Fraternities and sororities have been banned at Queen's since a ruling by the Alma Mater Society (AMS) in 1933. The ruling was a response to the formation of two fraternities in the 1920s, one for Arts and Science students and a second, more active one, for Medical students.
A majority of Queen's students, who prided themselves on egalitarianism and united community spirit, disapproved of these organizations because of their external affiliations and the exclusivity that they fostered.
A coalition of anti-fraternity forces, led by the Levana Society and Arts and Theology students, swept the AMS elections of 1933 and sponsored an open meeting of about 1000 students in Grant Hall, during which students voted to ban all fraternities and sororities.
The 24 members of the Medical fraternity, however, defied this ban and were brought before the AMS Court in 1934 for contravention of the AMS constitution. They were found guilty and declared ineligible to participate in all student political, social, and athletic activities for a year.
This finally brought an end to fraternities, but the medical students carried on what became known as Medical House, a residence for medical students at 49 King Street East.
There have never been any sororities at the university.
See Queen's Alumni Review article "Fraternal Follies" (published January 2010), for an in-depth perspective on the battle against fraternities and sororities at Queen's.