Recruitment Banner

Beta-Nu History

To fully understand the history of Beta-Nu, we must follow the Alpha Omicron Chapter at Transylvania University. Transylvania merged with Kentucky University immediately following the Civil War in order to avoid being closed for lack of funds. In the early 1890s there was a faculty rule at Kentucky University which prohibited greek-letter fraternities and therefore formation of a chapter at the University. In the meantime there was great commotion over the set-ups of both schools and the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University emerged from the confusion.

The University of Kentucky first granted charters to Kappa Sigma, Kappa Alpha Order, and Sigma Chi. Thus, Kappa Sigma was founded at UK on April 5th, 1901. John E. Brown was the first President of the chapter and upon graduating declared, “Beta-Nu is certainly at the top of Kentucky State College now and I can see no reason why Beta-Nu shouldn’t stay there.”

In October of 1936 the Chapter bought its first house, located on Broadway for roughly $10,000. In 1953 the University proposed a project where 6 fraternity houses would be constructed in close proximity and wanted Kappa Sigma to be a part of it. The Chapter accepted and the house has remained the place that the Beta Nu Chapter has called home for the longest period of it’s existence. On January 8th, 2014 the chapter house boiler burst making the house unlivable and leaving the chapter without a permanent place of residence. With this the Chapter has begun work with Alumni to get the chapter into a house as soon as possible and looking for a temporary option in the meantime.