Delta Tau Delta is a Value Driven Fraternity

* Truth, Courage, Faith and Power Are Our Foundation
* Integrity is Essential
* Accountability is Fundamental to All Commitments
* Life Long Learning and Growth Are Vital
* Strengthening Community is Essential to Our Vitality
* Brotherhood Sustains Us

Long Term Accomplishments

* We Create Opportunities For Our Members to Learn and Live Lives of Excellence
* Our Chapters' Operations and Programs Reflect Our Commitment to Excellence
* We Are a Growing Organization
* Our Membership is Committed to Life Long Involvement in the Fraternity
* We Are an Academic Leader in the Fraternity World
* We Are a Financially Vital Organization
* We Are a Seamless Organization

The Future Declared

In 1858 Delta Tau Delta was founded at Bethany College. Eight undergraduates, angered by a fixed vote for a prize in oratory to be given at the Neotrophian Literary Society, the only real forum for students to practice and demonstrate skills in poetry, public speaking, and writing essays, responded by forming a secret society. The purpose of the new society, known by the Greek letters Delta Tau Delta, was to see that the Neotrophian Society was returned to a normal democracy, and delivered from the hands of the group of students who seized it.

The Fraternity was founded to right an unjust situation; Delta Tau Delta was born of the knowledge that integrity is essential. Its eight founders', outraged that one group of students would and could choose in advance the candidate they favored, then join together to swing enough votes for that man to win, regardless of his actual performance in the contest, presented the first opportunity for Delts to realize the importance of accountability.

Delta Tau Delta is far more than a mere social organization, more than a place to live or a way to meet people. The Delts are different from the typical social fraternity. Our mission, Committed to Lives of Excellence, is what we as a Fraternity represent. Delta Tau Delta fulfills many purposes, not the least of which are sharpening its members� leadership skills and helping them launch successful careers. Delt life provides fantastic opportunities to grow and prepare our members for personal and career development. Our members can utilize the Fraternity as a launching pad to prepare and set themselves apart from other students.

These members beginning their first steps on the pathway to a life of excellence will be learning to accept and encourage their fellow brothers. These members will be exposed to situations and opportunities where individuals can learn from others and experience for themselves the traditions, values, and everyday behaviors of others that represent excellence in every facet of life. Members quickly discover that the Delt path of excellence will support and pave the way to incredible opportunities in their future.

The Mission: Committed to Lives of Excellence

When you become a Delt, you are part of an organization that teaches and supports individuals to live the Delt mission: Committed to Lives of Excellence. A mission is more than just a bunch of words: a mission is a declaration of a future, the place where you want to stand in all life�s challenges and experiences. A mission is what drives you, motivates you and keeps you focused in life. The mission and values are not only a reflection of the Fraternity�s history and accomplishments; the mission and values are also the future of the Fraternity, the purpose of the organization. By pledging Delta Tau Delta, you will commit to be responsible in everything you do to ensure that your actions reflect a life of excellence.

Defining Excellence

Every man must determine the specific achievements he must accomplish in order to deem his own life "excellent." Your responsibilities include choosing a career path, deciding what beliefs to adhere to, what to learn and apply in life, and what actions to take. Delta Tau Delta helps you with these responsibilities by consistently asking one simple question: How are your thoughts and actions reflective of a life committed to excellence? What is "excellence?" Think of it as the process of continually growing and improving yourself and your life. Excellence entails achievement and accomplishing goals that can be measured by constantly asking the question, "Is what I�m doing truly reflective of a life committed to excellence?" Your greatest responsibility as a lifelong member of Delta Tau Delta is to define excellence in your life, then to choose the best course of action to make it happen. Excellence is not a relative term, it is the standard by which you must judge what you do. You will quickly discover that committing yourself to a life of excellence cannot be accomplished haphazardly. First, you need to establish exactly what it means to be "committed" to excellence, and "committed" to the Delt value system. The dictionary provides a definition of the word "commit":

To commit is to bind or obligate, as by pledge.

To commit is to be consigned, given over.

To commit is to do, perform.

To commit is to give in trust or charge.

The first two parts of the definition involve intention; the second two involve action. Commitment transforms promises into reality. It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions, and the actions that speak louder than words. Commitment is making the time for a brother when there is none; helping your brother and the Fraternity time and time again, year after year. It is the stuff character is made of, the power to change the face of things. Making the commitment to living a life of excellence is a binding obligation that will enormously affect your life and that of those around you. Having given yourself over to the Delta Tau Delta mission in trust, you will be well on your way to building behaviors and values that will generate a great advantage for you in obtaining your personal and career goals.

Value System: Truth, Courage, Faith and Power are Our Foundation

The next part of the equation is the value system that guides actions of Delts. Values are the roadmap and tools you need on the journey through a life committed to excellence. Values are guiding principles that help you make decisions and take action in life. You have already lived within many sets of values in your life. Your parents, school, community, and church promote values like respect, a good work ethic, and honesty. To survive and thrive in those environments required compliance with those values. A commitment to Delta Tau Delta will place you in another environment, one where you will play a different and more responsible role in living your life according to values. Delta Tau Delta is a value-driven, private membership organization. Our value system will help you address specific aspects of your life; from academics to social behavior. The Delt value system helps you make decisions and take action. Delta Tau Delta values are guiding principles, a lens through which to view the world. Simply having values is not enough; the real challenge is to truly understand and apply those values into your everyday language, decisions, and actions. The consummate Delt is a man centered in his principles and naturally behaving in a way consistent with the value system of the Fraternity. Since its beginning Delta Tau Delta has embraced truth, courage, faith, and power as its fundamental principles. In addition, the Ritual will reveal other values woven into the fabric of the Fraternity; values like integrity, accountability, and lifelong learning. Although a firm foundation supports even those who are clueless of its meaning, understanding the characteristics of the Delt values of truth, courage, faith and power are necessary to properly appreciate, maintain, and lead the Fraternity�s foundation.

One part of leading the Delta Tau Delta foundation is truth. Truth is fundamental to any organization built on values, but truth is particularly critical to Delta Tau Delta because honest relationships among members are mandatory for brotherhood. Telling the truth to yourself and others is fundamental to your commitment to a life of personal and career excellence, and a cornerstone of the very survival of the chapter. Courage is another principle that Delts incorporate into their thoughts and actions. Being courageous means aggressively taking on challenges and being a leader in the face of adversity. Courage means caring for the lives of the people around you and understanding that sometimes saying "no" is a necessary act of responsibility and love for your brothers and the Fraternity as a whole. The Fraternity itself serves as an excellent role model, having taken on and overcome numerous challenges in its history. As a member of Delta Tau Delta, you will seek out and accept personal challenges in your journey through a life of excellence. Another fundamental value is faith. Faith means fidelity, loyalty, and honor among men. Faith also means knowing that the people around you will choose to do the right thing provided they have the necessary information and understand the consequences of their actions. Even today faith is absolutely necessary for our stability as a Fraternity and for us as men. Power is another value woven into the Fraternity�s fabric. Power is the basic energy to initiate and sustain action; translating intention into reality. The inherent ability and talents of each Fraternity member are valuable resources at your disposal. Intellectual strength provides ideas and recognition of the challenges you will face daily. Moral superiority provides you the under-standing of what is right and good in your life, and the determination to keep it. These are the qualities that give Delts the power and the energy to continue looking and moving towards a great future together. The words, "truth, courage, faith, and power," represent far more than outlined here; the initiation ceremony provides a greater description of their richer symbolism. The knowledge of these four fundamental principles of Deltism is important, as they are not only the foundation for the Fraternity, but also keys to the advancement of each individual member�s personal and career goals. These four principles are also directly connected to five important values to which we are committed (integrity, accountability, lifelong learning and growth, strengthening community, and brotherhood).

To understand the history of Delta Tau Delta you must also understand the founding of greek letter societies. There are many similarities in the founding of the greek system in 1776 and the founding of Delta Tau Delta in 1858.

1776 Phi Beta Kappa, the first Greek letter society, is formed at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, in response to strict faculty members' attempts to rule all phases of students' lives. Nine men chronologically and geographically at the heart of impending revolution in the asyetunformed United States create for themselves an opportunity to secure freedom and the chance to govern their own affairs outside the classroom. Those nine students meet in the Raleigh Tavern on December 5 where they adopt a secret oath, a badge, a handshake, and mottoes in Greek and Latin. They devise an initiation ceremony and adopt a Greek letter name. The stage is now set for other Greek letter societies to follow suit.

You should recognize some of the same qualities in the story of Phi Beta Kappa's founding as those we at Delta Tau Delta embrace. The nine men who pledged their loyalty to each other in 1776 were also committed to excellence; they found strength in brotherhood, saw the importance of courage in the face of what they considered injustice. So you see, the quest for excellence extends deep into our roots, beyond even our own founding as a Fraternity, to the very beginning of the Greek system itself.

1825 Kappa Alpha Society is founded at Union College in New York. Two years later, Sigma Phi and Delta Phi are founded at Union; later, Psi Upsilon, Chi Psi, and Theta Delta Chi are also founded at Union, giving it the title "Mother of Fraternities."

Perhaps the main reason Union College was the birthplace of so many fraternities is that Eliphalet Nott, President of Union, was forwardthinking enough to actually encourage such organizations. He understood the value of fraternities to enhance young men's academic performances, provide them with a common goal, and support them with a system of values to achieve that goal. Nott's contribution to the Fraternity System is yet another example of excellence, foreshadowing the benefits of the values we embrace today.

1858 Delta Tau Delta is founded at Bethany College. Eight undergraduates, angered by a fixed vote for a prize in oratory to be given at the Neotrophian Literary Society the only real forum for students to practice and demonstrate skills in poetry, public speaking, and writing essays respond by forming a secret society. The purpose of the new society, known only by the Greek letters Delta Tau Delta, is to see that the Neotrophian is returned to popular control, and delivered from the hands of the group of students who seized it.

The Fraternity was founded to right an unjust situation; Delta Tau Delta was born of the knowledge that integrity is essential. Its eight founders' outraged that one group of students would and could choose in advance the candidate they favored, then join together to swing enough votes for that man to win, regardless of his actual performance in the contest, presented the first opportunity for Delts to realize the importance of accountability.

1859 Bethany Chapter grants charters to three chapters; West Liberty, West Virginia University, and Jefferson. To establish membership, the new chapters are given a Constitution and Ritual, membership badges, and are taught the Fraternity's mottoes and purposes all of which had been devised by the eight founders shortly after the group's initial formation.

Whether the founders realized it at the time or not, brotherhood truly did sustain the Fraternity. Had they not had the foresight to extend welcoming arms to other young men interested in becoming Delts, the organization would have dissolved.

1861 Jefferson Chapter assumes Fraternity control and Alpha designation. Henry Bell, a founder and alumnus, comes from his home in Kentucky to search for a way to preserve the Fraternity after the last remaining Bethany members leave for the armed forces. In Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at Jefferson College, he find Rhodes Sutton and Samuel Brown and persuades them to come to Bethany to be initiated. The two men brave a snowstorm and nearly impassible mountain roads on horseback to be initiated at Bethany on February 22. Sutton and Brown return to Canonsburg the following morning and that day initiate two more men at Jefferson.

Henry Bell knew his responsibility to keep Delta Tau Delta alive and flourishing; he was accountable to his brothers and to future members of the Fraternity. A man of integrity, he knew to look for other men of integrity Rhodes Sutton and Samuel Brown to entrust with the future of the organization.

1866 First General Convention is held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with five chapters represented; Allegheny, Ohio University, Washington and Jefferson, Monmouth, and Pittsburgh.

Early leaders of the Fraternity showed foresight yet again; by creating a means of communication between the rapidly growing number of chapters, they prepared the organization for growth.

1869 Ohio Wesleyan chapter assumes control of the Fraternity and takes on the Alpha designation after Jefferson chapter is reduced to a point where it can no longer function as the governing chapter. William H. Kirk is instrumental in keeping the Fraternity alive.

The continuity of the Fraternity was given precedence over a chapter's pride and control. Remaining members of the dwindling Jefferson chapter were men of integrity, accountable to one another and to the organization itself, and responded to the need for a betterequipped group to manage the Fraternity. They sought out a strong chapter and handed the reigns over.

1874 Four Divisions of the Fraternity are created, the first such step taken by any fraternity.

This structural decision showed still more evidence of the leadership abilities of the calibre of men who become involved in Delta Tau Delta.

1875 Allegheny chapter, the fourth and final chapter to hold Alpha designation, assumes control of the Fraternity after the Ohio Wesleyan chapter disappears. James S. Eaton, Alpha (Allegheny) 1875, a "hero" of the Fraternity, travels to Delaware, Ohio to collect what remains of the organization's records he can find. After discovering what little he can about the loss of the Ohio Wesleyan members, he brings the "Alpha" designation back with him to Allegheny. There, a wellmanaged group of undergraduates handle their own chapter affairs as well as the supervision of the whole Fraternity. Delta Tau Delta flourishes during Allegheny's era of control; a magazine is established; 15 chapters are founded, of which eight survive (several others are reestablished later).

1880 First alumni chapter is founded in Chicago, Illinois.

Delts set the example for the value, "lifelong learning and growth are vital."

1883 The Executive Council is established to govern the Fraternity, replacing government by the Alpha chapter. For the first time, administration of the Fraternity is passed from undergraduates to alumni volunteers. The Alpha Chapter, however, makes certain that the annual General Convention, to which all chapters send representatives, is still the policymaking body and that the Executive Council's role is to carry out the decisions made at the General Convention.

Our present manner of government remains remarkably similar to this early structure, so accurate were early members in determining the Fraternity's administrative needs. The Executive Council's name became the Arch Chapter, and the General Convention became the Karnea, but the relationship has remained the same. Undergraduate delegates control the Karnea; the Karnea determines all Fraternity policy; the Arch Chapter carries out orders given at Karnea.

1886 The Fraternity merges with the Rainbow Fraternity, an old and respected southern fraternity founded in 1848 at the University of Mississippi.

Reaching out once again to invite others to join, the men of Delta Tau Delta provided themselves additional strength as well. Responding to a weak geographical area, the south, our Delt forefathers took decisive action to fortify the organization.

1889 A new Fraternity Constitution establishes the position of chapter advisor and changes the name of the Executive Council to Arch Chapter.

Members in this era acknowledged the need for active alumni involvement in the lives of undergraduate Delts. Accountability, brotherhood, and lifelong learning and growth are all evidenced in this action.

1909 The National Interfraternity Council is formed by a group of men's fraternities (including Delta Tau Delta) recognizing the need to refocus competitive energies, which previously fueled bitter rivalries, into more mature, cooperative activities; James B. Curtis, a Delt, is one of the founders.

Throughout the NIC's history Delts have been active members. Alvan E. Duerr was the Council's first Scholarship Chairman; he then went on to be President of the NIC not once, but twice. A. Bruce Bielaski, Joel W. Reynolds, and Edwin L. Heminger are all Delts who served as Presidents of the Fraternity, then went on to become Presidents of the NIC. Delta Tau Delta is one of only two fraternities to have had five of its members serve as President of the Conference. The NIC's highest award, the Gold Medal, has been granted to five Delts: former Fraternity President Alvan E. Duerr; former President of Brown University, Henry M. Wriston; former Delt President and United States Supreme Court Justice, Tom C. Clark; former Delt President and founder of the Interfraternity Research and Advisory Council, Joel W. Reynolds; and former Delt President, chairman of the Delta Tau Delta Educational Foundation, and newspaper publisher, Edwin L. Heminger. These great men and their achievements provide a diverse array of role models. Each man recognized the importance of becoming involved with not only the Fraternity, but with the whole Greek system. Each lived the value, "strengthening community is essential to our vitality."

1913 Central Office established in New York City, later moves to Indianapolis, Indiana.

1921 Undergraduate Loan Fund established.

1922 First Field Secretary appointed, a pioneering step in the Fraternity world. (Field Secretaries are now called Chapter Consultants).

1924 Delta Tau Delta creates the office of Supervisor of Scholarship, becoming the first fraternity to place on its governing board an officer concerned solely with fostering high scholarship.

Immediately preceding World War I chapter scholarship declined to such a low point that a direct line could be drawn between fraternity membership and low grades. Several programs were instituted to remedy this situation, including a system of reporting on academic achievement; the Fraternity also set an academic standard for initiation. The office of Supervisor of Scholarship, added to the Arch Chapter, is now called the Director of Academic Affairs. In order that a man can institute programs and hold office long enough to see them implemented, this office has no term limit.

Richard H. Alfred (1832-1914)

Richard H. Alfred, at 26, the oldest of the group, became a minister and a physician. His involvement with Delta Tau Delta stemmed from a sense of moral duty to the truth, and his activities later in life continued this commitment.

Eugene Tarr (1840-1914)

Eugene Tarr, a "local boy" whose home was only six miles from Bethany, stayed in West Virginia after college. A strong proponent of strengthening his community, Tarr became a noted speaker, lawyer, and editor of the newspaper.

John C. Johnson (1840-1927)

John C. Johnson was also a native West Virginian (although at that time the area was still a part of Virginia). He became a lawyer and politician, a career which clearly displayed power. He was the political advisor to John W. Davis, the Democratic nominee for President in 1924. One of Johnson's favorite pastimes was conducting tours of Bethany and pointing out the room where Delta Tau Delta was founded. He outlived the other founders by eight years.

Alexander C. Earle (1841-1916)

Alexander C. Earle, the youngest of the group of eight founders, went on to become a Captain in the Second South Carolina Volunteers, where he commanded his own company. For many years his whereabouts were unknown and he was believed dead, but he was finally located living in Arkansas. Earles' spirit of courage is one we emulate today. He also set an excellent example for us through his commitment to lifelong learning and growth by attending three Karneas.

William R. Cunningham (1834-1919)

William R. Cunningham, 25, was only a freshman at the time Delta Tau Delta was formed. Because he was older and had become a Mason, however, he exerted much influence in the group. Cunningham, the picture of integrity, was probably responsible for much of the early language in both the Delt Constitution and Ritual. He served as President of the Karnea in 1883. He was also a minister and held public office in the state of Washington.

John L.N. Hunt (1838-1918)

John L.N. Hunt was the scholar of the group. Yet another testament to the value of lifelong learning and growth, after graduating from Bethany, Hunt went on to become the valedictorian of his class at New York University's School of Law. He then served for several years as New York's Commissioner of Education.

Jacob S. Lowe (1839-1919)

Jacob Lowe hosted the first meetings of the group in his quarters in a rooming house which has now become an international shrine for the Fraternity. Lowe, who became a professor and later a college president, helped facilitate the initial bonds of brotherhood which still sustain us.

Henry K. Bell (1839-1867)

Henry K. Bell, a Kentuckian, lived only six years after graduation. His contribution to the Fraternity was immense; without him, there would be no Delta Tau Delta today. Bell responded to a call for help from the last remaining members of the Bethany chapter who were leaving to join the armed forces. It was Bell's faith, integrity, and understanding of the importance of maintaining brotherhood and a strong community that led him to two Jefferson College students. Bell initiated Rhodes Standbury Sutton and Samuel S. Brown during a raging snowstorm on February 22, 1861. Upon the collapse of the Bethany chapter following its members' departure, the new Jefferson chapter took over management of the Fraternity.

We strictly follow the hazing policies of both Arizona State University and Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. To put it simply, these policies state that we will not at any time haze any of our members or prospective members. Hazing is a violation of the Arizona State University Code of Conduct and is against the law in the State of Arizona.

Delta Tau Delta's exact hazing policy is as follows:

No chapter of Delta Tau Delta shall indulge in any physical abuse or undignified treatment (hazing) of its pledges or members. Hazing is defined as any action taken or situation created intentionally, whether on or off Fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities and situations include paddling in any form, creation of excessive fatigue, physical and psychological shocks, quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities, kidnapping of actives by pledges or pledges by actives as well as the forced consumption of alcohol, wearing apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste, engaging in any public stunts and buffoonery, morally degrading or humiliating games and activities, late work sessions which interfere with academic activity, and any other activities which are not consistent with Fraternal law, Ritual or policy with the regulations and policies of the host educational institution.