Delta Upsilon
Encyclopedia
Delta Upsilon is the sixth oldest international, all-male, college Greek-letter organization, and is the oldest non-secret fraternity in North America. Founded on November 4, 1834, at Williams College
in Williamstown
, Massachusetts
, Delta Upsilon has initiated over 110,000 men into its brotherhood since its founding.
Late in the fall of 1834, twenty men from the sophomore and junior classes found ten of the best men from the freshmen class and came together in opposition to the activities of the two secret societies on the Williams campus. A meeting was called for the evening of November 4, in the Freshman Recitation Room of Old West College, a Williams College dormitory that still stands today. Within four years, the ideals of an anti-secret brotherhood based on merit spread rapidly, and groups were set up at Union College
in 1838, Middlebury College
in 1845, and Hamilton College and Amherst College
both in 1847. Today, there are over 80 DU chapters and colonies across the United States and Canada.
Among its members, Delta Upsilon includes James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States; Joseph P. Kennedy, Ambassador to Great Britain and father of two senators and a President; Lester B. Pearson
, 14th Prime Minister of Canada; Lou Holtz
, NCAA football national champion as coach of Notre Dame in 1988 and ESPN
college football analyst; Michael D. Eisner, former chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co.; Tommy Franks
, former commanding general of the United States Central Command; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., editorialist and author; Linus Pauling
, two time Nobel Prize winner; Charles Evan Hughes, former Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court; and Juan Manuel Santos
, current Colombian President.
, the two secret fraternities on campus had begun to effectively dominate the campus honors lists with their own men. This practice was frowned upon by the faculty, as they questioned whether the campus politics were becoming contrary to the founding purposes of the college itself. On November 4, the campus saw the formation of The Social Fraternity. Although the records of this first meeting were destroyed in a fire seven years later, it is known that the Social Fraternity flourished. Soon, more than half of the men on campus were listed as members. The fraternity openly published their constitution and made known their membership and ideals. Soon, The Social Fraternity at Williams was joined by similar groups at Union College
in Schenectady, New York
, Middlebury College
in Middlebury, Vermont, Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
, and Amherst College
in Amherst, Massachusetts
.
In November 1847, these anti-secret groups met in the first convention at Troy
, New York
and formally organized a fraternity, established as the Anti-Secret Confederation (ASC). The ASC constitution paralleled that of the Williams Chapter, and the convention first adopted a member key bearing its motto, the Greek words, Ouden Adelon, meaning "Nothing Secret." The Fraternity's colors were set as "old gold
on a field of sapphire-blue."
The next convention was hosted by the Middlebury Chapter in Burlington, Vermont
in 1852. By the Convention of 1852, seven chapters had been established and were thriving. The seven chapters in attendance at the convention, Williams, Union, Hamilton, Amherst, Wesleyan
of Middletown, Connecticut
, Western Reserve
of Cleveland, Ohio
, and Colby
of Waterville, Maine
, are known as the "Seven Stars" of the anti-secrecy fight and are commemorated in the Fraternity Coat of Arms. Two years later, in 1854, Middlebury withdrew from the Confederation and therefore is not included in the "seven stars" commemoration.
had taken its toll on college men, and fraternities as well. Changes were necessary in the ASC, a more centralized government of the chapters was needed, and there were issues regarding fraternity insignia and ritual. In March, delegates from the Hamilton College, Rutgers College
(now Rutgers University) and University of Rochester
chapters went to Middlebury College
in Middlebury, Vermont to meet in convention. Within a day, the convention formally adopted the name Delta Upsilon, approved a new constitution, and approved the fraternity's member badge still in use today.
In 1879, the fraternity recognized that active opposition to secret fraternities was no longer necessary. The Convention formally changed the policy of anti-secrecy to non-secrecy, as stated in the Ritual of Initiation, "the character of the secret societies so altered, that hostility toward them decreased." Following the war
the fraternity began to grow again and by 1880, Delta Upsilon had grown to fifteen active chapters.
In 1867 and 1869, the fraternity began sporadic publication of Our Record, the fraternity's first journal. In 1882, the Quarterly was introduced as the official fraternity journal. Since then, the journal has not missed an issue making it one of the oldest continuously published fraternity magazines. In 1884, the fraternity celebrated its 50th year with the publication of The Quinquennial, the first published history. This important anniversary marked a surge in new chapters, including chapters in new areas. The first chapter west of the Mississippi River
, at the University of Minnesota
, was established in 1890. The first petitioned fraternity chapter was approved in 1886 at Boston's Tufts University
. The first fraternity chapters in the Western United States were established both at the University of California at Berkeley and at Stanford University
in neighboring Palo Alto in 1896. In 1898, the fraternity established a chapter at McGill University
in Montreal, which made Delta Upsilon an international fraternity. That same year, a chapter at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, marked the fraternity's first Great Plains Chapter.
In 1909, Charles Evans Hughes
, (Colgate and Brown 1881), led the incorporation
of the fraternity. Incorporation under New York
law meant the creation of an Assembly of Trustees who would elect the Board of Directors for the Fraternity.
The first fraternity membership manual, the early predecessor of The Cornerstone, the Manual of Delta Upsilon, was published in 1916. A chapter at the University of Virginia
was established in 1922, opening the Southern United States for Delta Upsilon. In combination with the membership manual, emphasis on chapter quality led to the establishment of strong chapters throughout the 1920s. A Permanent Trust Fund was established in 1921, to ensure financial stability for the growing fraternity.
As the world faced the crash of the Great Depression
, colleges and fraternities across the country were hit hard. Delta Upsilon was lucky and well prepared, not a single chapter was lost; in fact the fraternity added nine chapters to its rolls between 1929 and 1935. During both World War I
and World War II
, many chapter houses were occupied for military needs.
Following World War II
, a surge in interest in college fraternities led to a wave of new chapters for the fraternity. In addition to new chapters, the fraternity Board of Directors held its first annual Leadership Conference in the summer of 1949. That year, the Delta Upsilon Educational Foundation was formed to raise money for education and assistance of the fraternity's brothers. In theme with the emphasis on chapter quality, the fraternity instituted the Superior Chapter Program in 1960, a planning and evaluation plan which was used to evaluate chapters on objective criteria.
The Civil Rights Movement in the United States led to an analysis of many institutions, including fraternities, and challenged their membership policies. While many fraternities were found to have by-laws with criteria that permitted only certain men into membership, Delta Upsilon's membership criteria since 1834, had recognized only one distinction: merit.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, new challenges faced Fraternities and Sororities
across North America
. Alcohol laws changed, allowing college men to drink. As chapters fell to the social pressures of alcohol, many turned to "wet rushing", the use of parties and events that offer alcohol as an enticement to attend. This process allowed for poor decisions, poor quality new members and damaged chapters. Delta Upsilon was not immune to these pressures, the fraternity did not sit idle. Delta Upsilon was one of the first fraternaties to call for dry rush on college campuses. In addition, the fraternity was one of the first to emphasize the dangers of hazing and implementing more positive pledge education programs. Because of the fraternity's high standards, many chapters were suspended or had their charters revoked.
During the 1990s, efforts strengthened toward alcohol-free initiatives. For instance, the Fraternity established the McQuaid Commission in 1997 to review its focus on alcohol-free policies. The McQuaid Commission evaluated its members' attitudes toward and use of alcohol, as well as the effects of alcohol on the organization as a whole. After investigating these issues, the McQuaid Commission presented a report of its findings in 1998 at its Leadership Institute. The report also included recommendations, which included alcohol education programming for its members, alcohol-free housing for new and reinstated chapters, and new guidelines for meeting the fraternity's Chapter Excellence Plan.
in St. Louis, Missouri
. The initiation was also significant as it was the first time in more than a century that Delta Upsilon established a chapter at a school where no previous fraternities and sororities
existed. The initiation was also significant because it included Delta Upsilon's first ever digital initiation, with three Brothers of the Webster Chapter studying abroad in Switzerland
being initiated online.
In 2009, the Fraternity achieved another milestone by celebrating its 175th anniversary since inception.
On December 11, 2010, Delta Upsilon initiated their 155th chapter at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. This is the latest university to be added to the ranks.
ed as follows:
superimposed on a Upsilon
. The arms of the Upsilon each have a word of the Fraternity motto engraved on them in Greek letters, the left arm has Δικαια, the right arm has Υποθηκη. The badge was designed by a committee, whose first chairman was future United States President James A. Garfield, (Williams 1856), and was adopted by the 1858 Convention.
The Associate Member Pin (shown right), also known as the Pledge Pin, consists of a gold Delta
on blue enamel with a gold Upsilon
in the center.
In both cases, the Delta
is always an isosceles triangle whose height is equal to its base.
In place of a flag, the Fraternity also has an official banner which is made of white silk with the Fraternity Coat of Arms painted or embroidered on it.
The colors of the Fraternity were approved as "Old Gold
and Sapphire Blue
" by the 1881 Convention. In 1866, the Convention first adopted "Chrome
and Blue
" as the official colors. These were altered to simply "Gold
and Blue
" in 1879, before taking on their current form in 1881.
The Fraternity's Four Founding Principles originated in the Preamble to the early Constitution of the Anti-Secret Confederation. They remained unchanged until the 1891 Convention undertook a complete revision of the Constitution, article-by-article. In the new revision, the old Preamble was completely stricken and the following text was added to Article 1, Section 2: "The objects of this Fraternity shall include the promotion of friendship, the exertion of moral influence, the diffusion of liberal culture, and the advancement of equity in college affairs. It shall be non-secret." This version remained with minor changes until around 1923, when the first printed example of the current version was published in that year's edition of the Manual of Delta Upsilon.
The current text of the Four Founding Principles is:
. Completed in 1971, the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Headquarters was the first Headquarters to be constructed on Founders Road, currently seven other fraternity and sorority headquarters are located within a block on Founders Road and there are more than 32 headquarters in Indianapolis alone. The building was erected through the generosity of Lester E. Cox, (Pennsylvania 1898), an alumnus who left half his estate to the Fraternity.
Each Undergraduate Chapter or Colony is supported by an Alumni Chapter whose purpose is to advise and or facilitate the advisory needs of the Undergraduate Chapter.
Programming at the institute is offered in Risk Management, Recruitment, Leadership, and other crucial topics, with best practices modeled from the fraternity's top chapters. The fraternity ritual is displayed in a "Model Initiation" in which several Associate Members from different chapters are initiated in front of over 300 Delta Upsilon Brothers and Fraternity friends.
The Institute hosts the fraternity's bicameral legislature, the Undergraduate Convention and the Assembly of Trustees. The bicameral model is based on the model of the United States Congress
with the Convention and the Assembly as the two houses of the legislature.
. Presidents are prepared and given the training to effectively manage their chapters for the term to come.
A separate track of instruction, the Recruitment Symposium, is offered to undergraduates who head up the recruitment or "rush" efforts at their chapters. Programming is currently offered is the Dynamic Recruitment model by Phired Up Recruitment, Inc of Indianapolis, Indiana
.
The newest piece of the WEC programming is the Advisors' Academy, a program to give chapter and colony advisors tools and resources to help their chapters succeed.
Delta Upsilon Emerging Leaders (DUEL) Program premiered at the 2000 Leadership Institute in Pittsburgh
. Twenty men, all new members and nominated by their chapters, spent 16 hours together learning and refining their leadership skills. Each year, twenty spots are filled with new Brothers who possess leadership qualities and potential to serve in leadership roles within their chapter. Graduates of the DUEL Program have gone on to leadership positions within their chapters, on their campuses, and in Fraternity Committees.
In conjunction with the Fraternity's 175th Anniversary in 2009, DUEL was reorganized and rebranded as an Experience. Most notably, DUEL Experience delegates now travel to Williamstown, Massachusetts
and participate in a three-day program where the Fraternity's founders worked out the plan for Delta Upsilon.
The latest edition, the twenty-fifth, was published in 2010, 19 years after the previous edition was published (1991). This edition simplified the language to be more modern, and introduced a more reader-friendly format. As well as this, it's the first edition of the Cornerstone to be in full color, and comes only as a hardback book.
The first fraternity manual, The Manual of Delta Upsilon was printed from 1916 to 1962, spanning sixteen editions. For the sixteenth edition, the name was changed to Our Record, The Manual of Delta Upsilon which was printed from 1962 to 1989 when the current title was published.
The Fraternity Ritual began as early as 1840, in the form of a pledge recited by new members upon entering the Social Fraternity. In 1847, the revised pledge was included in the Constitution of the Anti-Secret Confederation, which was read to new members as the "ritual". In 1866, the Convention was compelled by the chapter from Washington and Jefferson College
and the Rutgers Chapter who regarded the "ritual" as "altogether too cold and barren" to establish a Committee on Initiation. The Initiation Rite of 1866, was described by the committee as follows:
The 1866 version remained little improved until 1900, when another committee was formed to provide a more uniform and definitive rite which was accepted the next year. As chapters made minor adjustments to the 1901 version, a lack of uniformity again became an issue. In 1910, a revision Committee announced that a final draft of the revised rite was being finalized by Brother John Erskine, (Columbia 1900). The draft was approved in 1911 and the next fall, the Fraternity published the ritual.
The 1911 ritual consisted of three rites. Rite I consisted of the candidates taking pledges of character after which they were informed of the nature of the vows to follow, candidates were questioned about their willingness to continue at this stage. Simultaneously, for Rite II, members of the chapter and visiting alumni were called into another room and given the names of the candidates, at which time any objections toward a candidate were offered. Rite III was then performed for the candidate with the formal reciting of a pledge that closely resembled the current Oath of Initiation, see below.
This version remained unaltered until 1921 with the addition of roll books and inscribing candidates names and pin numbers within was added. Also, Rites II & III were combined to make the ritual a ceremony of two rites. Minor changes to the text and language were made until 1937, when the Convention and Assembly adopted the Ritual of Initiation that is in use today. That version remained unchanged except for the addition of an alternate prayer text in 1973, at the beginning to Rite II.
In the fall of 2000, the language of the ritual was updated and additional ceremonies and explanatory texts were added to create the current version of the Delta Upsilon Ritual Book.
Oath of Initiation
From the "RITUAL OF INITIATION," The Delta Upsilon Fraternity
The Sweepstakes Award is given to the most outstanding Undergraduate Chapter of the year. Originally meant to be a traveling award, the traveling trophy visited 26 chapters in 16 states and one in Canada before being retired in the summer of 2001. The current recipients receive a trophy to be kept in the chapter's possession. Seven finalists are selected for this award. These chapters are known as the year's Seven Stars Chapters.
The Chairman's Award is presented to the outstanding Alumni Volunteer of the year. The award was created to recognize the effort given by an alumni volunteer to Delta Upsilon Chapters.
The President's Award is presented to the outstanding Undergraduate member of the year. The award was created to recognize the effort by an Undergraduate member for the betterment of his chapter, campus, and community. The recipient of the award receives a scholarship grant in his name, an invitation to the Leadership Institute at the expense of the Fraternity, and his name on is engraved on a permanent plaque in the Fraternity Headquarters.
The Delta Upsilon Distinguished Alumni Award is one of the highest honors the Fraternity bestows upon its Alumni members. This award was first presented in 1984 during the year-long celebration of the Fraternity’s 150th Anniversary. The award honors those brothers who have brought honor to the Fraternity, either through their personal accomplishments or through exemplary service to the Fraternity. All recipients are approved by the Fraternity’s Board of Directors In 2008, the nature of the award was adjusted to recognize those brothers whose efforts and exemplary service have had a direct impact on the Fraternity. Notable winners of this award include, Lou Holtz
(Kent State 1958), Brewster Shaw (Wisconsin 1967), Linus Pauling
(Oregon State 1922), Terry Hart
(Lehigh 1968), and Arnold Beckman (Illinois 1922).
The Delta Upsilon Founders Medal is one of the highest honors the Fraternity bestows upon its individual members. This award was first presented in 2001 and recognizes those brothers who have provided legendary and long-time service to a specific chapter. The Founders Medal is presented following an extensive nomination process and approval by the Fraternity’s Board of Directors.
Delta Upsilon Awards of Merit were introduced at the 2008 Leadership Institute. They are named after the Founder's description of the Fraternity's membership selection criterion: "the only superiority that we acknowledge is the superiority of merit." The awards are presented to friends and members of the Fraternity who exhibit devotion to the Fraternity and achievement in one of the eight award categories as follows:
The values of the Boys & Girls Clubs align with the mission and values of Delta Upsilon. Friendship, Character, Culture, and Justice are supported through numerous club programs and activities. By partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs, DU Brothers are able to support and promote the Fraternity's Four Founding Principles with the leaders of tomorrow.
(Colgate and Brown 1881), United States Senator-Vermont Justin S. Morrill (Middlebury 1860), Canadian Prime Minister and Nobel Prize
winner Lester B. Pearson
(Toronto 1919), President of Colombia
Juan Manuel Santos
(Kansas 1973), former Commander in Chief of the US Central Command Tommy Franks
(Texas 1963), Actor Alan Thicke
(Western Ontario 1967), Author Stephen Crane
(Lafayette and Syracuse 1894), Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Cornell 1944), former Chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co. Michael D. Eisner (Denison 1964), and Nobel Prize
winners Charles Dawes (Marietta 1884), Christian B. Anfinsen
(Swarthmore 1937), and Edward C. Prescott
(Swarthmore 1962).
Linus Pauling
(Oregon State 1922) is a member of a small group of individuals who have been awarded more than one Nobel Prize
, one of only two people to receive them in different fields (the other was Marie Curie
) and the only person in that group to have been awarded each of his prizes without having to share it with another recipient.
Two Delta Upsilon fraternity members, Alfred P. Sloan
(Technology 1895) and Charles F. Kettering (Ohio State 1904), joined together in 1945 to found the Sloan-Kettering Institute, which is now part of the world's oldest and largest private cancer research facility, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
.
NCAA Division I basketball coach Jim Boeheim
of Syracuse University
is also an alumnus of Delta Upsilon's Syracuse Chapter. Along with being inducted into the Hall of Fame with over 800 wins and the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
championship, Boeheim continues to be one of the leading advocates in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
(a cancer survivor himself).
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
in Williamstown
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Delta Upsilon has initiated over 110,000 men into its brotherhood since its founding.
Late in the fall of 1834, twenty men from the sophomore and junior classes found ten of the best men from the freshmen class and came together in opposition to the activities of the two secret societies on the Williams campus. A meeting was called for the evening of November 4, in the Freshman Recitation Room of Old West College, a Williams College dormitory that still stands today. Within four years, the ideals of an anti-secret brotherhood based on merit spread rapidly, and groups were set up at Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1838, Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in 1845, and Hamilton College and Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
both in 1847. Today, there are over 80 DU chapters and colonies across the United States and Canada.
Among its members, Delta Upsilon includes James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States; Joseph P. Kennedy, Ambassador to Great Britain and father of two senators and a President; Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
, 14th Prime Minister of Canada; Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
, NCAA football national champion as coach of Notre Dame in 1988 and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
college football analyst; Michael D. Eisner, former chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co.; Tommy Franks
Tommy Franks
Tommy Ray Franks is a retired general in the United States Army. His last Army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East...
, former commanding general of the United States Central Command; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., editorialist and author; Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
, two time Nobel Prize winner; Charles Evan Hughes, former Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court; and Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
, current Colombian President.
Founding
In the fall of 1834, on the Williams CollegeWilliams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, the two secret fraternities on campus had begun to effectively dominate the campus honors lists with their own men. This practice was frowned upon by the faculty, as they questioned whether the campus politics were becoming contrary to the founding purposes of the college itself. On November 4, the campus saw the formation of The Social Fraternity. Although the records of this first meeting were destroyed in a fire seven years later, it is known that the Social Fraternity flourished. Soon, more than half of the men on campus were listed as members. The fraternity openly published their constitution and made known their membership and ideals. Soon, The Social Fraternity at Williams was joined by similar groups at Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in Middlebury, Vermont, Hamilton College in Clinton, New York
Clinton, Oneida County, New York
Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....
, and Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
.
In November 1847, these anti-secret groups met in the first convention at Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and formally organized a fraternity, established as the Anti-Secret Confederation (ASC). The ASC constitution paralleled that of the Williams Chapter, and the convention first adopted a member key bearing its motto, the Greek words, Ouden Adelon, meaning "Nothing Secret." The Fraternity's colors were set as "old gold
Old Gold
Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow. The widely-accepted color "Old gold" is on the darker rather than the lighter side of this range....
on a field of sapphire-blue."
The next convention was hosted by the Middlebury Chapter in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
in 1852. By the Convention of 1852, seven chapters had been established and were thriving. The seven chapters in attendance at the convention, Williams, Union, Hamilton, Amherst, Wesleyan
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
of Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
, Western Reserve
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and Colby
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
of Waterville, Maine
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
, are known as the "Seven Stars" of the anti-secrecy fight and are commemorated in the Fraternity Coat of Arms. Two years later, in 1854, Middlebury withdrew from the Confederation and therefore is not included in the "seven stars" commemoration.
Early years
By 1864, the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
had taken its toll on college men, and fraternities as well. Changes were necessary in the ASC, a more centralized government of the chapters was needed, and there were issues regarding fraternity insignia and ritual. In March, delegates from the Hamilton College, Rutgers College
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
(now Rutgers University) and University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
chapters went to Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in Middlebury, Vermont to meet in convention. Within a day, the convention formally adopted the name Delta Upsilon, approved a new constitution, and approved the fraternity's member badge still in use today.
In 1879, the fraternity recognized that active opposition to secret fraternities was no longer necessary. The Convention formally changed the policy of anti-secrecy to non-secrecy, as stated in the Ritual of Initiation, "the character of the secret societies so altered, that hostility toward them decreased." Following the war
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
the fraternity began to grow again and by 1880, Delta Upsilon had grown to fifteen active chapters.
In 1867 and 1869, the fraternity began sporadic publication of Our Record, the fraternity's first journal. In 1882, the Quarterly was introduced as the official fraternity journal. Since then, the journal has not missed an issue making it one of the oldest continuously published fraternity magazines. In 1884, the fraternity celebrated its 50th year with the publication of The Quinquennial, the first published history. This important anniversary marked a surge in new chapters, including chapters in new areas. The first chapter west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, was established in 1890. The first petitioned fraternity chapter was approved in 1886 at Boston's Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
. The first fraternity chapters in the Western United States were established both at the University of California at Berkeley and at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in neighboring Palo Alto in 1896. In 1898, the fraternity established a chapter at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal, which made Delta Upsilon an international fraternity. That same year, a chapter at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, marked the fraternity's first Great Plains Chapter.
Twentieth century
After 1900, the fraternity's growth spurt slowed. The fraternity turned to petitioning societies, often "well-established local fraternities with solid records of achievement on their campuses." These groups were closely examined and often delayed acceptance into Delta Upsilon by the Convention, some groups petitioned five or more times for a charter.In 1909, Charles Evans Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes, Sr. was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican politician from New York. He served as the 36th Governor of New York , Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , United States Secretary of State , a judge on the Court of International Justice , and...
, (Colgate and Brown 1881), led the incorporation
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
of the fraternity. Incorporation under New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
law meant the creation of an Assembly of Trustees who would elect the Board of Directors for the Fraternity.
The first fraternity membership manual, the early predecessor of The Cornerstone, the Manual of Delta Upsilon, was published in 1916. A chapter at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
was established in 1922, opening the Southern United States for Delta Upsilon. In combination with the membership manual, emphasis on chapter quality led to the establishment of strong chapters throughout the 1920s. A Permanent Trust Fund was established in 1921, to ensure financial stability for the growing fraternity.
As the world faced the crash of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, colleges and fraternities across the country were hit hard. Delta Upsilon was lucky and well prepared, not a single chapter was lost; in fact the fraternity added nine chapters to its rolls between 1929 and 1935. During both World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many chapter houses were occupied for military needs.
Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a surge in interest in college fraternities led to a wave of new chapters for the fraternity. In addition to new chapters, the fraternity Board of Directors held its first annual Leadership Conference in the summer of 1949. That year, the Delta Upsilon Educational Foundation was formed to raise money for education and assistance of the fraternity's brothers. In theme with the emphasis on chapter quality, the fraternity instituted the Superior Chapter Program in 1960, a planning and evaluation plan which was used to evaluate chapters on objective criteria.
The Civil Rights Movement in the United States led to an analysis of many institutions, including fraternities, and challenged their membership policies. While many fraternities were found to have by-laws with criteria that permitted only certain men into membership, Delta Upsilon's membership criteria since 1834, had recognized only one distinction: merit.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, new challenges faced Fraternities and Sororities
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Alcohol laws changed, allowing college men to drink. As chapters fell to the social pressures of alcohol, many turned to "wet rushing", the use of parties and events that offer alcohol as an enticement to attend. This process allowed for poor decisions, poor quality new members and damaged chapters. Delta Upsilon was not immune to these pressures, the fraternity did not sit idle. Delta Upsilon was one of the first fraternaties to call for dry rush on college campuses. In addition, the fraternity was one of the first to emphasize the dangers of hazing and implementing more positive pledge education programs. Because of the fraternity's high standards, many chapters were suspended or had their charters revoked.
During the 1990s, efforts strengthened toward alcohol-free initiatives. For instance, the Fraternity established the McQuaid Commission in 1997 to review its focus on alcohol-free policies. The McQuaid Commission evaluated its members' attitudes toward and use of alcohol, as well as the effects of alcohol on the organization as a whole. After investigating these issues, the McQuaid Commission presented a report of its findings in 1998 at its Leadership Institute. The report also included recommendations, which included alcohol education programming for its members, alcohol-free housing for new and reinstated chapters, and new guidelines for meeting the fraternity's Chapter Excellence Plan.
Twenty-first century
On March 28, 2009, Delta Upsilon established its 152nd chapter, and the second of the 21st century, at Webster UniversityWebster University
Webster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. The initiation was also significant as it was the first time in more than a century that Delta Upsilon established a chapter at a school where no previous fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
existed. The initiation was also significant because it included Delta Upsilon's first ever digital initiation, with three Brothers of the Webster Chapter studying abroad in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
being initiated online.
In 2009, the Fraternity achieved another milestone by celebrating its 175th anniversary since inception.
On December 11, 2010, Delta Upsilon initiated their 155th chapter at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. This is the latest university to be added to the ranks.
Coat of Arms
The Fraternity Coat of Arms is blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
ed as follows:
- The shield of Arms: Delta Upsilon bears for arms or a balanced scale proper on a chief azure seven mullets of the first, four and three.
- Crest: Out of a knight's helmet proper and a wreath of the colors mantled, the badge proper.
- Torse and Mantling: Below the arms, the motto in Greek letters, Dikaia Upotheke.
- Bannerets: Dexter, a flagstaff proper and thereon in the fly a banneret of Convention bearing or an oak tree proper on a mount in base vert on a chief azure annulets (in fesse) co-joined; sinister, a flagstaff proper and there on in the fly a banneret of Assembly bearing azure a chevron between five coronets, or two, one and two.
- Badge: A monogram or the Greek letter Delta surcharged upon the letter Upsilon bearing the motto in Greek letters.
Member Badge and Associate Member Pin
The Delta Upsilon Member Badge (shown left) is a gold-klad pin featuring the Greek letter DeltaDelta (letter)
Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 4. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Dalet...
superimposed on a Upsilon
Upsilon
Upsilon is the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 400. It is derived from the Phoenician waw. The name of the letter is pronounced in Modern Greek, and in English , , or...
. The arms of the Upsilon each have a word of the Fraternity motto engraved on them in Greek letters, the left arm has Δικαια, the right arm has Υποθηκη. The badge was designed by a committee, whose first chairman was future United States President James A. Garfield, (Williams 1856), and was adopted by the 1858 Convention.
The Associate Member Pin (shown right), also known as the Pledge Pin, consists of a gold Delta
Delta (letter)
Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 4. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Dalet...
on blue enamel with a gold Upsilon
Upsilon
Upsilon is the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 400. It is derived from the Phoenician waw. The name of the letter is pronounced in Modern Greek, and in English , , or...
in the center.
In both cases, the Delta
Delta (letter)
Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 4. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Dalet...
is always an isosceles triangle whose height is equal to its base.
Flag and colors
The current version of the Fraternity Flag was established in 1911 and consists of three vertical bars, blue, gold, and blue. The gold section features a blue Delta superimposed over a Upsilon, also in blue.In place of a flag, the Fraternity also has an official banner which is made of white silk with the Fraternity Coat of Arms painted or embroidered on it.
The colors of the Fraternity were approved as "Old Gold
Old Gold
Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow. The widely-accepted color "Old gold" is on the darker rather than the lighter side of this range....
and Sapphire Blue
Sapphire
Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
" by the 1881 Convention. In 1866, the Convention first adopted "Chrome
Chrome plating
Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will...
and Blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
" as the official colors. These were altered to simply "Gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and Blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
" in 1879, before taking on their current form in 1881.
Motto and Four Founding Principles
The Fraternity's motto is "Dikaia Upotheke" in Greek - "Δικαια Υποθηκη" - which means "Justice, Our Foundation." The motto was adopted in 1858. Until this time, the motto of the Williams Chapter, "Ouden Adelon" - meaning "Nothing Secret," was used.The Fraternity's Four Founding Principles originated in the Preamble to the early Constitution of the Anti-Secret Confederation. They remained unchanged until the 1891 Convention undertook a complete revision of the Constitution, article-by-article. In the new revision, the old Preamble was completely stricken and the following text was added to Article 1, Section 2: "The objects of this Fraternity shall include the promotion of friendship, the exertion of moral influence, the diffusion of liberal culture, and the advancement of equity in college affairs. It shall be non-secret." This version remained with minor changes until around 1923, when the first printed example of the current version was published in that year's edition of the Manual of Delta Upsilon.
The current text of the Four Founding Principles is:
- The Promotion of Friendship
- The Development of Character
- The Diffusion of Liberal Culture
- The Advancement of Justice
International Headquarters
The current Fraternity Headquarters is located in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Completed in 1971, the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Headquarters was the first Headquarters to be constructed on Founders Road, currently seven other fraternity and sorority headquarters are located within a block on Founders Road and there are more than 32 headquarters in Indianapolis alone. The building was erected through the generosity of Lester E. Cox, (Pennsylvania 1898), an alumnus who left half his estate to the Fraternity.
Chapters and Colonies
Undergraduate Chapters and Colonies are established by the Fraternity and are run by an Executive Council consisting of all of the Executive officers of the chapter, including but not limited to: President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice Presidents. Each Chapter maintains their own constitution and by-laws which are subordinate to the Fraternity Constitution and By-laws.Each Undergraduate Chapter or Colony is supported by an Alumni Chapter whose purpose is to advise and or facilitate the advisory needs of the Undergraduate Chapter.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is the executive and administrative body of the Fraternity. The Board currently seats 13 members, two Undergraduate Directors elected by and from the Undergraduate Advisory Board (UGAB), seven Alumni Directors elected by and from the Assembly, and four officers each elected by the Assembly. The current president of the Board of Directors is E. Bernard Franklin, a 1975 graduate of the Kansas State Chapter.Undergraduate Advisory Board
The Undergraduate Advisory Board (UGAB) is made up of 14 Undergraduate members each representing one of the 13 Provinces or the Canadian Convention (CanCon). The UGAB Representatives are nominated at the Regional Leadership Seminar (RLS) for their Province or CanCon and are elected at the annual Leadership Institute each summer.Province Governors
The Province Governors are Alumni volunteers appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors to a two-year term. There are 14 Province Governors, one for each of the 13 Provinces and the CanCon. The Province Governors act as the link between the Board of Directors and the individual chapters, colonies, and alumni chapters within each Province.The Undergraduate Convention and The Assembly of Trustees
The Undergraduate Convention and the Assembly of Trustees each meet annually at the Leadership Institute. They are the bicameral legislature of the Fraternity. Together the Assembly and the Convention make, repeal, and adopt the Fraternity's Laws. The Convention is made up of one delegate from each Undergraduate Chapter in good standing with the Fraternity. The Assembly is made up of one delegate from each Alumni Chapter in good standing with the Fraternity.Educational Foundation
The Delta Upsilon Educational Foundation (DUEF) was formed in the fall of 1949 to assist individual brothers with scholarships and sponsoring Fraternity programming. Scholarships were first awarded in 1950, with six $500 scholarship awarded each year through 1964. In 2000, the Foundation established the James D. McQuaid Scholarship Fund as a tribute to a former fraternity Presidents. Currently, the fund sponsors four or five $2,500 awards, split between undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships. In 2002, the Oak Circle Scholarship Fund was established with four $1,000 scholarships awarded to undergraduate members. The Foundation also maintains 48 Leadership Institute Scholarships which cover the costs of attending the annual Leadership Institute.Leadership Institute
In the summer of 1949, the first annual Leadership Conference was held and was one of the first fraternity educational programs to be offered every year.Programming at the institute is offered in Risk Management, Recruitment, Leadership, and other crucial topics, with best practices modeled from the fraternity's top chapters. The fraternity ritual is displayed in a "Model Initiation" in which several Associate Members from different chapters are initiated in front of over 300 Delta Upsilon Brothers and Fraternity friends.
The Institute hosts the fraternity's bicameral legislature, the Undergraduate Convention and the Assembly of Trustees. The bicameral model is based on the model of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
with the Convention and the Assembly as the two houses of the legislature.
Winter Educational Conference
Established in 1995, the Presidents' Academy program brings the Fraternity's chapter leaders together each January for a total-immersion leadership experience in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Presidents are prepared and given the training to effectively manage their chapters for the term to come.
A separate track of instruction, the Recruitment Symposium, is offered to undergraduates who head up the recruitment or "rush" efforts at their chapters. Programming is currently offered is the Dynamic Recruitment model by Phired Up Recruitment, Inc of Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
The newest piece of the WEC programming is the Advisors' Academy, a program to give chapter and colony advisors tools and resources to help their chapters succeed.
Regional Leadership Seminar
Delta Upsilon was one of the first fraternities to offer a Regional Leadership Seminar (RLS). The RLS is a weekend seminar held by each Province and CanCon. The seminars are educational sessions on leadership and other chapter issues.DUEL Experience
The Charles Evans HughesCharles Evans Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes, Sr. was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican politician from New York. He served as the 36th Governor of New York , Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , United States Secretary of State , a judge on the Court of International Justice , and...
Delta Upsilon Emerging Leaders (DUEL) Program premiered at the 2000 Leadership Institute in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. Twenty men, all new members and nominated by their chapters, spent 16 hours together learning and refining their leadership skills. Each year, twenty spots are filled with new Brothers who possess leadership qualities and potential to serve in leadership roles within their chapter. Graduates of the DUEL Program have gone on to leadership positions within their chapters, on their campuses, and in Fraternity Committees.
In conjunction with the Fraternity's 175th Anniversary in 2009, DUEL was reorganized and rebranded as an Experience. Most notably, DUEL Experience delegates now travel to Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,754 at the 2010 census...
and participate in a three-day program where the Fraternity's founders worked out the plan for Delta Upsilon.
The Delta Upsilon Quarterly
Since the Quarterly began publication in 1882, the Fraternity has never missed a scheduled printing. The Quarterly is one of the oldest continuously published fraternity magazine in the world. Since January 1973, the Executive Director and staff at the International Headquarters has edited the Delta Upsilon Quarterly. Current issues of the Quarterly may be viewed on the fraternity website.Fraternity Manual
The Cornerstone: Delta Upsilon's Guide to College and Beyond is the fraternity's membership manual. It includes information on the history of the fraternity, tips for academics, etiquette and other miscellaneous information. Appendices include a Chapter Roll listing details about chapter foundings, a list of all social fraternities and sororities, Fraternity Songs and a copy of the Fraternity Constitution and By-Laws.The latest edition, the twenty-fifth, was published in 2010, 19 years after the previous edition was published (1991). This edition simplified the language to be more modern, and introduced a more reader-friendly format. As well as this, it's the first edition of the Cornerstone to be in full color, and comes only as a hardback book.
The first fraternity manual, The Manual of Delta Upsilon was printed from 1916 to 1962, spanning sixteen editions. For the sixteenth edition, the name was changed to Our Record, The Manual of Delta Upsilon which was printed from 1962 to 1989 when the current title was published.
Fraternity Ritual
Because of the Fraternity's non-secret nature, the Ritual Book is available for public viewing on the fraternity website.The Fraternity Ritual began as early as 1840, in the form of a pledge recited by new members upon entering the Social Fraternity. In 1847, the revised pledge was included in the Constitution of the Anti-Secret Confederation, which was read to new members as the "ritual". In 1866, the Convention was compelled by the chapter from Washington and Jefferson College
Greek organizations at Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College is host to 10 Greek organizations and a significant percentage of the undergraduate student body is active in Greek life. With 37% of the student body participating in "greek life," The Princeton Review named Washington & Jefferson College 12th on their 2010 list of...
and the Rutgers Chapter who regarded the "ritual" as "altogether too cold and barren" to establish a Committee on Initiation. The Initiation Rite of 1866, was described by the committee as follows:
"The pledge shall be administered to members-elect standing. The candidates and President shall stand in the center (directly in front of the President’s desk), with the members of the chapter standing about them. The pledge having been assented to, the President shall address the newly elected members assuring them of the cordial sympathy of the society, and defining the relations in which they stand to the Fraternity. He shall then give them the hand of fellowship in the name of the entire Fraternity. After this the other members of the Chapter shall also welcome them as brothers. Upsilon taking their seats all shall join in singing the "Initiation Song."
The 1866 version remained little improved until 1900, when another committee was formed to provide a more uniform and definitive rite which was accepted the next year. As chapters made minor adjustments to the 1901 version, a lack of uniformity again became an issue. In 1910, a revision Committee announced that a final draft of the revised rite was being finalized by Brother John Erskine, (Columbia 1900). The draft was approved in 1911 and the next fall, the Fraternity published the ritual.
The 1911 ritual consisted of three rites. Rite I consisted of the candidates taking pledges of character after which they were informed of the nature of the vows to follow, candidates were questioned about their willingness to continue at this stage. Simultaneously, for Rite II, members of the chapter and visiting alumni were called into another room and given the names of the candidates, at which time any objections toward a candidate were offered. Rite III was then performed for the candidate with the formal reciting of a pledge that closely resembled the current Oath of Initiation, see below.
This version remained unaltered until 1921 with the addition of roll books and inscribing candidates names and pin numbers within was added. Also, Rites II & III were combined to make the ritual a ceremony of two rites. Minor changes to the text and language were made until 1937, when the Convention and Assembly adopted the Ritual of Initiation that is in use today. That version remained unchanged except for the addition of an alternate prayer text in 1973, at the beginning to Rite II.
In the fall of 2000, the language of the ritual was updated and additional ceremonies and explanatory texts were added to create the current version of the Delta Upsilon Ritual Book.
Oath of Initiation
I, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of God and of these witnesses, do hereby solemnly declare that the principles of this Fraternity as they have been explained to me accord entirely with my own views; and I solemnly promise that as a member of this Fraternity I will faithfully adhere to those principles endeavoring in every way to perfect myself morally, intellectually, and socially, and endeavoring also to act towards others according to that high standard of conduct required by the Fraternity.
I solemnly promise that I will be loyal to the Delta Upsilon Fraternity and to this chapter, abiding by their rules, discharging my obligations to them faithfully, and using all honorable means to promote their interests.
I solemnly promise that I will share with my brothers the duties of my chapter; that I will uphold and encourage them in all that is honorable and right; that I will ever extend to each brother the right hand of sympathy; and that at all times and in all circumstances I will endeavor to cultivate those sentiments which should ever exist between brothers.
All this I solemnly promise upon my honor, without any equivocation, mental reservation, or secret evasion of mind whatsoever.
From the "RITUAL OF INITIATION," The Delta Upsilon Fraternity
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
The official songbook of the Fraternity. The first songbook was printed in 1866, as Songs of Delta Upsilon, by the chapter from The University of Rochester. The only song that appears in the current songbook and the original book is Vive Le Delta U then listed as the Initiation Ode.Fraternity Awards
During the Leadership Institute each summer, the Fraternity hands out a number of awards to Chapters, individual members and Fraternity Volunteers.The Sweepstakes Award is given to the most outstanding Undergraduate Chapter of the year. Originally meant to be a traveling award, the traveling trophy visited 26 chapters in 16 states and one in Canada before being retired in the summer of 2001. The current recipients receive a trophy to be kept in the chapter's possession. Seven finalists are selected for this award. These chapters are known as the year's Seven Stars Chapters.
The Chairman's Award is presented to the outstanding Alumni Volunteer of the year. The award was created to recognize the effort given by an alumni volunteer to Delta Upsilon Chapters.
The President's Award is presented to the outstanding Undergraduate member of the year. The award was created to recognize the effort by an Undergraduate member for the betterment of his chapter, campus, and community. The recipient of the award receives a scholarship grant in his name, an invitation to the Leadership Institute at the expense of the Fraternity, and his name on is engraved on a permanent plaque in the Fraternity Headquarters.
The Delta Upsilon Distinguished Alumni Award is one of the highest honors the Fraternity bestows upon its Alumni members. This award was first presented in 1984 during the year-long celebration of the Fraternity’s 150th Anniversary. The award honors those brothers who have brought honor to the Fraternity, either through their personal accomplishments or through exemplary service to the Fraternity. All recipients are approved by the Fraternity’s Board of Directors In 2008, the nature of the award was adjusted to recognize those brothers whose efforts and exemplary service have had a direct impact on the Fraternity. Notable winners of this award include, Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
(Kent State 1958), Brewster Shaw (Wisconsin 1967), Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
(Oregon State 1922), Terry Hart
Terry Hart
Terry Jonathan Hart is a Lieutenant Colonel and former NASA astronaut.-Education:Hart graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in 1964...
(Lehigh 1968), and Arnold Beckman (Illinois 1922).
The Delta Upsilon Founders Medal is one of the highest honors the Fraternity bestows upon its individual members. This award was first presented in 2001 and recognizes those brothers who have provided legendary and long-time service to a specific chapter. The Founders Medal is presented following an extensive nomination process and approval by the Fraternity’s Board of Directors.
Delta Upsilon Awards of Merit were introduced at the 2008 Leadership Institute. They are named after the Founder's description of the Fraternity's membership selection criterion: "the only superiority that we acknowledge is the superiority of merit." The awards are presented to friends and members of the Fraternity who exhibit devotion to the Fraternity and achievement in one of the eight award categories as follows:
- Sloan-Kettering Award of Merit in Business
- James Conant Award of Merit in Education
- Edgar Bergen Award of Merit in Entertainment
- Charles Evans Hughes Award of Merit in Justice
- Stephen Crane Award of Merit in Literature
- Lester Pearson Award of Merit in Human Service
- Linus Pauling Award of Merit in Science
- James Garfield Award of Merit in Public Service
Partner Charity
Delta Upsilon chapters and colonies across North America support a number of community organizations and philanthropic projects. Through the efforts of Delta Upsilon Brothers, the Fraternity is able to touch the lives of thousands of people in communities throughout North America. Many chapters and colonies have local causes and organizations that they support. The partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs provides yet another way that Brothers can become better men while serving others.The values of the Boys & Girls Clubs align with the mission and values of Delta Upsilon. Friendship, Character, Culture, and Justice are supported through numerous club programs and activities. By partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs, DU Brothers are able to support and promote the Fraternity's Four Founding Principles with the leaders of tomorrow.
Notable members
The fraternity's membership roster includes United States President James A. Garfield (Williams 1856), Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court Charles Evans HughesCharles Evans Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes, Sr. was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican politician from New York. He served as the 36th Governor of New York , Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , United States Secretary of State , a judge on the Court of International Justice , and...
(Colgate and Brown 1881), United States Senator-Vermont Justin S. Morrill (Middlebury 1860), Canadian Prime Minister and Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
(Toronto 1919), President of Colombia
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
(Kansas 1973), former Commander in Chief of the US Central Command Tommy Franks
Tommy Franks
Tommy Ray Franks is a retired general in the United States Army. His last Army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces operations in a 25-country region, including the Middle East...
(Texas 1963), Actor Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
(Western Ontario 1967), Author Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane
Stephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
(Lafayette and Syracuse 1894), Author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Cornell 1944), former Chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Co. Michael D. Eisner (Denison 1964), and Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winners Charles Dawes (Marietta 1884), Christian B. Anfinsen
Christian B. Anfinsen
Christian Boehmer Anfinsen, Jr. was an American biochemist. He shared the 1972 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Stanford Moore and William Howard Stein for work on ribonuclease, especially concerning the connection between the amino acid sequence and the biologically active conformation...
(Swarthmore 1937), and Edward C. Prescott
Edward C. Prescott
Edward Christian Prescott is an American economist. He received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 2004, sharing the award with Finn E. Kydland, "for their contributions to dynamic macroeconomics: the time consistency of economic policy and the driving forces behind business cycles"...
(Swarthmore 1962).
Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
(Oregon State 1922) is a member of a small group of individuals who have been awarded more than one Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
, one of only two people to receive them in different fields (the other was Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
) and the only person in that group to have been awarded each of his prizes without having to share it with another recipient.
Two Delta Upsilon fraternity members, Alfred P. Sloan
Alfred P. Sloan
Alfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr. was an American business executive in the automotive industry. He was a long-time president, chairman, and CEO of General Motors Corporation...
(Technology 1895) and Charles F. Kettering (Ohio State 1904), joined together in 1945 to found the Sloan-Kettering Institute, which is now part of the world's oldest and largest private cancer research facility, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
.
NCAA Division I basketball coach Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
of Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
is also an alumnus of Delta Upsilon's Syracuse Chapter. Along with being inducted into the Hall of Fame with over 800 wins and the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
championship, Boeheim continues to be one of the leading advocates in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic
The Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic is an annual college basketball tournament played in November at the beginning of the season...
(a cancer survivor himself).