Acacia Fraternity (OSU)

Acacia Fraternity is a Greek social fraternity originally based out of Masonic tradition. At its founding in 1904, membership was originally restricted to those who had taken the Masonic obligations, and the organization was built on those ideals and principles. Within one year, four other Masonic clubs received Acacia charters, which led to a rapid expansion in the following years. Today the bonds with the Free and Accepted Masons vary amongst Acacia chapters, for some the tie is more distant and informal while others work closely with their local Masonic lodge(s). Acacia distinguishes itself from other fraternities by being one of three (inter)national fraternities that uses a word instead of Greek letters; Acacia is the only (inter)national fraternity to have a Greek word rather than a series of Greek letters as its name. Greek does not contain the letter "c"; however, so the proper Greek spelling of the name is Ακακια. Acacia was one of the charter members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference in 1909. Acacia's fundamental principles are scholarship, leadership, brotherhood and human service/philanthropy.