By Kirk Laughlin
This spring Delta Upsilon, the oldest continuous running fraternity on campus will be reorganized due to low recruitment and sub-par performance from its existing members.
Rick Sneed, University of Louisville chapter advisor for the Delta Upsilon Fraternity, said, “Since many members were somewhat guilty, it was hard for the undergrads to take stern action. The main problem is that there were several guys trying very hard, but getting little help or support. After a while, they started to lose interest.”
Reorganization is a drastic step for any fraternity that occurs when the alumni feel that the fraternity has problems too large for the current membership to correct. During reorganization, the alumni chapter can petition the International Fraternity requesting the chapter be temporarily closed and restarted again with some or none of the previous members. In this case, the alumni of DU allowed five of the previous members to return this spring as active members. According to the fraternity Web site, these five members are excellent students, committed to the concept of fraternity and Delta Upsilon, and are willing to give 100 percent to rebuild the chapter. Recently, DU has taken in some members who could not afford fraternity membership and did not understand the commitments necessary for fraternity membership. It was this lackadaisical stance shown from some members that caused the alumni to seek a radical solution.
Alex Laudeman, a freshman history major and current Delta Upsilon pledge for the 2008 semester, said, “This is a unique opportunity for myself and everyone else in DU and those wanting to join. I will be able to set up traditions and create a name for myself and other brothers. I know that this will be difficult for us but I have great confidence that we will be able to build up the chapter and show others around campus what it means to be a DU.”
Shane Hook, a senior communication major and member of Lambda Chi fraternity, is not as enthusiastic about the reorganization. “I think its malarkey. Are they just going to give up that quickly [with the new members]? Were they that bad? Everybody deserves a second chance. All fraternities have their ups and downs.”
According to Sneed, over the past year, DU alumni have invested over $20,000 in trying to get the chapter growing. They are committed to continue that support as long as the active members work hard and do their part.
During the mid-1990s the chapter bought a house on South Third Street and moved off campus. While the chapter did well there for a few years, enrollment declined, and by 2003 there were less than 10 members.
With the reorganization, DU hopes the chapter can pick up another 10 or more members, and as Laudeman said, “What will come out of this will be a DU that rivals the other fraternities on campus and one that we can all be proud of.”
