# Kappa Nu

Kappa Nu (ΚΝ) was an American college fraternity that was active from 1911 to 1961 when it merged with Phi Epsilon Pi.

## History

Kappa Nu was founded at the University of Rochester on November 12, 1911. The founders were:
* Joseph Bernhardt
* Abraham Levy
* Joseph Lazarus
* Harold Leve
* Morris Lazersohn
* Louis Gottlieb
All six were pre-medical or medical students. Their intention was to create a local-only fraternity for Jewish students.
In 1917, five loosely connected groups (U of Rochester and others created by men who had left Rochester) held a convention in Rochester and set up Kappa Nu as a National Fraternity. By the 1918 convention, Kappa Nu had ten chapters. It continued to add chapters through 1931. Its executive offices were in Rochester, New York.
On October 14, 1961, Kappa Nu's thirteen active chapters voted to merge with Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity. Of these, three chapters declined to participate in the merger at campuses where Phi Epsilon Pi already existed. In 1970, Zeta Beta Tau absorbed Phi Epsilon Pi.

## Symbols

The badge is a diamond shield displaying a monogram of the Greek letters ΚΝ arranged horizontally along one plane below which is a six-pointed star and above which are קנ (Kuf Nun, the equivalent letters in Hebrew), standing for קשר נעורים or Kesher Neurim ("Ties of Youth").$^{:54}$ The jeweled base of the pin is surrounded by twenty pearls with an amethyst set at each of the corners. Its colors were purple and white.
As of 1920, the fraternity had a semi-annual publication called Kappa Nu. It also published a magazine, The Reporter, three times a year.

## Chapters

Kappa Nu established 27 chapters.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha | November 12, 1911 – October 14, 1961 | University of Rochester | Rochester, New York | Inactive |
| Beta | 1915–1935; 1947 – October 14, 1961 | New York University | New York City, New York | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Gamma | 1915–1926 | Columbia University | New York City, New York | Inactive |
| Delta | 1915–1925 | Union College | Schenectady, New York | Inactive |
| Epsilon | 1917–1934 | Boston University | Boston, Massachusetts | Inactive |
| Zeta | 1917 – October 14, 1961 | University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Eta | 1918–1934 | Harvard University | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Inactive |
| Theta | March 1918–1919 | New York State College for Teachers | Albany, New York | Inactive |
| Iota | 1918 – October 14, 1961 | Union College | Schenectady, New York | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Kappa | 1918 – October 14, 1961 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, New York | Withdrew ΖΒΤ |
| Lambda | 1919–1927 | Western Reserve University | Cleveland, Ohio | Inactive |
| Mu | 1919–1953 | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Inactive |
| Nu | 1919 – October 14, 1961 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Withdew ΠΛΦ |
| Xi | 1921–1932; 1948 – October 14, 1961 | University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Withdrew ΖΒΤ |
| Omicron | 1921–1934 | University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | Inactive |
| Pi | 1921 – October 14, 1961 | University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Rho | 1921–1923 | University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | Inactive |
| Sigma | 1922–1956 | Tulane University | New Orleans, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Tau | 1922 – October 14, 1961 | University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, California | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Upsilon | 1931–1941 | University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Inactive |
| Phi | 1933 – October 14, 1961 | Alfred University | Alfred, New York | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Chi | 1939–1942 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Psi | 1935–1937 | University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Tennessee | Inactive |
| Omega | 1951–19xx ? | New York University, Washington Square | Greenwich Village, New York City, New York | Inactive |
| Alpha Beta | 1951 – October 14, 1961 | Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | Withdrew ΦΣΕ |
| Alpha Gamma | | | | Unassigned |
| Alpha Delta | 1952 – October 14, 1961 | University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Alpha Epsilon | | | | Inactive |
| Alpha Zeta | 195x ? – October 14, 1961 | City University of New York | New York City, New York | Merged ΦΕΠ |
| Alpha Omega | 1952 – October 14, 1961 | Wayne State University | Detroit, Michigan | Merged ΦΕΠ |
* ↑ Chapter formed from Rho Sigma Alpha. After going dormant, it was re-established as a colony in 1946.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Rho Sigma Beta.
* ↑ Chapter formed from the Apollo Club, established in 1917.
* 1 2 Became a Zeta Beta Tau chapter.
* ↑ Became a Pi Lambda Phi chapter
* ↑ Chapter formed from Omega Kappa (local), established in 1920. After dormancy, it reformed as a colony in 1947.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Rho Delta Rho, established in 1920.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Alabama Club, established in 1920.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Kayen Club, established in 1921.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Phi Epsilon, established in 1930.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Kappa Eta Phi, established in 1930.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Garson Club (local), established in 1927.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Beta Tau Delta.
* ↑ Became a Phi Sigma Epsilon chapter.
* ↑ Chapter formed from Delta Nu, established in 1947.

## Notable members

* Mel Allen (Pi), play-by-play announcer for New York Yankees
* Mortimer Rogoff (Kappa), inventor and businessman