The University of Southern California chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon began as a local fraternity called Alpha Sigma Delta in October of 1923. Alpha Sigma Delta was originally comprised of 2l members. Their motto was: “In essentials - unity, in non-essentials - liberty, and in all things - charity.” Their colors were gold and blue and their flower was the red rose. Their house was located at 2633 Hoover Street.

After three years of petitioning Sigma Phi Epsilon national, the fraternity was installed as a chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon National Fraternity in June 9, 1928 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, appropriately the 69th SigEp chapter in the nation. Our chapter was the second SigEp chapter in California, thus our designation is "California Beta." The first president of Cal Beta was Luis Roberts who later went on to become the National Grand President of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1951. Paul B. Slater, Cal Beta ‘29, was also Grand National President twice 1956-57, and 1963-65. He was also inducted into the Order of the Golden Heart, which is the highest honor Sigma Phi Epsilon can bestow upon an alumni brother, and he is also a Life Trustee to the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation.

In 1938, the California Alpha chapter of Theta Upsilon Omega merged with the California Beta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Three other TUO chapters merged with three other Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters, and seven TUO chapters converted to Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters that same year. The California Beta chapter accepted 15 affiliates from the Theta Upsilon Omega fraternity on November 6, 1938.

During the opening game of the 1941 UCLA football season, six USC SigEps stole the UCLA Victory Bell.

During World War II, the SigEp’s were located on West 28th Street in a white two story Tudor house in the same lot that we now occupy. The house was also used as a dormitory to house newly trained recruits. Meetings were held at a nearby boarding house. It was after the war that fraternity membership rose to its present high levels. The house at 630 West 28th Street was built in 1958 at a cost of $180,000 by William F. Cody, a Palm Springs architect. in 1982 a $200,000 renovation was made giving the house a new facade. Alumnus Brent Noyes was primarily responsible for the 1982 improvements.

In the summer of 1995, the city of Los Angeles condemned the structure after deeming it structurally unsound. Shortly thereafter the house was torn down. With the help of alumni, an agreement was reached with the university to house SigEp’s for the 1995-1996 academic year, in an unoccupied university-owned, apartment complex on Portalnd Street. Facing the greatest challenge in Cal Beta history, brothers battled hard to not let the fraternity die with the structure. The fraternity was able to survive this “dark” time on the strength of their youth (90% of the members were underclassmen) and the strength of their brotherhood.

SigEp has a coveted spot on “The Row” at 700 West 28th Street, the old KA house. We have won virtually every type of award at USC, and we were one of only four fraternities to ever win Iron Man in 1982.