Sigma Delta

"Town, Greek System, at Odds Again". Newspapers.com. West Lebanon, New Hampshire: Valley News. 2010-10-02. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-11-17.

This article is about the local sorority founded at Dartmouth in 1988. Not to be confused with the Yale freshman fraternity founded in 1848.
For sigma-delta in electronics, see Delta-sigma modulation.
Sigma Delta
ΣΔ
Founded1988; 36 years ago (1988)
Dartmouth College
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
ScopeLocal
PillarsStrength, Friendship, and Acceptance of Difference
SymbolSwan
Chapters1
Members110 active
Former nameSigma Kappa (1977-1988)
Headquarters10 West Wheelock Street
Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
United States
Websitewww.sigmadelt.org

Sigma Delta (ΣΔ) is a collegiate sorority at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hamshire in the United States.

History

Sigma Delta was founded in May 1977 at Dartmouth College as the Zeta Lambda chapter of Sigma Kappa national sorority.[1] It was the first sorority to be founded on Dartmouth's campus. Women were not permitted to enroll at Dartmouth until 1972; the sorority provided a place where the college's coed students could meet.

By the late 1980s, Dartmouth's student population had diversified and the Sigma Kappa chapter experienced an influx of minority women who wished to have not only a female space, but also a space that would embrace their personal identities as women regardless of age, class, religion, or ethnicity. In the fall of 1988, Dartmouth's Sigma Kappa chapter split from the national organization and became a local sorority.[2] Its members made this decision to move away from "the patriarchal, puritanical and heteronormative conventions ingrained in sororities affiliated with national chapters".[3] In addition, they felt that the national sorority's rituals were too heavily steeped in religion.[2]

The sorority changed its name to Sigma Delta and was established as Dartmouth's first local sorority. As of 2024, it has 110 active members.[1]

Symbols

The sorority's symbol is the swan. Its philosophy or pillars are strength, friendship, and acceptance of difference.[2]

Sigma Delta house, 2007

Chapter house

The Sigma Delta chapter house is located at 10 Westlock Street in Hanover, New Hampshire.[2] The house is owned by Dartmouth College.[4]

Membership

Sigma Delta's membership is open to all students who identify as female are gender noncoforming, and are nonbinary.[5][1]

Notable alumni

Controversies

In September 2010, Sigma Delta was charged with three counts of serving alcohol to minors during three incidents in the spring and fall of 2010.[6]

In 2015, Dartmouth's sororities decided to ban alcohol. However, Sigma Delta was able to reject this decision because it is an independent sorority and not a part of the National Panhellenic Council.[3][7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sigma Delta | Greek Life and Societies". Dartmouth College. 2024-08-30. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sigma Delta". Sigma Delta. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  3. ^ a b Czachor, Emily Mae (2015-02-02). "Dartmouth Sorority: It's OUR Party!". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  4. ^ "About Us". Sigma Delta. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  5. ^ Allen, Marco (November 16, 2020). "Amid ambiguity, ISC, sororities examine rules for non-binary inclusivity". The Dartmouth. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  6. ^ Davis, Mark (2010-10-02). "Town, Greek System, at Odds Again". Newspapers.com. West Lebanon, New Hampshire: Valley News. p. A1, A5. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  7. ^ "Sorority Anti-Rape Idea: Drinking on Own Turf". The New York Times. January 19, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2024.