page_title: Washington & Jefferson College
section_title: Greek life
hierarchical_section_title: Washington & Jefferson College / Student life / Greek life
caption_attribution_description: English: The Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity at Washington &amp; Jefferson College in 1870s.
context_page_description: Washington & Jefferson College is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries to the American frontier in the 1780s: John McMillan, Thaddeus Dod, and Joseph Smith. These early schools eventually grew into two competing academies, with Jefferson College located in Canonsburg and Washington College located in Washington. The two colleges merged in 1865 to form Washington & Jefferson College. The 60 acre campus has more than 40 buildings, with the oldest dating to 1793.
  The college's academic emphasis is on the liberal arts and the sciences, with a focus on preparing students for graduate and professional schools. Campus activities include various religious, political, and general interest clubs, as well as academic and professional-themed organizations. The college has a strong history of competing literary societies, dating back before the union of Jefferson and Washington Colleges. Students operate a college radio station, a campus newspaper, and a literary journal. The athletic program competes in NCAA Division III.
context_section_description: With 43% of women and 40% of men of the student body participating in Greek life, fraternities and sororities play a significant role in student life at W&J. The Princeton Review named Washington & Jefferson College 12th on their 2010 list of "Major Frat and Sorority Scene" in the United States.  As of 2019, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life recognized 5 fraternities, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, Phi Delta Theta, and Phi Kappa Psi, and four sororities, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Pi Beta Phi.  The fraternities are governed by a local Interfraternal Council and the sororities are governed by a local Panhellenic Council, while the Greek Judiciary manages broad policy violations at the chapter-level.  All Greek organizations occupy College-owned houses on Chestnut Street on campus.  All members of fraternities and sororities must pay the $100 "Greek Membership Fee", a levy designed to fund leadership seminars and other educational events for Greeks.
  Two national fraternities were founded at Jefferson College, Phi Gamma Delta in 1848 and Phi Kappa Psi in 1852. Together, they are collectively known as the Jefferson Duo. A third fraternity was founded at Jefferson College, Kappa Phi Lambda, but it dissolved after a decade of existence amid a dispute between chapters. In 1874, a fourth fraternity was founded at W&J, the short-lived Phi Delta Kappa. The new fraternity grew to several chapters before falling apart in 1880.
caption: Members of Phi Kappa Sigma pose for a chapter photo in the early 1870s.
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