For Immediate Release
Nov. 19, 2016
Contact: Ashley Martin, Director of Communications
amartin@deltau.org
Delta Upsilon suspends its Missouri Chapter
On Nov. 19, 2016, the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Board of Directors suspended its Missouri Chapter as a result of repeated violations of Delta Upsilon policy. This suspension means all chapter operations have ceased, and all initiated members have been placed on a suspended status.
The decision to suspend the chapter was made following a Nov. 19 hearing in which eight undergraduate members and two alumni advisors met with the Board of Directors. After a thorough review of the allegations and full consideration of the Missouri Chapter’s presentation and written materials, the Board voted to suspend the chapter. The chapter was notified on Dec. 5, after the Fraternity, advisors and university worked through details and procedures for the suspension.
The suspension is a result of repeated violations of Fraternity and university policy and state law. On three separate dates during the fall 2016 semester—Aug. 27, Sept. 9 and Sept. 16—the chapter hosted social events that had multiple violations of policy. The chapter was placed on temporary emergency suspension on Sept. 28, and held two more events that violated the terms of its temporary suspension.
The Board of Directors did not base any of its decision to suspend the chapter on the members’ alleged involvement in an incident with the Legion of Black Collegians on Sept. 27-28. The chapter and LBC representatives have been working through a mediation process with the MU Office for Civil Rights & Title IX, and it is anticipated that this issue will be successfully resolved soon. Unsubstantiated claims of predatory drug use, which have been refuted by the International Fraternity, were also not considered in this decision.
“The decision to close any chapter is extremely difficult,” said Justin Kirk, Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Executive Director. “The Missouri Chapter has been an important part of the Fraternity and the university community for decades. However, in recent years, the chapter has struggled to follow Fraternity policy despite unprecedented levels of support from staff, alumni and the university. Delta Upsilon is committed to being an integral, productive part of any campus community, therefore, we hold all of our members and chapters accountable to a set of standards. Unfortunately, repeated failure to meet those standards led to this tough decision.”
The chapter house is owned by a local house corporation of alumni, not the International Fraternity. As stated in their lease, undergraduate members living in the home have the option to remain there throughout the spring semester. However, the men are prohibited from representing themselves as a chapter of Delta Upsilon per the terms of the suspension.
Delta Upsilon and the University of Missouri have negotiated the chapter’s potential return to campus as early as the fall 2018 semester.
Established on Nov. 4, 1834, Delta Upsilon is an international men's college fraternity with 76 chapters and colonies across the United States and Canada. The Fraternity, founded at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, is the oldest, non-secret, Greek-letter society and is committed to Building Better Men for a global society through its Four Founding Principles: friendship, character, culture and justice. More than 130,000 men have joined the Delta Upsilon Fraternity since its founding more than 182 years ago.