Cleo of Alpha Chi has existed as an organization for 137 years on Trinity's campus. In 1877 it was formed as the Clio Literary Society, and within two years it had obtained a charter from Delta Kappa Epsilon and became the Alpha Chi chapter of DKE. The Alpha Chi chapter of DKE was the first co-ed fraternity on Trinity's campus, admitting female members within a year of Trinity College becoming co-educational with the introduction of female students from Vasser College in 1969. Cleo as it is now was formed in 1990 after Delta Kappa Epsilon, which had previously approved limited initiation of women in the Alpha Chi chapter at Trinity, decided to rescind its charter as women were given full voting rights within our chapter and were allowed to take offices. Both Trinity active and alumni members (known as scum) then broke ties to the DKE organization, and established their own charter, thereby becoming the first social organization of complete and absolute tolerance on the Trinity College campus. Cleo is truly a rarity among American collegiate social organizations and continues to support itself solely through the work of the active and scum members of its sole chapter.
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