Alpha Delta Phi national convention in 1972, the California chapter proposed an amendment to the constitution, eliminating the all-male restriction and allowing women to become full members.[6] The debate was contentious, with most chapters opposed to the change. As a result, the proposed amendment was tabled.[6]

Brother Robert Price was tasked with finding a solution to the conflict.[6] More Alpha Delta Phi chapters became coed, including Brunonian chapter at Brown University and the Middletown chapter at Wesleyan University in 1973.[7][8] That same year, Price came up with the Brown Compromise that allowed women to join as "local" members but not as national fraternity initiates.[3]

The Bowdoin chapter at Bowdoin College went coed in 1976, followed by the Columbia chapter at Columbia University and the Amherst chapter at Amherst College.[9][6] However, the California and Chicago chapters returned to male-only status.[6]

In March 1975, the Brunonian chapter elected the first female president in the fraternity's history.[8] This resulted in media coverage and hostility from the fraternity and its alumni. Alpha Delta Phi sent a letter stating its plans to suspend the Brunonian chapter at the next national meeting.[8] In 1978, the coed chapters held a Co-Ed Caucus in Middletown to develop strategies.[6] They developed the home rule policy and introduced it at the 1978 national conference.[6] However, the proposed home rule policy was defeated; it would have given each chapter the right to decide whether or not to initiate women fully.[6]

At the 1981 convention, the Trinity Compromise was adopted, allowing those "non-constitutionally qualified for membership" to be inducted as full members of a chapter and participate in the initiation ceremony as long as they did not hold an elected office or vote on new members.[6] Although women could now be full members of individual chapters, they could only be associate members of the national fraternity.[6] The coed chapters immediately began circumventing the resolution, allowing women to serve as officers by creating new offices or submitting male names to the national fraternity. Some chapters submitted female entries to the fraternity's literary contest under male members' names.[7]

In 1985, female members from the Middletown chapter were denied entry to a business session at the national convention.[6] Not only were the women not allowed to stay for the business meeting but there was also pushing and shoving when they tried to participate in ceremonies at the annual banquet.[6] The next year at the annual convention, the Washington chapter and the Berkeley chapter presented a resolution to revoke the charter of any chapter that initiated women after August 1990.[6]

In 1988, half of the Middletown chapter members were female.[7] By the next year, the option of splitting Alpha Delta Phi had supporters. In 1989, the Brunonian chapter passed a resolution to cut ties with the national fraternity if it did not stop its discrimination of women by the fall of 1990.[6] In November, the Stanford University chapter became the first fraternity on its campus to go coed, initiating fifteen women.[10]

At the 1990 national convention, the adoption of the Berkeley-Washington resolution was delayed in favor of a new proposal to create two separate, but connected, organizations.[6] According to this proposal, Alpha Delta Phi would remain an all-male fraternity and the new Alpha Delta Phi Society would consist of the coed chapters and any interested all-male chapters. This proposal convinced the Brunonian chapter to delay its disassociation by another year.[6]

In 1991, the Bowdoin chapter offered its local female members full fraternity status to comply with the college's new equality guidelines.[9] Although the chapter had been coed for fifteen years, its compliance with the college's guidelines put it at odds with the national fraternity that had yet to create an official solution for its coed chapters.[9]

The Society

[edit]

In August 1992 at the fraternity's annual convention in Brainerd, Minnesota, the "Agreement Between the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity and the Alpha Delta Phi Society" was ratified.[11] Under this agreement, the fraternity and the society separated and became independent, legal entities with their own governing bodies.[4] The two organizations would not share membership, except for male members of the society chapters who joined the fraternity before 1992. The groups would share the license for the Greek letters ΑΔΦ and intellectual property, including history and songs.[6] The agreement also limited where new chapters could be established and the society's use of the name Alpha Delta Phi.[6] As a result, some chapters could not use the society name, instead operating as the Adelphi Society.[3]

With the agreement's adoption, the Brown, Columbia, Stanford, and Wesleyan chapters withdrew from the fraternity.[6] These four chapters established the Alpha Delta Phi Society that granted each chapters home rule to determine its gender makeup.[6] The Bowdoin chapter joined at the society's first convention in 1993.[6] The society adopted a constitution in October 1997 at its annual convention, ratifying it in 1998.[11] Its first affiliate was formed in 1994 at Middlebury College.[6] Between 2008 and 2015, affiliate chapters and chapters opened at Harvard University, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Pennsylvania, Binghamton University, George Washington University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Ursinus College.[1][12][13]

In August 2017 at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity's annual convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the fraternity and the society replaced the 1992 agreement.[3] The new agreement brought greater parity and removed geographic restrictions on the use of the name Alpha Delta Phi Society.[3] The language of the agreement was also simplified.[3]

In August 2023 the Lambda Phi chapter at Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced that they would go co-ed and begin recruiting and initiating new members of all genders, effective immediately.[14] The Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity Board of Governors responded by promptly revoking Lambda Phi's charter.[15] Within days, The Alpha Delta Phi Society Board of Governors announced that the Lambda Phi chapter had been granted affiliate chapter status with the society.[16] Lambda Phi was accepted as a fully chartered chapter at the Alpha Delta Phi Society annual convention in March 2024.[17][18] This was the first time since the formation and establishment of the society that a presently active Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity chapter voluntarily went co-ed and transitioned to becoming a society chapter.

Nomenclature and insignia

[edit]
Main article: Alpha Delta Phi § Nomenclature and insignia

The Society continues to use the badge and crest of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity.

Chapters

[edit]

The Alpha Delta Phi Society has seven active chapters, three graduate chapters, and three affiliate chapters.[19] All chapters are gender-inclusive. Active chapters are noted in bold; inactive chapters are noted in italic.

Chapter Chartered date and

range as ΑΔΦ fraternity

Chartered date and range
as ΑΔΦ Society 		Institution Location Status References
Columbia 1836–1840, 1881–1992 1992 Columbia University New York City, New York Active [1][a]
Brunonian 1836–1838, 1851–1992 1992 Brown University Providence, Rhode Island Active [1][b]
Middletown 1856–1992 1992 Wesleyan University Middletown, Connecticut Active [1][c]
Stanford 1916–1992 1992–2018 Stanford University Palo Alto, California Dormant [1][20][d]
Stanford Graduate 1992 Stanford University Palo Alto, California Active [1]
Bowdoin 1841–1972, 1976–1992 1993–2000 Bowdoin College Brunswick, Maine Dormant [1][21][e][f]
Bowdoin Graduate 2000 Bowdoin College Brunswick, Maine Active [22]
Middlebury 1995–2005 Middlebury College Middlebury, Vermont Dormant [11][g]
Granite 2007–2014 University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Dormant [19][1][23]
Granite Graduate 2007 University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Active [19][1][24]
Harvard Affiliate 2008–20xx ? Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts Dormant [12][25][h]
Binghamton 2011 Binghamton University Vestal, New York Active [1]
Vermont Affiliate 20xx ?–2013
 University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont Dormant [25][23]
Plattsburgh Affiliate 2013–2018 State University of New York at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, New York Dormant [26][20]
Capital 2014 George Washington University Washington, D.C. Active [1][i]
Rensselaer 2015 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York Active [1]
Ursinian Affiliate 2015 Ursinus College Collegeville, Pennsylvania Active [1]
New Leaf Affiliate 2019 Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana Active [1]
Penn 2019 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Active [1][27][j]
Penn Graduate 2019 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Active [27]
Flint Affiliate 2022 Kettering University Flint, Michigan Active [19]
Lambda Phi 1977–2023 2023 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts Active [1]

.[28]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Formed in 1836 as a chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. Became a founding member of the society in 1992.
  2. ^ Formed in 1836 as a chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. Became a founding member of the society in 1992.
  3. ^ Formed in 1856 as a chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. Became a founding member of the society in 1992.
  4. ^ Formed in 1911 as a chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. Became a founding member of the society in 1992.
  5. ^ Formed in 1841 as a chapter of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. The chapter transferred to the society in 1993.
  6. ^ 1999-20 was the last year fraternities were allowed at Bowdoin. As a result, the chapter changed to a graduate chapter.
  7. ^ Started as an affiliate chapter in 1994.
  8. ^ Inactive by 2013
  9. ^ This chapter was known as the Adelphi Society until 2018 because of the geographical restrictions of the 1992 fraternity-society agreement.
  10. ^ Started as an affiliate chapter in 2010.

Activities

[edit]

As a literary society, members write, read, and discuss literature.[13] It also publishes a literary magazine, Echoes From On High.[29] Its members participate in undergraduate and graduate literary competitions, supported by the Samuel Eells Literary and Educational Foundation, a separate nonprofit corporation.[30][31] The Bowdoin chapter also hosts the Alpha Delta Phi Visiting Writers Series.[32][33] Other chapters have co-hosted the production of a play or co-sponsored the Queer/Art/Poetics Conference.[34][35]

The chapters also hold social events, including open mic nights and band concerts.[13] The society also participates in charitable activities, such as Blind Date With a Book or Book Fairs which raise funds for various organizations, including Books Behind Bars and Seacoast Reads.[2][36]

Chapter houses

[edit]

The Wesleyan University chapter house was designed by Charles A. Rich in 1906 in collegiate colonial revival style.[37] The house is located at 185 High Street in Middletown, also the site of the chapter's 1884 house that was demolished in 1904.[37] An addition was added to the rear of the building in 1925.[37]

Alumni organizations

[edit]

The society has numerous regional graduate organizations.

Chapter Location Reference
AD|DC Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area [38]
ADPS–BARGO San Francisco Bay area [38]
ADPS–Chicago Chicago greater metro area [38]
ADPS–NYC New York City Greater area [38]
ADPS–NW Pacific Northwest region [38]
New England RGO Greater New England area [38]

Notable members

[edit]

Some alumni of the founding society chapters joined before the schism between fraternity and society; they are listed as notables for both organizations. This issue was deliberated as part of the separation agreement between the organizations, allowing both to claim the alumni from the earlier era.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois, September 27, 2022. Accessed December 4, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Damianos, Stephen (September 28, 2016). "'Greek Differently': One society's goal to redefine Greek affiliation". The Daily Pennsylvanian. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "A New Agreement Between the Fraternity and the Society has been Signed!". ΑΔΦ Society Newsletter: 1–2. August 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Inactive Chapters". Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  5. ^ a b Baird, William Raimond (1879). "Delta Psi". American College Fraternities: A Descriptive Analysis of the Society System in the Colleges of the United States, with Detailed Account of Each Fraternity (1st ed.). Philadelphia, PA: J. P. Lippman & Co. pp. 25–30 via The Hathi Trust.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Jaworowski, Susan; Nichols, Martha Suzanne; Mayer, Marc; Stellwagen, David; Smith, Timothy N.; Wolfson, Lisa A.; Dahlen, Kari A.; Persky, Jon (1998). "History of Coeducation in Alpha Delta Phi". Columbia University. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  7. ^ a b c Cheater, Mark (1988-11-11). "Men, Women Stand Up for Fraternity". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. pp. C5. Retrieved 2022-12-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c Rubinton, Noel (1975-03-26). "Coed Stirs Fight Over Liberty & Equality in Fraternities". Daily News. New York City. pp. 7C. Retrieved 2022-12-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b c "Bowdoin: Fraternity Members Give Female Members Equal Standing". The New York Times. September 29, 1991. p. 43. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  10. ^ Gottlieb, Jeff (1989-11-26). "Stanford's Alpha Delta Phi fraternity initiates 15 Women". Times-Advocate. Escondido, California. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-12-05 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b c "History of Our Founding of the Alpha Delta Phi Society". Alpha Delta Phi Society. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  12. ^ a b "Alpha Delta Phi "Literary Society" Is Actually Just a Frat". The Harvard Crimson. October 1, 2008. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  13. ^ a b c Lusk, Darian (April 20, 2012). "Alpha Delta Phi Society: A new kind of fraternity - Pipe Dream". www.bupipedream.com. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  14. ^ "Alpha Delta Phi Society MIT | Big news from MIT ADP! We are thrilled to announce that our fraternity is now co-ed. We believe in the power of unity, diversity, and... | Instagram". Instagram. August 24, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  15. ^ Phi, Alpha Delta (2023-08-25). "STATEMENT REGARDING THE LAMBDA PHI CHAPTER & ALUMNI ASSOCIATION". Alpha Delta Phi. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  16. ^ "Alpha Delta Phi Society | The Society Welcomes the Lambda Phi Affiliate Chapter". Facebook. August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  17. ^ "Chapters & Affiliates – Alpha Delta Phi Society". www.adps.org. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  18. ^ "Alpha Delta Phi Society | We are so proud to welcome the Lambda Phi Undergraduate and Graduate chapters as the newest of our chartered chapters!". Facebook. March 15, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d "Chapter & Affiliates – Alpha Delta Phi Society". www.adps.org. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  20. ^ a b "2018 Convention Report". Society XAIPE. 14 (1): 9. October 2018.
  21. ^ Lu, Patti (December 1999). "From the Undergraduate Presidents". Society XAIPE. 5 (1): 2.
  22. ^ Williams, Greg (May 2001). "Reports From the Chapters". Society XAIPE. 6 (1): 7.
  23. ^ a b "Alpha Delta Phi Society: Chapters and Affiliates". Society XAIPE. 10 (1): 8. June 2014.
  24. ^ "Alpha Delta Phi Society: Chapters and Affiliates". Society XAIPE. 11 (1): 8. December 2015.
  25. ^ a b "Alpha Delta Phi Society: Chapters and Affiliates". Society XAIPE. 9 (1): 8. July 2013.
  26. ^ "Society Expands to Welcome Plattsburgh Affiliate". Society XAIPE. 9 (1): 2. July 2013.
  27. ^ a b "2019 Convention and Leadership Training Conference: Highlights and Congratulations". ΑΔΦ Society Newsletter: 1. June 2019.
  28. ^ "Chapter & Affiliates – Alpha Delta Phi Society". www.adps.org. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  29. ^ "Echoes From On High is Back". ΑΔΦ Society Newsletter: 1. October 2016.
  30. ^ "Samuel Eells Literary and Educational Foundation 2021 Undergraduate Honoreers". Society XAIPE. 17 (1): 4. 2022.
  31. ^ "2021-22 SELEF Graduate Literary Competition Results". Society XAIPE. 17 (1): 5. 2022.
  32. ^ "Event Calendar: Alpha Delta Phi Society Visiting Writers Series: Author Lauren Markham". Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. March 17, 2021. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  33. ^ Briggs, Janet. "Nicole Chung grapples with transracial adoption." UWIRE Text, 28 Apr. 2022, p. 1. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A701914287/AONE?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=3eb39e11. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
  34. ^ PSUC hosts an experimental play. (2015, May 8). UWIRE Text, 1. via Gale.
  35. ^ "Queer/Art/Poetics Conference Explores Themes of Pleasure, Pain, and Representation at CAAS." UWIRE Text, April 27, 2015. Gale Academic OneFile (accessed December 7, 2022).
  36. ^ "Fundraising Book Fair Held to Benefit Seacoast Reads." Targeted News Service, November 10, 2011. Gale OneFile: News (accessed December 7, 2022).
  37. ^ a b c "Alpha Delta Phi Society (1906)". Historic Buildings of Connecticut. 2016-03-29. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  38. ^ a b c d e f "Regional Graduate Organizations". Alpha Delta Phi Society. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  39. ^ Vansant, John Henry (February 8, 2018). "Estimated Prophet: Remembering John Perry Barlow '69". The Wesleyan Argus. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  40. ^ a b c Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Menasha, Wisc.: G. Banta Co., 1879. p. 59-60 – via Hathi Trust.
  41. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 35 – via Hathi Trust.
  42. ^ a b c Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 55 – via Hathi Trust.
  43. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 122 – via Hathi Trust.
  44. ^ a b c d e f "The Political Graveyard: Alpha Delta Phi Politicians". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  45. ^ a b c d e "Notable Alpha Delts – Alpha Delta Phi Society". www.adps.org. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  46. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 196 – via Hathi Trust.
  47. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 57 – via Hathi Trust.
  48. ^ a b Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 58 – via Hathi Trust.
  49. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1899 p. 79 – via Google Books.
  50. ^ Levere, William C. (1915). Leading Greeks; an encyclopedia of the workers in the American college fraternities and sororities, 1915. Evanston, Ill. p. 109 – via Hathi Trust.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  51. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 1 – via Hathi Trust.
  52. ^ Mitchell, Wilmot Brookings, ed. (1903). "Elijah Kellogg: The Man and His Work". The Project Gutenberg. Boston: Lee & Shephard. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  53. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1922. p. 101 – via Hathi Trust.
  54. ^ a b Herrmann, Peter (August 14, 1994). "Fraternity honors Hiss for "outstanding" public service". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  55. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraterity. 1876. p. 119 – via Hathi Trust.
  56. ^ Daniels, Nick; Lescaze, Zoe (December 3, 2010). "From Warwick to Brunswick: Barry Mills". The Bowdoin Orient. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  57. ^ "Daniel Pearl". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  58. ^ "The Inauguration of Michael S. Roth as the Sixteenth President the Second of November Two Thousand and Seven" (PDF). Wesleyan University. November 2, 2007. p. 2. Retrieved December 6, 2002.
  59. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1876. p. 203 – via Hathi Trust.
  60. ^ Stein, Ben (June 24, 2022). "Alex Made It a Perfect Marriage". The American Spectator. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  61. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. New York: Executive Council of the Alpha Delta Phi Fraterity. 1876. p. 35 – via Hathi Trust.
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