SAE President Matthew I. Tomey ’03 said the growth of SAE is a “testament to the renaissance that’s going on here.”

“The increase in the number of fraternities is a strong sign that Greek life can succeed at Harvard,” Tomey said. “A year ago students would be much more inclined to just think of final clubs on campus, while fraternities were more marginalized.”

Tomey said their chapter is the fastest growing chapter of the national organization, and added that they expect to be recognized as an official SAE chapter by the fall.

Like the women’s groups, the biggest hurdle that fraternities face is the lack of their own space.

Sigma Chi, the most established fraternity on campus, is struggling to survive even as the fraternity scene grows in popularity, as its energies are focused on housing woes.

Founded at Harvard in 1989, Sigma Chi had been residing in a house at 43-45 Mt. Auburn Street since the Pi Eta fraternity, which owns the building, was disbanded.

The Pi Etas decided to lease their building to Sigma Chi in 1996 in exchange for Sigma Chi making much-needed physical improvements to the building.

But last spring, the Pi Etas voted to sell the house and the relationship between the two groups became embittered.

Sigma Chi and Pi Eta are currently embroiled in two lawsuits, with Sigma Chi suing Pi Eta for the right to remain in the house and Pi Eta counter-suing Sigma Chi, alleging they did not fulfill their agreement to make repairs to the house.

With the suit yet to go to trial, Sigma Chi is homeless. They now meet in members’ dorm rooms and rent out spaces around the Square for parties.

But Sigma Chi is not giving up.

“My experience is that [Sigma Chi] is not the house. It’s experiencing relationships,” said Chris J. Harrington ’03, president of Sigma Chi.

Pudding for All

More established social organizations—from the Hasty Pudding Social Club to the final clubs—encountered a few bumps in the road this year as well.

This year marked the beginnings of the democratization of the Hasty Pudding Social Club’s punch process.