A letter from the Upsilon Alumni Rush Advisor:

April 14, 2008

Dear Rushee,

Congratulations on being accepted to The University of Oklahoma, and congratulations on choosing to join a fraternity. These are two great accomplishments that deserve recognition. You are entering an exciting time in your life.

These two choices will hopefully lead your life in the direction that you want. I pledged Delta Upsilon in 1998, and have continued my involvement to this day as an active alumnus and as the current Alumni Rush Advisor. There are so many reasons why I chose to pledge DU, a decision that had has a tremendous impact on my life. Here are just a few:

  • Delta Upsilon is a non-secretive and non-hazing fraternity. Your parents, family, and friends will be invited to your initiation ceremony. Being initiated into Delta Upsilon is an honor, and one that should be shared with your friends and family.
  • Delta Upsilon is a Gentlemen's fraternity. To this day, the values I learned at OU as a part of Delta Upsilon still play a role in my daily life. We believe a woman should be treated with dignity, class, and respect. Furthermore, knowing the appropriate etiquette to use in a business dinner is something not many fraternities teach.
  • The brotherhood at Delta Upsilon was one of my biggest reasons for joining DU. You won't find individual cliques at the DU house, and everyone is there for one another, through thick and thin.
I close by again saying congratulations. This is such a special time in your life. I would strongly encourage you to consider Delta Upsilon if you aren't already. I believe you will find a group of goal oriented men, a fraternity that will add value to your life for many years to come, and a group of alumni that will support you in achieving your goals. Our rush team will be contacting you and inviting you to rush events and to meet the members of the fraternity.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (405) 271-3744. I would be happy to visit with you.

Sincerely,

Will Merrick

Delta Upsilon Alumni Rush Advisor

View the letter to Parents' of Prospective OU Rush Participants from the Delta Upsilon Parents' Club:

Click Here to View!

Frequently Asked Questions for Rush:

How do I go about rushing DU? Contact Rush Chairman Adam Saylor(405) 620-1009 or members of the RUSH team to learn about the events we will be having this summer in an area near you. Additional RUSH contacts / Rush Chairman Chris Thompson (918) 695-3638 or Rush Team Members Derek Case (405) 229-1077, Wes Johnson, (918) 852-0605.

What does DU have to offer?  The Oklahoma Chapter of Delta Upsilon is the most well-rounded house on campus. Besides providing an unparalleled brotherhood, the house consistently ranks among the tops of fraternity standings in both grades and intramural sports.  We also boast the longest running formal on campus-the Feudal Dinner. Hand in hand with our social calendar comes our service to the OU campus and Norman community in the form of our philanthropies and charitable events.

What are some things to remember during rush? - Figure out what you believe you want in a fraternity. As you go through formal rush, just be yourself, keep an open mind, look at the many different chapters, and try to visit chapters outside of rush events.  The last suggestion helps you to get to know what "everyday life" is like in that chapter.  You should choose the chapter that makes you feel the most comfortable and at home; you should also ask about the chapter's principles to see if they are in line with your own. Finally, choose the house that you like the guys in most because these will be your brothers for life. Do not simply rely on the external first impression.

When can I "sign?"- The first official day that a new fraternity member can sign for Fall 2006 is on Wednesday August 30th during formal rush week.

What does it mean to "sign?"  - Signing is your official commitment, in writing, to join a specific fraternity.  It is filed with Greek Affairs.  It is against Interfraternity Council rules to sign this official commitment before this date.

What are the pledging/initiation requirements? - Complete 1 semester of house duties, 80% or above on all new member tests, 2.5 or above GPA

What is pledging like? -- Our pledging period is approximately 8 weeks, but is much different from other fraternities. You are treated with the same respect that is given to a fifth year senior, so long as that respect is mutual. We are non-secret and non-hazing; DU is the only International Fraternity founded on these principles.  That means the there is no hazing of any kind within our chapter, and our chapter meetings are open to the public.  We have no secret handshakes or rituals.

How do costs compare to the residence halls (dorms) and other fraternities? Delta Upsilon is very competitively priced. It is actually cheaper than the dorms and the least expensive of the large fraternities on OU's campus. In the chapter house, you will receive ten home-cooked meals a week, premium cable, wireless internet, and much more!  Our pledge fees are only $575.00 ($100.00 is due at signing and the balance is split between two equal payments.  The total pledge fee is due prior to initiation).  These fees cover mandatory costs for Delta Upsilon International and Interfraternity Councilete.

How do I get involved with intramural sports? -- DU consistently finishes in the top 3 fraternities (out of 19) in intramural athletics.  We have teams in every major sport offered (soccer, flag football, volleyball, basketball, and softball) and compete in almost every individual intramural event.  New members can get involved intramurals during their first semester, and all entrance and league fees are paid by the chapter. The house was all campus softball champs this past year.

Do I live in the chapter house and with whom do I live? - There are spaces for 62 people in the house. Beginning your sophomore year, rooms are picked in order of seniority, which is determined through grades and contributions to the house. New members can move in after completing their freshman year.  Members must live in the house for 4 semesters.

What are the rooms like? - There are twenty-three rooms in the house. They house between 1-3 members. Our rooms are bigger than other fraternities on campus.  The DU house is located in a beautiful South Greek location close to campus.

How do chapter meetings work? -- DU has weekly chapter meetings, where we discuss the business of the chapter. We have these every Sunday at eight P.M.  Every member is expected to attend these meetings, as they are important to the well-being of the chapter.

What does DU do for community service and philanthropy? -- For more info on this, check out the service section of our website. The DU house is very active on the OU campus and in the Norman community.