Fraternity Communications Association
History and Purpose of the Fraternity Communications Association (courtesy of the FCA website)
As early as 1883, editors of 14 men's fraternity magazines met in Philadelphia to promote the concept of interfraternal cooperation. Editors of National Interfraternity Conference member organizations met at an annual dinner for many years before officially organizing in 1923 as the College Fraternity Editors Association (CFEA). In 2008, CFEA became the Fraternity Communication Association (FCA).
In the late 1960s, discussions with editors of professional fraternity publications and women's sororities brought about the realization that all editors would benefit from belonging to a single association. Since 1969, FCA has actively sought the participation of all Greek-letter society editors and their staffs in a spirit of interfraternalism that today encompasses more than 300 members including a virtual "alphabet soup" of Greeks: NIC, NPC, NPHC and PFA member groups. That makes FCA the oldest and most inclusive interfraternal organization. FCA officially celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1998.
A diverse group, FCA editors were initially involved primarily in magazine production for their respective groups. Today, their editorial role has expanded to embrace all formats of written and verbal communication, including public relations, promotional pieces, video projects, annual reports, and maintenance of web sites.
CFEA Archives at the University of Illinois:
The CFEA Archives are a part of the Student Life and Culture Archival Program of the University of Illinois Archives, which serves as a research center for the preservation and study of materials relating to all aspects of student life at American colleges and universities. CFEA deposited its materials at UIUC in 1999. Material from current and former CFEA members is actively being sought to complement the current holdings. Particularly, archival material from the early years of CFEA's existence is needed to complete our collection.
Finding Aid:
FCA (fomerly CFEA) files, containing administrative correspondence,
minutes, officer and committee notebooks and packets, financial documents, historical scrapbooks
and clippings, photographs, and publications regarding CFEA annual meetings, committees, daily
operations, and the history of CFEA and the journals of its member fraternities and sororities. For a detailed finding aid, click here.
