Zeta Delta Xi is a local, co-educational fraternity

Fraternities and sororities

Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...

 at Brown University

Brown University

Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

 in Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

, Rhode Island

Rhode Island

The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. It traces its origins to 1852 as the Epsilon chapter of the all-male national fraternity Zeta Psi

Zeta Psi

The Zeta Psi Fraternity of North America was founded June 1, 1847 as a social college fraternity. The organization now comprises about fifty active chapters and twenty-five inactive chapters, encompassing roughly fifty thousand brothers, and is a founding member of the North-American...

. In 1982, the Epsilon chapter decided to admit women as brothers. This led to the chapter's disassociation from Zeta Psi in 1986, and the birth of Zeta Delta Xi on 24 January 1987. A shortened version of its name, "Zete", is commonly used to refer to the fraternity or a member.

Origins as Zeta Psi

Zeta Delta Xi began life in 1852 as the Epsilon chapter of the national, all-male fraternity Zeta Psi. It was the eighth Zeta Psi chapter in the nation and the sixth fraternity to take root at Brown University.

For the next one hundred thirty years, the Epsilon chapter of Zeta Psi remained a fixture of life at Brown University. The activities of the Epsilon chapter during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are rather poorly documented; however, it is known that three members were expelled from Brown University in 1876 for "voluptuous activities." In 1916, the fraternity moved into a house at 48 College Street. This remained its quarters until the 1940s, when Zeta Psi IHQ sold their house to the university and expelled them from the organization, they then moved into on-campus housing around the newly-constructed Wriston Quad. The old Zeta Psi house is now the home of the Classics Department. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Classics

Going co-ed and the birth of Zeta Delta Xi

In 1982, the Epsilon chapter decided to expand its membership to include women. Although the Zeta Psi national organization acquiesced in the Epsilon chapter's decision to admit women as local members, it still refused to recognize women as members of the national organization because Zeta Psi's national constitution prohibited women from becoming brothers. Restricting women to local membership had two significant consequences: it barred women from participating in certain Zeta Psi ceremonies, and prohibited women from becoming officers within the local chapter.

The chapter's members were upset at the inequality of this arrangement, and officially began considering women as full brothers (including electing women as officers) in defiance of Zeta Psi's national constitution. In 1986, the Epsilon chapter further defied the national by electing a female president and arranging to have her represent the chapter at the Zeta Psi national convention. The national organization, outraged at the chapter's violations, threatened to revoke the Epsilon chapter's charter if it did not bring itself back into compliance with the national constitution including the removal of all female officers from their positions and the demotion of female brothers back to the status of local members. On December 10, 1986, the Epsilon chapter decided that it could not justify membership in a national fraternity that did not recognize all of its members, and voted unanimously to withdraw from Zeta Psi.

Within weeks after receiving the Epsilon chapter's letter of withdrawal, Zeta Psi declared the Epsilon chapter dead, and removed all Zeta Psi property from the chapter house at Brown University. This included almost all of the chapter’s property—ranging from couches and televisions to photographs of past members.

On 24 January 1987, all of the members of the Epsilon chapter formed a new organization known as Zeta Delta Xi: a local co-ed fraternity, independent of Zeta Psi.

Zeta Delta Xi since 1987

Since 1987, Zeta Delta Xi has thrived on campus, continuing to uphold its founding ideals. Its membership is drawn from people of many diverse interests and backgrounds, with relationships founded on equality and mutual respect. In 1994, for instance, it was the first fraternity at Brown University to elect an openly gay man (Cristobal Modesto '95) as President.

The strength of the relationships forged in the fraternity is reflected in the large number of Zetes who continue their relationship with the house beyond their undergraduate years. Many of Zeta Delta Xi's alums make regular pilgrimages back to Zete in January, to celebrate the anniversary of their founding, and in May, to watch younger members graduate. These elders form a strong community and a shared support network that lasts long after graduation.

Notable Alumni

Brian Floca

Brian Floca

Brian Floca is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for illustrating books by the award-winning children’s author Avi and for nonfiction picture books.- Biography :Brian was born and raised in Temple, Texas...

, children's book author

Aaron Schatz

Aaron Schatz

Aaron Schatz is the creator of Football Outsiders and one of the main contributors to Football Outsiders Almanac, published yearly since 2005...

, founder of Football Outsiders

Football Outsiders

Football Outsiders is a website started in July 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics and their personal analyses of NFL games.In 2005 and 2006,...

Traditions

• On Friday afternoon of Spring Weekend every year, Zete throws SpagFest - students spend several hours eating spaghetti and garlic bread and drinking beer, wine, and soda.
• Each year during commencement, current brothers and alumni gather on the steps of 48 College Street, the former fraternity house, to cheer the graduating seniors.
• Starting in 2005, Zete cooperated with Alpha Epsilon Pi
  Alpha Epsilon Pi
  Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
  
  , with whom they share a building, to throw Oktoberfest, with hot dogs, kielbasa, and German beer.