Talk:List of Zeta Psi chapters

Creation
I created this page in accordance with Wikipedia policy of not having an entire chapter listing on a fraternity's article page. Jmlk17 23:46, 19 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks for that, I think it was an incredibly stupid move but policy is policy. I now have to go through this all and clean it up. We have some people who repeatedly make Dartmouth as an inactive chapter, for some reason, even if it isn't. -- metta, The Sunborn  21:26, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

Alpha Nu
Why no mention of the Claremont Colleges chapter, Alpha Nu? It's inactive now but existed between 1991 and 2002 at a group of schools very inhospitable to Greeks of any kind. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.95.143.82 (talk) 08:34, 4 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Responding to this 14-year old comment, Alpha Nu chapter is listed among the inactive chapters. Jax MN (talk) 01:06, 9 August 2022 (UTC)

Zeta Chi
Zeta Chi was never chartered, people please stop adding it! -- metta, The Sunborn  21:37, 6 February 2009 (UTC)
 * This former colony (?) is no longer listed. Jax MN (talk) 01:07, 9 August 2022 (UTC)

Now accurate
This page is now accurate up to date (as of 2009-02-06 and maybe later), from the fraternity's official website. Any conflicts will be decided by the official website. This also takes into consideration of Theta Phi's recent charter revocation, not found on the website. -- metta, The Sunborn  22:14, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

The National Website's list does not include the former Rho, Omicron, Psi, or Pi chapters in its list. It does also not include the Beta at Michigan or Mu at Columbia which were chartered under these names. This information can be verified through the sources provided which are available through Google Books. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.190.51.150 (talk) 08:29, 4 January 2010 (UTC)
 * The national website may again be consulted to compare and update the chapter list. Meanwhile, I've updated it according to the online Baird's Archive. The main page of that reference allows a link to offer corrections. The Archive team annually requests updated lists from known fraternity HQ offices. Jax MN (talk) 01:10, 9 August 2022 (UTC)

Cleanup needed
I've updated the format to use Notes sections for longer text that doesn't / shouldn't fit in one of the table fields. These are nested under each of the three main subheaders of chapters. I've added date tags using the DTS format, helpful for adaptive readers. Also, added a significant reference to the Baird's Archive online.

However, I think these three sections ought to be combined, and rather than placed in alphabetical order, which so often gets messed up between Greek and English order, the chapters should be default listed by date of first chartering for each name. This would follow the standard used by most of our other GLO lists.

I've noted some chapter names with (first) or (second), where the Fraternity has re-used those names. Note that these modifiers may not be in the actual chapter name. I note for readers that in some cases, where a modifier is formally adopted, other fraternities have used "Prime" and "Secundus" to clarify re-issuance of names. Jax MN (talk) 18:54, 8 August 2022 (UTC)


 * I've also added the names and dates of predecessor organizations where known (via Baird's); any others appear to have been formed out of colonization efforts. The big task remaining is to combine the three tables, probably using a manual table format (see Alpha Gamma Delta's chapter list as an example. While it is listed by state, because they have 3x more chapters, it is a good example of how the manual table is constructed.) Valuable for Zeta Psi, this will allow a separate column for Country, as the current system with a two-letter code for country doesn't work well. This kind of manual table is also sortable. Jax MN (talk) 20:24, 8 August 2022 (UTC)


 * Zeta Psi has a terrific, long history. I understand that there is some marketing benefit to list all the active chapters at the top.  Some nationals have lost a succession of early chapters, and even when it is obvious why (Civil War, etc.) there is a worry that it will look like more have been closed than remain open.  But even a manual list is sortable.  These lists are used by genealogical researchers, family researchers, academic researchers as well as potential members and alumni. The Project team has weighed all this, and chosen that the default sort should be numeric, by date.  The formatting syntax offers lots of opportunity to leave EFNs that explain why a particular chapter died, and pointers to resulting or successor active chapters that drive further browsing.  Jax MN (talk) 21:54, 8 August 2022 (UTC)


 * combined the Active, Inactive and Deceased chapters into a single list, per our stylistic guidelines. I note that in a few cases there are duplicates. Rho chapter, for example, shows up on two separate lines even though it is at the same school (Harvard).  My suggestion is that the "Deceased" chapter, dating from 1852-1856 may be noted with the name in grey, but that a "See also" redirect under that name should note Rho (second), which itself after several attempts is now Inactive. The two chapter identities should point back to each other.  BUT the new chapter on that campus should use a separate line because its creation represents a full break, and was NOT a continuation -- (as defined by the national).  Zeta Psi's early naming system was a mess, so we must do the best with what we have.  The reason I highlighted the Deceased chapter names rather than filling the entire field with that grey color was that some of these "See also" groups have resulted in a different outcome (A Deceased chapter that was restored to be Active, and later Inactive, as at Harvard.)  Thus we responsibly report the former Deceased status while still providing a clear redirect to the continuing or new chapter there. Jax MN (talk) 22:06, 14 October 2022 (UTC)