There are approximately 240 registered student organizations on campus with diverse interests. Student Activities Night, during the orientation program, is an opportunity for first-years to become acquainted with the wide range of clubs.
==== SecretLiterary societies ====
SecretLliterary societies have existed at Brown since the 18th century. One of these was the Philermenian Society (founded as the Misokosmian Society in 1794). In reaction to the [[United States Federalist Party|Federalist]] Philermenians, a [[United States Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]] society called the United Brothers Society was formed in 1806, and in 1824 a third, the Franklin Society, was formally recognized by the Universityuniversity Presidentpresident. All of these societies had libraries and meeting rooms on the top floor of Hope College, andwhere fewthey writtenguarded their documents were preserved in order to protect against inter-society espionage. However, byBy the late 19th century, these societies diminished and eventually dissolved on account of the growth in the number of originally-secret [[Greek alphabet|Greek letter]] [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternities]]. Only the Franklin Society survived, evolving into the Society of the Pacifica House (Societas Domi Pacificae) after the Civil War. [[Pacifica House]], remainstoday the onlya secret society at Brown today, thoughis itsthe assets, finances, and membership are lesser in scope and fame than other Ivy societies,only such associety [[Skullat and Bones]] and [[Scroll and Key]]Brown.
