Princeton Fraternities

PRINCETON, N.J.--Representatives from seven national fraternities are trying to rally support at Princeton for starting up a social system that has been absent from the university for a century.

The fraternities, all of which had chapters at Princeton in the 1800s, would not have their own houses, would not provide eating facilities and would not host parties, William F. Robinson II, Princeton class of '51, an organizer of the Council for Fraternities at Princeton, said recently.

Robinson said the fraternities would initially concentrate on informal academic discussions at weekly meetings. Later, they might branch out to other activities such as occasional dinners for members, he added.

Whether the university will allow fraternities to organize at Princeton remains to be decided. The Daily Princetonian reported recently.

University Counsel Thomas H. Wright Jr. said, "Princeton has historically discouraged fraternities," adding, "As of today, it's still official policy that it's not a good thing."

But he said the issue was open for discussion.

Robinson said that the council would work to convince the university that fraternities would not be a threat to the eating clubs or residential, colleges. Members of fraternities could also belong to eating clubs, he added.

One of the fraternities is coed, and he said sororities may also be contacted if there is a large enough response from women undergraduates.

Delta Kappa Epsilon, Zeta Psi, Delta Psi, Phi Kappa Sigma, Sigma Phi, Theta Delta Chi and Sigma Chi are the seven fraternities that are trying to organize at Princeton.