Association formed at City College of New York, called Insula (the mother
chapter, later renamed Alpha), on December 10
1901
Second chapter established at Columbia University, called Morningside
(Beta)
1902
Delta Sigma Phi incorporated in New York state on December 15
1903
Third chapter informally established at New York on December 15
First national Fraternity dinner held December 26
1904
Formal installation of University Chapter January 2
1905
Constitutional Convention held in August at Insula' apartment
Charles A. Tonsor, Jr. elected president, and Meyer Boskey elected secretary
The Convention adopted a Constitution that created national offices and
an executive committee to govern between Conventions
Two new chapter formally received into the Fraternity during the Convention:
Technology (Delta), which had been organized at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology in 1904; and Keystone (Epsilon), organized in 1905 at Penn
State
1906
Tonsor and Boskey chartered the Washington and Lee Chapter as Stonewall
(Zeta)
First alumni group chartered as the New York Alumni Chapter
The Convention changed the Fraternity's approach to naming chapters to
the present Greek-alphabet designations
1907
Boskey, having conceived the idea of a national magazine to bind the chapters
together, published the first issue of The Carnation in April
Eta Chapter installed at Texas
Theta Chapter installed at Cornell
1908
Official badge designated at the convention
Kappa Chapter established at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn) in
November
Iota Chapter installed at Penn in December
1909
Lambda Chapter installed at Trinity
Delta Sigma Phi became a founding member of the National Interfraternity
Conference
1910
Mu Chapter installed at Chicago
Nu Chapter installed at Waynesburg
1912
Omicron Chapter installed at Cumberland
Convention created an Administrative Council with the power to grant chapters
between Conventions
1914
Office of national general secretary created at the Convention and Arthur
Defenderfer chosen to fill the position
The Ritual first published
Fraternity restricted membership to men of the Christian faith
Coat-of-arms, seal, pledge symbol, and badge adopted
1915
First Delta Sigma Phi Headquarters opened in the Reibold Building, Dayton,
Ohio
Hilgard Chapter installed at UC-Berkeley
Pi Chapter installed at Furman
Rho Chapter installed at NC State
Sigma Chapter installed at Thiel
Tau Chapter installed in Hillsdale
Upsilon Chapter installed at Franklin and Marshall
The Carnation is named the official magazine of the Fraternity
1916
Phi Chapter installed at St. Louis
Chi Chapter installed at Tulane
Psi Chapter installed at Wofford
Omega Chapter (the last of the single Greek letter charters) installed
at Pitt
The Convention divided the nation into geographical districts, established
a system of district deputies to supervise each one
1919
Convention made biennial instead of annual
First deputy district system established
1920
Lon A. Scott, who had graduated from Cumberland University in 1915 as
valedictorian of his class, became Delta Sigma Phi's first congressman
1921
The Convention established Board of Governors of seven men with full power
to manage and direct the affairs of the Fraternity; the Board of Governors
later shrank to five members, and the Administrative Council disappeared,
replaced by an Endowment Board of Trustees
1922
On May 23 a trademark was granted to Delta Sigma Phi for the quarterly,
The Carnation
1923
The Sphinx, an esoteric publication, first appeared; it has been issued
subsequently as needed
The Convention adopted a ceremony for the dedication of new chapter houses
and instituted the Pilgrim Degree, a special ritual for those making the
pilgrimage to a national Convention
The Fraternity initiated its first and only honorable member of the Fraternity
when the Honorable James J. Davis, secretary of Labor in the Harding, Coolidge,
and Hoover cabinets, was initiated at the request of Omega Chapter
At the Fraternity's quarter-century mark, there were forty undergraduate
chapters
1925
First pledge manual issued; now called the Gordian Knot
1926
Board of Governors adopted official Fraternity flag
The first Sailors Ball held at Alpha Chi Chapter
1928
First Fraternity Manual published
1929
Fraternity reincorporated in the District of Columbia, where the offices
of General Secretary Defenderfer were located
1931
Harvey H. Herbert Award for distinguished service to the Fraternity first
awarded
1932
The Lute Songbook first published
1936
First district training school for officers conducted in Chicago
1938
Board of Governors banned Hell Week practices throughout the Fraternity
1940
Upon the retirement of Arthur Defenderfer, the Headquarters moved from
Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Ohio, the home city of Arthur Sprague,
the new national treasurer
Marcus E. Sharpe became executive director
1942
Arthur H. Sprague became executive director
1946
Harold Balback became executive director
1947
System of universal life membership approved, providing The Carnation
to each initiate as a life subscription
Francis Wacher became executive director
1948
Twelve chapters installed-the largest number in the history of the Fraternity-two
revived
1949
Deputy district system gave way to an eighteen-member governor system
1950
Headquarters moved to Denver
New flag chosen
1951
The Delta Sigma Phi Foundation established; granted status as a nonprofit
educational Foundation in 1958, it provides scholarships to students with
high academic achievement and supports other Delta Sigma Phi educational
programs
1954
The Lute Songbook reissued
1959
Delta Sigma Phi votes to end racial and religious discrimination policies
(though the policies had not been enforced for much of the time they were
in effect)
1961
Office of executive secretary renamed executive director
1965
Outstanding Active Award established
1967
The Grand Council formed
Governor system redesigned to reflect the earlier deputy district system
1969
Mr. Delta Sig Award, the highest honor the Fraternity can bestow, first
conferred
Denver Headquarters moved to Milwaukee Street
1978
Following retirement of Francis Wacker, E. Allen James became executive
director
1982
Headquarters moved in Indianapolis, Indiana
1983
Taggart Mansion purchased, renovation completed in 1984
1984
Delta Sigma Phi became the first organization to provide fraternity experience
to deaf students by establishing a colony at Cal State-Northridge
1985
Pyramid of Excellence implemented, a new award structure for recognizing
the top chapters in the Fraternity
Delta Sigma Phi became the first fraternity to ban Little Sister organizations
1987
Outstanding Active Award renamed the E. Allen James Outstanding Undergraduate
Award upon James's retirement as executive director
David A. Testerman became executive director
1988
Risk Management Policy adopted, prohibiting use of chapter funds for purchase
of alcohol
1989
Daniel A. Smercina became executive director
Largest Convention attendance ever (held in Washington, D.C.)
1991
Regional Leadership Director program introduced to replace leadership
consultants
1993
First College of Engineered Leadership; held at Purdue
Alumni Recognition Ceremony adopted
1994
Austin Hastings became first undergraduate member of the Grand Council
in January
1996
Delta Sigma Phi launches Internet home page on the World Wide Web
1997
Tony Smercina is appointed the executive director of the Foundation -
Jon Hockman becomes the executive director of the Fraternity
1998
College of Engineered Leadership changes to the Leadership Institute
The Challenge Team replaces the Regional Leadership program
1999
The 52nd Biennial Convention assembled voted to adopt The Challenge initiative
effective December 10, 2000
Delta Sigma Phi celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Fraternity