# Phi Eta Mu

Fraternity Phi Eta Mu (ΦΗΜ) is a fraternity founded in Puerto Rico in 1923 at the University of Puerto Rico now University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. All its founders were Puerto Ricans, born on the island of Puerto Rico.

## History
### Political climate

During the 1920s, the most important administrative posts in Puerto Rico were filled by direct appointment of the President of the United States. When Charles St. John W. Dean was appointed to the University of Puerto Rico, his style caused discord between the administration and students. This resulted in the first significant student protests and, later, the first university strike at the University of Puerto Rico.
On November 1, 1923, seven students from the College of Law were expelled from the university after campus protests. Preparing for a possible strike, students create a commission to raise funds. This committee included, among others, Isaias M. Crespo and Antonio R. Barceló.
A few days later, students met with the dean of the university and proposed a resolution that required students to report any act of protest performed or planned to be performed in the future. Students refused to approve the resolution. On November 5, 1923, to avoid a strike, the dean restored all suspended or expelled students and ordered the resumption of classes at the university.

### Phi Eta Mu

On December 17, 1923, the student strike leaders Pelayo Román Benítez, Felix Ochoteco, Isaiah M. Crespo, P. Wilson Colberg, Alfonso Paniagua, and Mario Polanco gathered under a gum tree on the grounds of the University of Puerto Rico and founded the fraternity Phi Eta Muto. The purpose of the fraternity was to grant protection and mutual loyalty in the face of repression from the university authorities. Its founders created a constitution, a comprehensive set of regulations, and traditions.
Phi Eta Mu was installed on December 17, 1923, with founding members Wilson P. Colberg, Isaias M. Crespo, Felix Ochoteco Jr., Alfonso Paniagua, Mario Polanco, and Pelayo Román Benítez. Dr. José Menéndez was initiated at a meeting on December 17, 1923, and became the first neophyte of the fraternity. Menéndez also was a member of the fraternity's first board of directors.
In November 1957, Phi Eta Mu joined Phi Sigma Alpha and Nu Sigma Beta to establish the Greek letter umbrella organization Concilio Interfraternitario de Puerto Rico. Eventually, the fraternity established a chapter at every university in Puerto Rico, along with alumni associations in Puerto Rico in the United States. As of today, March 2025, the fraternity has initiated 5,868 members.

## Symbols

The fraternity's tree is Ficus elastica. Its publication is Anuario Phi Eta Mu.

### Other publications

* Aclaración y Crítica , 1941 by Antonio S. Pedreira; book
* Paliques , 1952 by Nemesio Canales; book
* Poemas de amor, poemas del paisaje, poemas de Dios , 1964 by Josefina Guevara Castañeira; audio
* Edmundo Disdier interpreta a Edmundo Disdier , 1973 by Edmundo Disdier; audio

## Chapters
### Collegiate chapters

Following is a list of Phi Eta Mu collegiate chapters, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters are in italics.
| Chapter | Charter date | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha | December 17, 1923 | University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Beta | 1925 | University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Gamma | 1930 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Inactive |
| Delta | | | Florida | Active |
| Epsilon | 1968 | | Arecibo, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Eta | 1957 | | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Kappa | 1981 | | Dominican Republic | Inactive |
| Lambda | | | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Inactive |
| Omicron | 1957 | | San Germán, Puerto Rico | Active |

### Graduate chapters

Following is a list of Phi Eta Mu graduate chapters, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in inactive.
| Chapter | Charter date | Location | Status |
| Adrian Hilera | | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Guayama | | Guayama, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Isaiah M. Crespo | | Arecibo, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Jorge Matos Postigo | | Miami, Florida | Active |
| José “Pepín” Villares | | Caguas, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Luis D. Miranda | 1993 | Orlando, Florida | Active |
| Pedro Pascual Vivoni | | San Germán, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Pelayo Roman Benitez | | Guaynabo, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Rafael “Pepín” Justiniano | | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Rafael Pérez Balzac | | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Santiago “Quelo” Vivaldi | | Yauco, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Sergio Bauza Rivera | | Washington, D.C. | Active |
| Wilson P. Colberg | 1960 | Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico | Active |
| Texas | | Texas | Active |