ALPHA IOTA
The University of Alabama

FOUNDED ON
5.3.1930

LOCATION
Tuscaloosa, AL

HISTORY
The University of Alabama was endowed with two townships of land in 1818 and 1820, and was officially established in 1820. It opened in 1831 with 52 students. Largely destroyed by the Civil War, it took until 1881-82 for enrollment to equal that of 1860-61 (154 students). By 1921, enrollment grew to 2,134.

Chi Delta Epsilon, established on April 9, 1925, was granted a charter and installed as the Alpha Iota Chapter on May 3, 1930. The Chapter was inactive from 1943 to 1948, and the first post-war initiation was conducted in January 1948 with assistance from members of the Sigma Chapter. Don Cronin, Alabama ‘48, was the first post-war chapter President. The chapter house was located at 513 Twelfth Street, Tuscaloosa. In 1961, the Chapter moved from 310 Thomas Street to its new house at 721 Tenth Avenue, now known as Wallace Wade Ave.

The 721 Tenth Avenue facility was a two story colonial style house accommodating 24 men. The 721 Tenth Avenue house burned on August 23, 1968 during the 1968 National Convention of Alpha Sigma Phi. The Chapter operated from temporary quarters at its old 310 Thomas Street house for about a year and a half after the house fire, but the Chapter died out in 1970.

The chapter won a Summa Cum Laude Citation for highest academic standing of campus fraternities in 1959-60. Alpha Iota Chapter initiated 342 members until it closed in 1970. Edward J. Madison, Alabama ‘58, served Alpha Sigma Phi as “Tomahawk” Editor and Administrative Secretary from 1966 to 1969.

An interest group organized in the spring of 2000 by Assistant Director of Expansion Matt Humberger, Bowling Green ‘03. The interest group lost interest over the course of the summer causing staff to launch a full-scale expansion effort in the 2009 fall semester.

Two Fraternity Staff members, Matt Humberger, Bowling Green ‘03, and Josh Franke, Otterbein ‘06, traveled to the University of Alabama in August of 2009. Matt and Josh succeeded in getting enough men interested to gain colony status. The first class of 27 new members participated in the Pledge Ceremony on August 27, 2009. The colonization certificate was presented by Matt Humberger. The colonization was attended by undergraduates of the Delta Tau (Murray State) Chapter, several alumni and 27 Alabama undergraduate men. The fall 2010 new member class had a grade point average of 3.70 and Alpha Iota won Greek Week that semester.

The Chapter was re-chartered on April 9, 2011. Matt Humberger, Bowling Green ‘03, gave the Keynote Address and presented the insignia. Notable attendees included: Grand Councilor Matt Maurer, Bowling Green ‘03, and Ritual Education Team Member Scott Grissom, Oklahoma ‘78. The Initiation Ceremony was held at Lloyd Hall. The Chartering Ceremony took place in the Rast Room of the Bryant Conference Center. West Honeycutt, Alabama ‘11, was the Founding President. 

In celebration of the Fraternity’s 150th anniversary Leonard Hultquist, Alabama ‘60, published A Gentleman From South Carolina, a biography of Louis Manigault.

CHAPTER AWARDS
Records show award name and year(s) received.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Records show brother's name, initiation year, and award received.