 Zeta Beta Chi was founded in 1984 as a local sorority named Alpha Beta . In 1986 , the sorority gained a charter as the Dartmouth chapter of Delta Gamma , a national sorority . In 1997 , the sorority voted to go local again , and reformed as Zeta Beta Chi . Plagued with low membership , the sorority was already on a marginal financial footing in 1998 , when a College inspection during the summer discovered mercury contamination in the sorority 's basement , the former house of Arthur Sherburne Hardy . The College closed the building for the remainder of the year , negatively impacting fall rush . The sorority announced its dissolution in December 1998 . 
