Oct. 26, 2006

DU President issues statement

Dear Student Body,

I am writing this in order to inform the Marietta College community of a recent decision made by the Student Conduct Board concerning the Marietta Chapter of Delta Upsilon Fraternity.

Although similar news releases have been made, it seems appropriate that the Chapter itself make a formal statement.

As a result of a recent decision by the Student Conduct Board, the Marietta Chapter of Delta Upsilon has been suspended until Marietta College and Delta Upsilon International Fraternity deem an appropriate time for the reestablishment of the Chapter.

What exactly does this mean? First, Delta Upsilon will no longer be recognized as an official Marietta College organization. The Chapter will no longer participate in any Greek organizations or activities. Secondly, all current active members will now be regarded as alumni members of the Chapter. The Delta Upsilon house on 4th St. will be closed to all current members (the house may later be re-opened as a residence hall). All current residents (including non-members) must vacate the Delta Upsilon house by November 5, 2006.

Although I thoroughly disagree with the ruling, I will respect the decision made by the Student Conduct Board. The purpose of this article is not to dispute the decision, but rather to make the community more aware of the situation. I simply hope to make certain that the community fully understands that the incident in question involved a small number of individuals and most certainly not the Chapter as a whole. Please do not condemn the group for the actions of a few.

One of the purposes of this article is to clarify some facts. First, the incident in question involved a small number of current and alumni members. Secondly, there was most certainly not any “beating” as in hitting, punching, or kicking. Finally, the “history of repeated violations” as stated by Tom Perry in the October 20th edition of The Marietta Times, included violations which occurred in years before any of the current members even applied for admission to Marietta College.

The active members have invested an enormous amount of time and effort into facilitating the continuance of the Chapter. I am saddened to realize that those efforts have been overlooked and will now go unrewarded. The Chapter is filled with high GPAs, student organization leaders, and upstanding citizens. These members have put in many hours of hard work for the organization. It has become a grim affair attempting to accept being forcefully estranged from an organization which has so enriched our college experience. Our experience has been cut short, and it is a difficult pill to swallow.

Looking towards the future, we hope to see Delta Upsilon once again become active in the Marietta College community. With a tremendous amount of alumni support, I feel certain that Delta Upsilon will return. The Chapter has been a contributing factor to Marietta College since its inception in 1870. We hope that young men in the future will have the opportunity to make their mark in the Chapter's long standing history and carry on the traditions and principles for which it stands.

The ordeal which we have experienced has been difficult and trying. At this point, we are making a concerted effort to move on and continue with the remainder of our Marietta College careers. As mentioned earlier, we have high hopes for the future reestablishment of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity at Marietta College.

On behalf of the Chapter, I would like to thank the individuals and organizations who provided us with support during this troublesome affair. We truly appreciate your encouragement and friendship.

Zachary Hart
Marietta Chapter of Delta Upsilon