Kappa Sigma Fraternity Re-Established on Campus

Kappa Sigma re-established its presence on campus this month, swearing in 29 members Feb. 9, eight decades after the fraternity closed its original Harvard chapter.

The fraternity has continued to grow in size since its Feb. 9 induction ceremony, with more than 40 men added to Harvard’s Gamma-Eta Chapter in the past few weeks, according to the executive director of the Kappa Sigma national chapter Mitchell B. Wilson.

Wilson said that the fraternity decided to move forward with re-establishing the chapter after interested Harvard students discussed the possibility of doing so with Kappa Sigma members from chapters at other schools.

“We found the men that were interested, and the interest group grew from there, so we established a colony when they reached 25 men,” Wilson said.

The Gamma-Eta Chapter of Kappa Sigma previously existed at Harvard from 1905 to 1933. According to the fraternity’s website, the chapter voluntarily dissolved itself “in response to actions taken by the University.”

The new Kappa Sigma chapters  joins a burgeoning Greek life at the College, now composed of  three other fraternities and four sororities, including the recently established Alpha Phi sorority.

“I think it’s healthy when you have a [chapter] population that reflects the diversity of the campus,” Wilson said. “We’re looking for a learning experience, and I think the best way to learn is with people who are from different backgrounds and different walks of life.”

Though the Harvard chapter has added new members since its formal induction earlier this month, Wilson said that national Kappa Sigma fraternity prefers to see their “colonies” reach 50 members by the time they are chartered.

Established in 1869, the Kappa Sigma fraternity has chapters at more than 300 colleges.

Though much has changed at the College since 1933, when the original Kappa Sigma chapter dissolved at Harvard, Wilson said that fraternities still maintain a significant presence on college campuses.

“The Greek system is just as viable and is needed as much today as it ever has been in the history of higher education,” he said.

Several members of the new chapter declined to comment when reached by The Crimson.

—Staff writer Nikki D. Erlick can be reached at nikki.erlick@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @nikkierlick.

—Staff writer Brianna D. MacGregor can be reached at brianna.macgregor@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @bdmacgregor.