Iota Alpha Kappa

Iota Alpha Kappa
ΙΑΚ
Founded1858; 166 years ago (1858)
Union College
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusDefunct
Defunct date1874
ScopeNational
Chapters20 ?
Headquarters
United States

Iota Alpha Kappa (ΙΑΚ) was an American collegiate fraternity. It was established at Union College in 1858 and was dissolved in 1874.

History

Iota Alpha Kappa was founded at Union College in 1858.[1] Roughly twenty chapters were developed, including at Lafayette College, Washington & Jefferson College, Columbia College and Norwich University.[1] Membership was not restricted to college students.[1] In 1874, the fraternity was dissolved at a convention held in Easton, Pennsylvania.[1]

Following dissolution, the Washington & Jefferson College chapter founded the Phi Delta Kappa fraternity and became its first chapter.[2] Following the collapse of Phi Delta Kappa, that chapter joined Phi Gamma Delta, restoring that fraternity's Alpha chapter.[2][3]

Chapters

Known chapters include the following.

Charter date and range Institution City State Status References
1858–18xx ? Union College Schenectady New York Inactive [3]
1863–1874 Lafayette College Easton Pennsylvania Withdrew (ΧΦ) [3][a]
1872–1873 Lehigh University Bethlehem Pennsylvania Inactive (some to ΧΦ) [3][b]
1873–1874 Washington & Jefferson College Washington Pennsylvania Withdrew (ΦΔΚ) [3][c]
1873–1874 Columbia University New York City New York Inactive [3][d]
187x ?–187x ? Norwich University Northfield Vermont Inactive [3][e]
  1. ^ Withdrew at national dissolution to become Chi Phi's Rho chapter.
  2. ^ With national dissolution looming, several members of this new chapter withdrew to join the existing Psi chapter of Chi Phi, which had also formed in 1872, at Lehigh.
  3. ^ Withdrew at national dissolution to form its own national, eventually creating five chapters. When these failed, it was affiliated to restore Phi Gamma Delta's Alpha chapter in 1881.
  4. ^ The Columbia chapter appears to have dissipated with no successor.
  5. ^ The Norwich chapter appears to have dissipated with no successor. All remaining fraternities ceased operation at Norwich in 1959.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Baird, William Raimond (1905). "Iota Alpha Kappa". Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (6th ed.). The Alcolm Company. p. 433.
  2. ^ a b William Raimond Baird (1898). "Phi Delta Kappa". Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (5th ed.). G. Banta Co. pp. 344–345.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive)". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 6 October 2023. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.