By choosing to join Delta Upsilon, you have chosen a system unique at the University of Texas at Arlington .  It is not a system marred by childish harassment, not strengthened by meaningless secrets not is it by the degradation of its new members.  DU membership is built upon respect, respect for the Fraternity, and its members.

Delta Upsilon believes there is nothing that builds character and lifetime bonds than shared responsibilities, work, and laughter.  At the same time, you can share your fraternity experience with your family and friends.  This is why we do not have secrets at Delta Upsilon.  If all you have in common with your brother is a secret handshake, or password, your relationship will not last.

Because Delta Upsilon is built on respect and justice for our fellow man, we do not practice hazing.  Like secrets, hazing is an artificial way to promote brotherhood.  We believe that humiliation and wasting the time and effort of our new members is destructive to the fraternity.  There are too many positive things to be accomplished at our fraternity to waste time on hazing.  Membership at Delta Upsilon is based on equality.  No one person is above the other.  We ask nothing of the new members that we would not ask of the active chapter.  We take pride in our members and expect them to have respect for the active chapter, as well as, the fraternity without having to use humiliation techniques.

By choosing Delta Upsilon, you have demonstrated responsibility for your future, and have achieved a great deal of respect from the active members.  It is true desire of the active membership that the new men of Delta Upsilon reach their goal of becoming active members.  In the process reaching this goal, Delta Upsilon feels that you will develop into the type of individual that will be a true asset to our great fraternity, and to society as a whole.

”We would invest no class of our fellow students with factious advantage, but would place all upon equal footing in running the race of honorable distinction.

The only superiority, which we acknowledge, is the superiority of merit.

We… therefore do agree to form a society for the purpose of maintaining and diffusing liberal principle and for promotion of the great objects of social and literary improvements…

In doing this we are confident that we have at heart best interests of the institution of which we belong, and that we are directed by the light experience the suggestion of reason and the dictates of conscience.”

From the 1839 Preamble

Delta Upsilon Constitution

Associate Member Initiation Requirements

1. Attain a minimum grade point average of 2.5 over the pledge period, with a minimum of 9 hours.

2.    Participate in pledge class philanthropy.

3.    Participate in pledge class fundraiser.

4.    Finish chapter gift or pledge project.

5.    Present a paddle for your Big Bro at Paddle Party.

6.    Present a pledge class paddle at Paddle Party.

7.    Complete Talk Books.

8.    Cannot fail three pledge exams.  Failing is a 60% or lower.

9.    Pass Pledge Exam with a 90%.

10.  Pass Rally.

The following is encouraged but not required:

1.     Walk out with another Delta Upsilon Chapter.

2.     Social event with a sorority or organization on campus.

3.     Social event for the actives.

The badge of Delta Upsilon was presented and adopted by the Hamilton Convention of 1858 by Edward P. Gardner of Amherst, chairman of the Badge Committee.  By convention mandate and custom, the badge is worn on jackets, suit coats, etc.  The top of the badge should be level with the top of the shirt pocket and one half inch to the right.  Wearing the badge on certain types of pull over sweaters rests with good judgment and general customs of each chapter.  A badge may be draped in mourning to pay respects to a decreased brother by winding black silk around it horizontally to a convenient width.  The official badge can be worn by no other person than a duly initiated brother, except his mother, wife or fiancée.  Under no circumstances is a member’s badge into a ring or any other such object.

The Delta Upsilon pledge pin is worn by a man who has actually accepted a bid to pledge the fraternity.  He wasn’t it until he is formally initiated.  Should a pledge withdraw or transfer from school, he should return the pledge button to the chapter, which issued it.

Wear it with pride!

Fall 2006 Pledge Manual