Letter from the Board of Directors

Dear Brothers, 

We wanted to take this opportunity in the DU Quarterly to provide you with information about a recent announcement the Delta Upsilon International Fraternity Board of Directors shared with our undergraduates, advisors, and alumni chapter and house corporation officers. As you know, last May, the Board announced the approval of a Substance-free Housing Policy. This policy and the rationale behind it were described in depth in the fall 2018 DU Quarterly. As part of this policy, all hard alcohol was to be removed from chapter facilities starting in fall 2018, and all chapter facilities are to be substance-free by fall 2020.

Delta Upsilon remains committed to the implementation of substance-free housing and our desire to create safe, positive environments for our members and guests. As such, over the past year, the Board of Directors and staff have been working with chapters to plan for this transition. Much of what we heard from undergraduates and alumni is that they felt more time was needed. Based on this feedback, the Board of Directors recently adopted a waiver system through which chapters that meet specific standards can apply for substance-free housing waivers for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. This waiver system will provide chapters that meet standards more time to adjust; recruit more men dedicated to creating safe environments; and in some cases, repurpose event space in chapter facilities.

A breakdown of the update is as follows:

• A waiver system will be established for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years that would permit beer and wine in chapter facilities if chapters met the “Expectation” level in the Men of Merit Standards of Chapter Excellence Plan, Program Attendance, Associate Member Education, Loss Prevention and Learning Assessment.
• Note: A chapter’s performance in this upcoming academic year (2019-2020) will determine whether it qualifies for a waiver in 2020-2021.
• If a chapter meets the standards to receive a waiver and chooses to have beer and wine in the facility, it will be charged an additional $100/man Loss Prevention Fee.
• This fee will be in lieu of the Loss Prevention credit for substance-free housing that has been used in the past. Chapters with alcohol in the facility have always paid a higher insurance rate because they are higher risk. 
• During the waiver period, chapters with waivers will have the opportunity to host up to six social events with beer and wine per year (between July 1-June 30) in common areas of the chapter facility. No more than four social events can be held in the same 6-month period (July 1-Dec. 31 and Jan. 1-June 30), and all social events must follow university and Fraternity Loss Prevention guidelines.
• There will no longer be a substance-free housing credit following the 2019-2020 academic year.
• The restriction on tobacco is removed.

The full updated policy and FAQ can be found at www.deltau.org/substance-free.

The Fraternity remains steadfast in our mission of Building Better Men and firmly believes removing alcohol from our facilities is in the best interests of our members and the future of our great Fraternity. The decision to adopt a Substance-free Housing Policy was made based on thorough examination of data, our peers’ practices and the changing higher education landscape. It was a decision taken with great care and respect for our members. The adoption of the waiver system was made the same way. We understand the importance of our chapters being well-equipped to implement this policy and thank the chapters that have worked with the International Fraternity throughout this process.

During the past school year, our Director of Health & Safety Initiatives Dominic Greene, Oregon ’99, visited 25 chapters to specifically discuss the Substance-free Housing Policy and begin to formulate implementation plans designed to fit their individual chapters and campuses. Educational sessions about the policy were held at the Leadership Institute, Presidents Academy, Regional Leadership Academy and Advisors Academy. Other Fraternity staff also worked with chapters regarding the policy. These efforts will continue through fall 2022 and beyond. Delta Upsilon is dedicated to helping each of our chapters succeed in the transition to substance-free housing.

Together, as brothers in Delta Upsilon, it is our duty to create a membership experience rooted in our Four Founding Principles and that provides our brothers and friends with a positive environment in which to learn and thrive. Should you have further feedback or questions regarding the Substance-free Housing Policy, please contact ihq@deltau.org.

Fraternally,

Thomas F. Durein, Oregon State '92 
President, Delta Upsilon International Fraternity 

Robert S. Lannin, Nebraska '81
Chairman of the Board