The Theta-Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Sigma Fraternity was established at Miami University on April 1, 1967. The following posts were compiled from articles in The Caduceus written by Stephen Middleton ‘67, Dr. Thomas Queen ‘77 and Executive Director, Mitchell Wilson as well as the events recorded in the Chapter's original Pledge Manual authored by Chris Kidd ‘80 and Bill Broderick ’80. Additional material was gathered by Wes Bren ’85 from interviews with founders and other alumni in 2012.
I. Pre-Colonization -1906-1964
Attempts to start a Kappa Sigma chapter at Miami go back to 1906. At least five local men’s groups attempted to charter a Kappa Sigma colony but were denied by Kappa Sigma Headquarters which feared that the already strong fraternity system at Miami of Ohio (known as the “The Mother of Fraternities” for the five Alpha Chapters that had sprung up there) would make it difficult to establish a successful new chapter. These groups went on to become the following fraternities:
~ Delta Rho group became a chapter of Delta Upsilon in 1908
~ Omega Psi Rho became a chapter of Delta Tau Delta fraternity in 1916
~ Kappa Sigs from the University of Miami in Navy V-12 Unit petitioned to start a chapter at Miami and were denied. Other members of the same unit became the chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha in 1947
~ Adanerion Club became a chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha in 1948
~ Sigma Tau Alpha group became a chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon in 1954
In 1956 a transfer student and Kappa Sigma member from Occidental College, Glenn A. Witt came to Miami University and was disappointed to see that a Kappa Sigma chapter did not exist. He wrote IMH about establishing a chapter but was also denied permission to start a new chapter. The winds did not change until the next decade when Kappa Sigma began a new strategy of growth that continues to this day.
II. Colonization: 1965-1967: A Focus on Brotherhood Not Hazing.
In 1964 a transfer student and Kappa Sigma pledge from Butler University named Timothy R. Chase came to Miami. Chase and four other men including Alan Higgins ‘67, Robert Coons ‘67, and Martin Walker ‘67, some of whom had pledged other fraternities at Miami but who had found them lacking, formed a new group for social interaction and camaraderie.
Over the next year this group would grow to seventeen and with the help of the chapter from Butler formalized the association becoming the Star and Crescent Fraternity on October 10, 1965. The Star and Crescent Fraternity adopted the colors green and gold and Charles Hess ‘67 designed the membership pin.
“We were a "weird collection" of personalities and backgrounds. We had jocks, serious students, organizers and party planners, but mostly we had each other. We trusted each other and cared about each other,” wrote Alan Higgins of the founding group that adopted a “no personal service/no hazing” policy in contrast to the practices of other fraternities at that time.
Aided by the dean of men at Miami, Dean William Hollingsworth (Mississippi State) they petitioned Miami’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) on November 18, 1965 for associate membership as a Kappa Sigma Colony and were accepted unanimously.
The Star and Crescent Fraternity became an official Kappa Sigma Colony on February 7, 1966 by authorization of the Supreme Executive Committee.The group held its meetings in Brandon Hall as the group searched for a house, a requirement for it to become a Kappa Sigma Chapter. In the summer of 1966 the chapter secured the old Pi Kappa Alpha house at 230 East Church Street (the home was leveled in 2003 to make room for the current Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter house). Sixteen members lived in the facility with only 4 bedrooms. Dinner was served at 6:00 followed by study hours from 7:00-10:30 and quiet hours after 10:30. One of the members had a pet duck named “Kappy” that lived in a bath tub.
Martin Walker served as the first president of the colony followed by Brian Bell ’67 and then Stephen Middleton ‘67 who would later become the chapter’s first Grand Master. The colony continued to make impressive strides on campus by participating in service projects, being successful in intramural athletics and making a successful showing in Miami’s Greek Week. The colony grew in size to more than 30 members.
On Saturday morning, January 7, 1967 at the East Church Street chapter house, the colony members were officially pledged to Kappa Sigma by members of Theta-Omicron Chapter (Muskingum College, Ohio) who had just become a chapter two months before. Later that month, Miami’s IFC voted unanimously to suspend the rule requiring a two-year waiting period between colonization and installation and accept the Star and Crescent Fraternity for full membership into IFC upon acquisition of their charter as a Kappa Sigma Chapter.
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