Delta Sigma Phi Timeline

Association formed at City College of New York, called Insula (the mother chapter, later renamed Alpha), on December 10

Second chapter established at Columbia University, called Morningside (Beta)

Delta Sigma Phi incorporated in New York state on December 15

Third chapter informally established at New York on December 15
First national Fraternity dinner held December 26

Formal installation of University Chapter January 2

Constitutional Convention held in August at Insula' apartment
Charles A. Tonsor, Jr. elected president, and Meyer Boskey elected secretary
The Convention adopted a Constitution that created national offices and an executive committee to govern between Conventions Two new chapter formally received into the Fraternity during the Convention: Technology (Delta), which had been organized at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1904; and Keystone (Epsilon), organized in 1905 at Penn State

Tonsor and Boskey chartered the Washington and Lee Chapter as Stonewall (Zeta)
First alumni group chartered as the New York Alumni Chapter
The Convention changed the Fraternity's approach to naming chapters to the present Greek-alphabet designations

Boskey, having conceived the idea of a national magazine to bind the chapters together, published the first issue of The Carnation in April
Eta Chapter installed at Texas
Theta Chapter installed at Cornell

1908

Official badge designated at the convention
Kappa Chapter established at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn) in November
Iota Chapter installed at Penn in December

Lambda Chapter installed at Trinity
Delta Sigma Phi became a founding member of the National Interfraternity Conference

Mu Chapter installed at Chicago
Nu Chapter installed at Waynesburg

Omicron Chapter installed at Cumberland
Convention created an Administrative Council with the power to grant chapters between Conventions

Office of national general secretary created at the Convention and Arthur Defenderfer chosen to fill the position
The Ritual first published
Fraternity restricted membership to men of the Christian faith
Coat-of-arms, seal, pledge symbol, and badge adopted

First Delta Sigma Phi Headquarters opened in the Reibold Building, Dayton, Ohio
Hilgard Chapter installed at UC-Berkeley
Pi Chapter installed at Furman
Rho Chapter installed at NC State
Sigma Chapter installed at Thiel
Tau Chapter installed in Hillsdale
Upsilon Chapter installed at Franklin and Marshall
The Carnation is named the official magazine of the Fraternity

Phi Chapter installed at St. Louis
Chi Chapter installed at Tulane
Psi Chapter installed at Wofford
Omega Chapter (the last of the single Greek letter charters) installed at Pitt
The Convention divided the nation into geographical districts, established a system of district deputies to supervise each one

Convention made biennial instead of annual
First deputy district system established

Lon A. Scott, who had graduated from Cumberland University in 1915 as valedictorian of his class, became Delta Sigma Phi's first congressman

The Convention established Board of Governors of seven men with full power to manage and direct the affairs of the Fraternity; the Board of Governors later shrank to five members, and the Administrative Council disappeared, replaced by an Endowment Board of Trustees

On May 23 a trademark was granted to Delta Sigma Phi for the quarterly, The Carnation

The Sphinx, an esoteric publication, first appeared; it has been issued subsequently as needed
The Convention adopted a ceremony for the dedication of new chapter houses and instituted the Pilgrim Degree, a special ritual for those making the pilgrimage to a national Convention
The Fraternity initiated its first and only honorable member of the Fraternity when the Honorable James J. Davis, secretary of Labor in the Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover cabinets, was initiated at the request of Omega Chapter
At the Fraternity's quarter-century mark, there were forty undergraduate chapters

First pledge manual issued; now called the Gordian Knot

Board of Governors adopted official Fraternity flag
The first Sailors Ball held at Alpha Chi Chapter

First Fraternity Manual published

Fraternity reincorporated in the District of Columbia, where the offices of General Secretary Defenderfer were located

Harvey H. Herbert Award for distinguished service to the Fraternity first awarded

The Lute Songbook first published

First district training school for officers conducted in Chicago

Board of Governors banned Hell Week practices throughout the Fraternity

Upon the retirement of Arthur Defenderfer, the Headquarters moved from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Ohio, the home city of Arthur Sprague, the new national treasurer
Marcus E. Sharpe became executive director

Arthur H. Sprague became executive director

Harold Balback became executive director

System of universal life membership approved, providing The Carnation to each initiate as a life subscription
Francis Wacher became executive director

Twelve chapters installed-the largest number in the history of the Fraternity-two revived

Deputy district system gave way to an eighteen-member governor system

Headquarters moved to Denver
New flag chosen

The Delta Sigma Phi Foundation established; granted status as a nonprofit educational Foundation in 1958, it provides scholarships to students with high academic achievement and supports other Delta Sigma Phi educational programs

The Lute Songbook reissued

Delta Sigma Phi votes to end racial and religious discrimination policies (though the policies had not been enforced for much of the time they were in effect)

Office of executive secretary renamed executive director

Outstanding Active Award established

The Grand Council formed
Governor system redesigned to reflect the earlier deputy district system

Mr. Delta Sig Award, the highest honor the Fraternity can bestow, first conferred
Denver Headquarters moved to Milwaukee Street

Following retirement of Francis Wacker, E. Allen James became executive director

Headquarters moved in Indianapolis, Indiana

Taggart Mansion purchased, renovation completed in 1984

Delta Sigma Phi became the first organization to provide fraternity experience to deaf students by establishing a colony at Cal State-Northridge

Pyramid of Excellence implemented, a new award structure for recognizing the top chapters in the Fraternity
Delta Sigma Phi became the first fraternity to ban Little Sister organizations

Outstanding Active Award renamed the E. Allen James Outstanding Undergraduate Award upon James's retirement as executive director David A. Testerman became executive director

Risk Management Policy adopted, prohibiting use of chapter funds for purchase of alcohol

Daniel A. Smercina became executive director
Largest Convention attendance ever (held in Washington, D.C.)

Regional Leadership Director program introduced to replace leadership consultants

First College of Engineered Leadership; held at Purdue
Alumni Recognition Ceremony adopted

Austin Hastings became first undergraduate member of the Grand Council in January

Delta Sigma Phi launches Internet home page on the World Wide Web

Tony Smercina is appointed the executive director of the Foundation - Jon Hockman becomes the executive director of the Fraternity

College of Engineered Leadership changes to the Leadership Institute
The Challenge Team replaces the Regional Leadership program

The 52nd Biennial Convention assembled voted to adopt The Challenge initiative effective December 10, 2000
Delta Sigma Phi celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Fraternity

December 10 - Delta Sigma Phi adopted Alcohol-Free Housing initiative

 

Scott Wiley hired as Executive Director

Regional Leadership Academies (RLAs) developed and held to educate chapter leadership on operations
Regional Director program replaced Challenge Team

55th and Biennial Convention held in Austin, TX
Delta Sigma Phi Commissioners Program developed to provide support to Fraternity’s ACBs
Inaugural Brotherhood Retreat programs held to educate new initiates about the national Fraternity

Songs of the Lute CD developed and sold
Fraternity begins Alumni Spotlight feature on web site
Epsilon chapter at Penn State re-started

Inaugural Alumni Executive Roundtable held in Hollywood, FL
56th and Biennial Convention held in Phoenix, AZ
Blood, Sweat & Cash national service project developed in conjunction with The American Red Cross ^®
Delta Sigma Phi Circle online community developed and launched
15th Anniversary of the Delta Sigma Phi Leadership Institute celebrated with Omicron Class graduation
Hilgard chapter at Cal-Berkeley re-started

The Summit program for chapter presidents and recruitment chairmen developed and held in Indianapolis – over 170 brothers trained during inaugural event
Over 1,000 undergraduates and alumni volunteers trained in months of January and February