Concepts

Our earliest brothers abhorred most of what they saw in their fraternity system. They felt the fraternities of that day were unquestionably harmful to its individual members and to the campus atmosphere in general. At that time they had but two choices - join the fraternity system, of which they disapproved, or go entirely alone as an ostracized independent. In reaction to this situation, our founding brothers met to determine if there might be another way. They wished to find a third alternative, combining the best of fraternal and independent life and eliminating the undesirable aspects of both. In their early conferences, our founding brothers soon learned that they individually shared common beliefs, concepts, and concerns. These concepts, which were to be woven through the fabric of Delta Upsilon, are enunciated in the form of our four simple, yet very profound principles:

The Advancement of Justice
The Development of Character
The Diffusion of Liberal Culture
The Promotion of Friendship

In order to understand the significance of that which our founders accomplished in the establishment of Delta Upsilon, it is necessary to have a working knowledge of these principles. Justice, reduced to its simplest terms, is granting to each his due. Justice implies judgment and embodied in the idea of judgment is the further concept of enlightened conscious choice. Enlightened conscious choice requires knowledge, careful consideration, and finally, firm determinations upon which action can be predicated. Justice countenances no special favor or privilege, it gives no quarter to prejudice and it abhors ignorance. Character was the word chosen to connote and collect the most worthwhile traits of man. It encompasses the whole field of ethics and includes the common ideas of honesty, integrity, and compassion for the plight of fellowman. The development of character, then, is the noble aspiration of the men of Delta Upsilon to ever improve themselves and their brothers in the leadership and fulfillment of potential. Implicit is individual responsibility. There is no such thing as a group character. The diffusion of liberal culture is another way to express the balance of sensitivity, humanity, history and aesthetics which must ever govern men of reason in the shaping of their futures with the tools which the genius of science and technology have given them. It includes the responsibility of every college man to take advantage of the boundless opportunities which lie before him to educate himself for the position of leadership which society imposes upon educated men.

Friendship is most profoundly expressed through the experience of brotherly love. Brotherly love emanates from the depths of compassion, respect, and concern. It interjects always into justice the quality of mercy, into character the concept of kindness, and into culture the humanity of reason. It is the forgiving balm, the moderating force, which heals and unites our brothers everywhere in the common bond of fellowship. These are the concepts enunciated by our founders and it soon became apparent to them that it was actually the need for the expression and practice of these concepts in their lives which formed the basis for their union. Second, they also found that it would be helpful to their purposes to establish a strong but flexible institution designed to aid them in the inculcation, cultivation, and implementation of these ideals. As a vehicle for the accomplishment of these noble purposes, Delta Upsilon was created.

Our first, and most important difference, then is found in the fact that it was the need to express and act upon certain common beliefs which gave rise to the institution of Delta Upsilon. That institution was conceived to be, and now remains, entirely secondary to the concepts it was designed to promote. In determining the structure of Delta Upsilon, attention was given to the college fraternities of that day. It was learned that these societies were secret and their so-called Bond of Fellowship emanated from elaborate rituals and ceremonies. Committed as they were to justice, character, culture, and friendship, our founders determined that they would recognize no distinction not founded upon merit. Because secret signs, grips, words, and ceremonies tended to create false standards of acceptability and worth, Delta Upsilon found it necessary to oppose these practices. As symbols of its commitment, Delta Upsilon raised the visor of the helmet of its crest, emblazoned the scales of justice upon its shield, and proudly dared society to openly observe and judge. To say the least, Delta Upsilon was different.

Membership selection in the other fraternities was primarily based upon wealth, influence, and heredity. It was also firmly limited by concepts of racial, religious, and previous nationality prejudices. Consistent with their conceptual beliefs, our founders established as our only membership standard the quality of excellence expressed by the term merit. Indeed different! Unconcerned with the pressing needs of the times, the membership of the existing fraternal societies had withdrawn into entirely closed societies which existed primarily for self-interest, good times, and as a place of respite from the rigors of the educational process. In contrast, Delta Upsilon, committed to the diffusion of liberal culture, initiated programs within its chapter houses to supplement the process of education and to make its members aware of their responsibilities to the community in which they lived. Could those dedicated to justice and character and friendship and culture do less? Again, however, Delta Upsilon found it necessary to be different. Governed by tradition, the other Greek societies, in order to perpetuate a member prototype, trained their pledges. The theory seemed to be that if one could and would endure the personal indignities for a semester, his problems would disappear and he would automatically find himself ready to master any situation. In fact, this test of endurance would so qualify him for his honored place in the sun that he would, upon completing it, be entitled to his own private servant - selected, of course, from next years pledge class.

This philosophy cannot be squared with justice, respect for the dignity of man and his ability to learn by reason instead of force. Concepts of integrity, character and even a remote understanding of friendship cringe in the face of such assertions. Built upon the structure of maturity and responsibility, without harassment, the Honor System of member education was the Delta Upsilon response. As a result, Delta Upsilon determined to have no tradition except its concepts and no member prototype except individual excellence. Unfortunately, however, in order to implement these purposes, Delta Upsilon had to be different. In these and other ways we could mention, it is clear Delta Upsilon has found it necessary to be different. Again, not because it desired to stand aloof and apart, or even enjoy the reputation of oddity, but because adherence to its beliefs would permit no other course.

A brotherhood of this persuasion requires the very most a man can offer in its cause and it demands it so long as he has the strength and breath to carry on its work. It will, from time to time, require the fearless to be different. Delta Upsilon can live and continue to be an effective force only so long as it can continue to secure for its members men who have the following four fundamental characteristics:

(1) A Delta U must be a thinking man. In as much as Delta Upsilon is first and foremost a conceptual Brotherhood, thought, reason and intelligence are essential prerequisites for membership.

(2) A Delta U must be an introspective man. A person who can constantly evaluate and re-evaluate, in an introspective way, his own conduct, that of his Chapter, and that of his society. He must do this with great discipline because every action, program, and activity in which he participates must be justifiable under our concepts or it must be discarded.

(3) A Delta U must be a creative man. He must be ever alert to new and inventive methods of more effectively achieving our overriding conceptual ambitions. He can never be afraid of being revolutionary or different, for that is the history of Delta Upsilon.

(4) Finally, he must be a man of action. Although our concepts are philosophic in nature, they are only observable and conceivable as they result in action. In the Chapter, we must take the very best men our society can offer and help them become great. We cannot, we will not, tolerate mediocrity. As these men develop both within and after they leave our Chapter, we must see that they, and we, make this effort and influence known.

Until justice, character, culture, and friendship are the rule, without material exception, in our society; we cannot give up our special prerogative to be different. Yes, we belong to an unusual fraternity. Adherence to our beliefs has often led us along paths which no other fraternities dared to tread, paths which today, after our lead, they dare not fail to follow. Our spirit has not been one of reform nor of a desire to lead for leaderships sake. We lead because we know we are right and because the paths we take are predetermined by our beliefs. But we are not really leaders; we are followers of the most sound and elevating ideals known to have governed the actions of man toward man.