From the Desk of the Executive Director

Dear Brothers,

With the end of one decade and the start of a new decade, I thought now might be a good time to take a look at the past 10 years of Delta Upsilon and reflect on where we were and how far we’ve come. The last decade has been one of the most successful and transformative for our Fraternity.

In 2009, the Fraternity celebrated its 175th anniversary, and a Presidential Task Force was established to uncover how to create an enriching experience for the 21st Century student. The goals developed from that initiative have called us to create stronger chapters, develop impactful programming, be a leader in innovation, and ultimately, build better men. The execution on those goals has led the Fraternity to unparalleled success and industry-wide recognition.

Membership

We began the decade with 3,014 undergraduate members and closed with 4,058, a 74 percent increase, whereas the industry average was 43 percent. The Fraternity’s average chapter size grew from 36 to 56 members.

Leadership Programs

The decade saw the establishment of award-winning programs such as the Global Service Initiative, Regional Leadership Academy, Building Better Men Retreats, the Emerging Leaders Experience at Williams College and GreekLifeEdu for all members. The growth in educational program opportunities has allowed us to impact a large percentage of a chapter, not just a few leaders. The number of men impacted by a program grew from 1,339 in 2010 to 2,941 in 2019. The average chapter is now sending 11 men per year to one of our in-person educational programs.

In addition, we implemented the new Associate Member Education Program, Men of Merit Chapter Standards Program, and began measuring how members experience brotherhood with our Membership Outcomes Assessment.

Academic Performance

The all-DU GPA has increased from 3.00 to an all-time high of 3.098, which is higher than both the all-men’s and all-fraternity averages for the campuses with a DU chapter.

Loss Prevention

In a time when fraternity incidents are headlining the news, Delta Upsilon’s risk profile has improved significantly in the last decade. Delta Upsilon’s paid insurance claims were 50 percent less last decade compared to the previous, positioning DU with one of the best loss rates in the industry. This statistic is the one that I am personally most proud of.

So, what does this data tell me about Delta Upsilon over the past 10 years? DU chapters have achieved a much higher level of success through expanded membership, increased retention, improved leadership, and elevated engagement and participation in positive chapter activities. Our men are succeeding in the classroom and having healthier, safer DU experiences.

As we begin this decade, fraternities are under great scrutiny and must adapt to a changing landscape. I believe the need for fraternity is greater today than any time in history. Young men need a community where they can learn, grow and have meaningful relationships with other men. Our men need spaces to come together and have healthy, positive experiences rooted in our Principles. Fraternities provide the necessary spaces for men to experience brotherhood and fellowship. We need to do everything we can to provide an atmosphere and environment that men can’t find anywhere else on campus.

Delta Upsilon has transformed into a premier men’s development organization. We have invested in our young DUs’ personal development. We have created industry leading (and award-winning) educational programs, experienced unprecedented membership growth, and became the first fraternity to launch a comprehensive global engagement and service opportunity for its members. Our educational efforts have focused on teaching life skills, knowledge development, and instilling and clarifying personal values over the course of an undergraduate career. Every university community needs opportunities like the experience DU offers.

Delta Upsilon is a leader among fraternities, and that is thanks to you. You have helped us pave a path to success, and your continued support as role models, advisors, donors and brothers allows us to continue to build better men.

Fraternally,
Justin Kirk, Boise State ’00
Executive Director
Delta Upsilon Fraternity and Educational Foundation