Rho Iota Kappa

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In 1908, 20 years after the establishment of the agricultural school which was the forerunner of the University of Rhode Island, Alpha Chapter of Rho Iota Kappa was born. Rho Iota kappa did quite well as the first fraternity on campus, changing its location once or twice until the long-standing house was built in 1928 just inside the college gates.

Priding themselves on being the first fraternity on campus, the members of Rho Iota Kappa were reluctant to go national although other national chapters were rapidly being founded. However, in 1956 the fraternity's membership, for some reason became low and a national pharmaceutical fraternity, Kappa Sigma Kappa, was allowed to move in for the upkeep of the house. An unusual situation thus occurred -- two fraternities living in the same house. The arrangement was temporary although it did serve to point up the need for strong national affiliation. In 1959 the chapter severed its brief association with Kappa Sigma Kappa.

Although the local fraternity became well established once again, most of the members -- seeking security, backing and a broad, modern outlook on fraternity life -- desired to become part of a sound, well-established national fraternity. With the consent of their Alumni and a majority vote of the active members, Rho Iota Kappa chose to affiliate with the Chi Phi Fraternity in 1961, after investigating a dozen other nationals. Perhaps the main reason for affiliating with Chi Phi was the apparent unity and closeness (spiritually) of its chapters and the great amount of interest which the national had in its members and which it exhibited towards Rho Iota Kappa.

PIK chapter was installed on February 3, 1962. The twenty-six charter members were initiated at Kingston, Rhode Island by an initiation team of brothers from Phi Zeta Delta, Beta, Theta, and Chi chapters. The first Alpha was Richard Bender '62, and the first alumnus to be initiated was James Shaw '23.

Rho Iota Kappa Chapter went through another lean period in the mid-80s and the active roster dwindled to only 14 brothers in the fall of 1985. But true to PIK's historic roots, a core group of brothers would step in to save the day. Through the diligent efforts of Chapter leadership and the brothers of the late 1980s and 90s, the house once again achieved prominence listing over 100 active brothers, and rebounded to win Fraternity of the Year honors in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001.

But the house became strained by its success, and unchecked growth led to problems for the leadership. The University shut down Chi Phi in 2005, primarily for violations of the University's substance-free housing agreement. A group of distinguished Alumni, determined to bring Chi Phi and Rho Iota Kappa back to campus, went ahead with plans to build a new Chapter House following an agreement to sell the existing house on Upper College Road to the University. The state-of-the-art facility was completed in the Fall of 2007.

Doug Bennet '77, president of the Rho Iota Kappa Alumni Association of Chi Phi and treasurer of its holding company, was the driving force behind the new building.

In Spring 2008, P.I.K. Alumni and Chi Phi National began recruiting qualified men for the re-colonization of Rho Iota Kappa. On March 8th, 2008 a New Member Ceremony was held for the first 7 men of the newly formed Rho Iota Kappa Colony of the Chi Phi Fraternity. More members followed and members began to become closer to each other as well as the new house at 11 Fraternity Circle.

On Saturday, April 26th, 2008, Rho Iota Kappa celebrated its 100th anniversary at the Newport Marriott with an excess of 200 people in attendance and on Sunday, April 27th, 2008, 16 Brothers were initiated with help of the Lambda Theta Chapter from Umass Dartmouth and P.I.K. Alumni.

For information about the new P.I.K. Colony of the Chi Phi Fraternity, or to inquire to join please visit http://www.chiphiuri.com