Over the course of its 110-year history, the University of Minnesota band program has seen its fair share of social and service organizations. Michael Jalma, hired as band director in 1920, quickly set about organizing what became known as the Band Social Organization (BSO). The BSO was in no way an honorary organization, as its membership included all band members. (It is important to note that Kappa Kappa Psi was first established at Oklahoma A&M University in late 1919.) In 1923, a purely local honorary fraternity, Phi Sigma Phi, was established for band members. During the 1920's and 1930's, the BSO sponsored many functions such as the University Homecoming Dance and the annual Band Formal.

During the 1940's, Phi Sigma Phi was forced to go inactive due to World War II; however, during their absence, the women in the band established Theta Nu, an honorary band sorority. Following the war, both organizations were active in the University bands. Along with the BSO, they all provided a wide variety of social functions and raised money in support of the band. In 1951, the women of Theta Nu felt the urge to become part of something larger: the national organization of Tau Beta Sigma was established just a few years earlier. After a year of hard work, Theta Nu became the Alpha Iota Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma in June of 1952.

During the 1950's and 60's, Tau Beta Sigma and Phi Sigma Phi continued their strong programs of support for the University bands. In 1964, the brothers of Phi Sigma Phi were considering following in their sister's footsteps and joining the national organization of Kappa Kappa Psi. Unfortunately, it was not to be as Phi Sigma Phi became inactive in 1965. The local chapter of Tau Beta Sigma also went inactive by the end of the decade, both presumably due to disillusionment with "the establishment" due to the situation in Vietnam. In their absence, the BSO continued it's strong tradition of service and social activities for the band. The BSO had a strong presence until 1991, when the then-new director of the marching band, Eric Becher, decided to fold the organization.

In 1988, director Barry Kopetz encouraged a co-ed group of students to seek the reactivation of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. In June of 1990, the chapter was formally reactivated to provide recognition and service opportunities for band members and to support the University bands.

The size of the University band program made it difficult for Tau Beta Sigma to accomplish many of the tasks they were called upon to do. Thus, in 1993, a group of band members set out to complete what the brothers of Phi Sigma Phi could not complete in 1965. They petitioned the national organization of Kappa Kappa Psi to start a colony at the University of Minnesota, a request that was. After over a year of hard work, the Kappa Alpha Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi was installed on October 16, 1994, as the 241st chapter of the national organization. The Eta Upsilon Chapter at the University of Missouri at Columbia ("Mizzou") guided the colony through the chartering process.

The Kappa Alpha Chapter was installed with six active members and five honorary members. Our first President was long-time band member Skeeter Burroughs. In the seven years since installation, the Kappa Alpha Chapter has grown to over thirty active members who are deeply involved in service to the band, the University, and the Twin Cities community. Service activities have included a musical petting zoo for elementary school students, taking a pep bands to the University Day Care and to local high schools, ushering at school of music concerts, and, most recently, the reinstated band yearbook. In addition, Kappa Kappa Psi provides social activities during Spat Camp and throughout the year, often in cooperation with Tau Beta Sigma.

During the winter of 1999, chapter members decided it was time to take a step up on the district and national levels. Members of both Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma worked hard during the winter months to put together a bid to host the Midwest District Convention here at the University of Minnesota. That spring, at the 1999 District Convention at Iowa State University, a joint team presented our bid to the Midwest District. At the end of convention, we were elated to hear that we had been selected to host the 2000 Midwest District Convention. Twelve months of hard work by members of both Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma went in to the actual planning stages of the convention. When the time for the "Music on the Mississippi" convention finally rolled about, nearly 400 members of both organizations were in attendance from all over the Midwest, as well as a handful of National Officers including the Presidents of both organizations and the National Executive Director of the joint organization. Many a compliment was received on the execution of the convention from both students and adults in attendance.

Some historical obtained from Minnesota, Hats Off to Thee, the University of Minnesota Bands Centennial Book, (c) 1992 the University of Minnesota Band Historical Society.

Additional information provided by Jill (Isacson) Hillard and Kirk Juergens (March 2005).