Difference between revisions of "Delta Nu"

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University of Massachusetts established 1863, Amherst, Massachusetts

Delta Nu founded December 12, 1942 -- 20 charter members

1,645 initiates (as of 2011)

Some of Delta Nu’s Outstanding Alumnae:

Fraternity Officers:

Wilma Winberg Johnson, Director of Philanthropies 1986 -1990, Director of Alumnae 1982-1986, Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation Board of Trustees 1994-1996; Graduate Counselor 1945-1947

Fraternity Loyalty Award:

Wilma Winberg Johnson, 1994

Fraternity Alumnae Achievement Award Recipients:

The Early Years

Before a sorority system existed on the campus of Massachusetts State College, Delta Phi Gamma, open to all women of the college, served as a social organization. In the fall of 1931, this Greek letter society was divided into three closed groups, one of which was Alpha chapter of Sigma Beta Chi, founded February, 1932. In the fall of 1933, nineteen members moved into a house at 314 Lincoln Avenue. It was rented and was run on a cooperative plan.

In the fall of 1941, Sigma Beta Chi became interested in affiliating itself with a national fraternity and began negotiations with Kappa Kappa Gamma. In July, 1942, the members of Sigma Beta Chi were informed that the group had been granted a charter at the Kappa convention in Canada.

That fall a graduate counselor, Alice Anne Longley (Roberts), DePauw, introduced the chapter to Kappa ways, instructing the girls in sorority lore, and preparing them for their big days in December when the new Kappa chapter, Delta Nu, would be officially installed.

Kappa dignitaries arrived on campus for the installation weekend. Initiation for 33 was held on Saturday, December 12, 1942, and Delta Nu chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma had become a fact. Much festivity followed with a candlelight banquet that night. A campus reception was held in the home of the college dean, William Machmer, the following day.

Members were active on campus, scholarship held high priority, and progress was made during that first year as Delta Nu members tried to achieve Kappa standards.

Housing

The war years affected the chapter. During 1944 and 1945, Delta Nu was housed at Alpha chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa while the brothers were serving in the armed forces. In the fall of 1943, sisters campaigned by setting up a booth in Stockbridge Hall where war bonds and stamps were sold. In the spring of 1946, Delta Nu alumnae were incorporated and purchased a new home at 314 Lincoln Avenue, the house once used by Sigma Beta Chi. Delta Nu had a permanent home; the boys would be back soon to take over the Phi Sigma Kappa house; a peacetime campus had returned.

Changes, Traditions and Honors

Agitation to change the name of the college from Massachusetts State to the University of Massachusetts mounted during the 1946–1947 school year. Several members of Delta Nu were outstanding in their efforts to effect such a change. Meetings with the legislature in Boston and on campus were attended. The effort was successful in the fall of 1947.

As the years progressed, members of Delta Nu achieved many honors, scholastic and social. A luncheon, in the Lord Jeffrey Inn on December 13, 1952, celebrated Delta Nu’s 10th anniversary as a member of the “Kappa family.” Alpha province members joined in the festivities.

In the spring of 1954, there were rumors of new housing for the chapter. Requests to President Jean Mather had taken effect. A joint sorority drive was led by Delta Nu to improve sorority housing. It was not until 1960–1961 that the house corporation began planning a new house. Three lots were purchased in 1962 and in the spring of 1964, Delta Nu moved to 32 Nutting Avenue. The dream was approaching reality. The move was so exciting. No one minded as the plumbers and carpenters continued to work. A cement-mixer in the middle of the formal living room was a commonplace thing.

At last the painting and papering were completed and the furnishings were in place. Delta Nu’s house was the first to be newly built for a campus sorority. With devoted alumnae help, the dream was realized.

In September, 1965, Delta Nu was host to the Alpha Province Meeting. The new house was formally dedicated that weekend. The three story brick structure was located at the end of one of Amherst’s quaint, characteristic streets and ideally near the campus. Frances Fatout Alexander, DePauw, Fraternity president, and Virginia Parker Blanchard, Boston, her assistant, were present at the house dedication.

Two years later, on December 10, 1967, a buffet, fraternity appreciation program, and gifts to charter members made a lively 25th anniversary party for Delta Nu.

Each of the previous 32-years brought recognition of achievement of members of the chapter. There have been nominations to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, elections to Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Kappa, Scrolls, and Mortar Board. In 1968, an active won the Miss University title and that same year Delta Nu won first prize for its homecoming float. The first graduate counselor from the chapter was Wilma Winberg Johnson in 1945 who went to Iowa State University. Janice Persson Williams went to the University of Nebraska in 1972 to share her Kappa experience. In 1974, Monica Young served her graduate counsellorship at the University of Pittsburgh.

The previous information was excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976. The information that follows has been gleaned from available resources including Chapter History Reports, chapter meeting minutes, letters and comments from chapter members and alumnae, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Archives, and The Key. Each chapter is expected to update its history record annually. Contact Fraternity Headquarters at kkghq@kkg.org with questions.

Highlights of the 1970s:

Increasing political awareness and political and economic liberty of women continued to grow through the 1970s decade. Opposition to the Vietnam War, nuclear weapons, hostility to the authority of government and big business were popular. Advocacy of world peace and the environmental movement increased dramatically.

Notable events were: a rise in the use of terrorism by militant organizations around the world; in 1972 students proudly watched as Mark Spitz won seven gold medals in swimming for the US. Days later eleven Israeli athletes were massacred by Palestinian terrorists; Kent State University shootings with four killed and nine injured caused disbelief and shock throughout the country; President Nixon resigned in 1974 while facing charges of impeachment for the Watergate scandal; Vietnam War came to a close in 1975; space exploration continued; first supercomputer was created; verdict of Roe vs. Wade was handed down by the Supreme Court; voting age for all federal and state elections was lowered to 18 years; United States held its first Earth Day with thousands of college students participating; and the presence and rise of significant numbers of women as heads of state and heads of governments around the world increased

Chapter Convention Awards:

Highlights of the 1980s:

This decade saw the following events: election of President Ronald Reagan; Sandra Day O’Connor selected as the first woman justice to the Supreme Court; first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off ; Beirut barracks bombing occurred killing American and French servicemen; Lockerbie Disaster when terrorists blew up the plane over Scotland; Chernobyl disaster in the Ukraine filled much of the world with radioactive debris; Challenger disaster left six astronauts and one woman school teacher dead; protestors at Tiananmen Square were crushed by the Peoples Liberation Army of China; fall of the Berlin Wall was the most momentous event of the decade; oil tanker Exxon Valdez caused one of the worst ecological disasters ever; War on Drugs accelerated; worldwide the beginning of the AIDS pandemic; and rejection of smoking based on health issues. Personal computers experienced massive growth.

Delta Nu was one of nine sororities at the University of Massachusetts. In 1988 Phi Mu sorority closed due to a small membership. There were 12 men’s fraternities but one was forced to close for breaking social probation.

During the decade the chapter selected various goals to work toward. They were as follows: to create a better national image through communication, committees, and advisers; improve chapter relations with alumnae; and through programming and limiting the amount of social events, to emphasize the importance of scholarship to pledges and actives.

Both pledges and actives were extremely active on campus and in the community with service to others. One chapter president said that the “People Power” of Delta Nu is its greatest asset. They annually celebrated Founders Day with a special dinner at the chapter house and recognized their alumnae with their 50-, 65- and 75-year pins.

A proud achievement came in 1984 when Delta Nu won the U Mass Gold Chapter Excellence Award for finishing first in nine of ten categories. They demonstrated excellence in member involvement in campus activities, scholarship (highest GPA), fund raising, public relations, and officer training.

More than once during the decade, the chapter held the highest cumulative grade point average among all of the Greek groups on campus. They annually participated in Greek Sing and built Homecoming Floats, finishing in first place in 1985, and helped new students move into their dorms.

In 1988, the chapter was faced with its greatest challenge when Panhellenic switched to a deferred rush in the spring and an open rush in the fall.

Individuals annually were recognized on varsity sports teams, honoraries, Mortar Board, Order of Omega, Golden Key Honor Society, Who’s Who, Panhellenic and Student Government officers, and varsity cheerleaders.

Housing:

In 1984 there were 60 active members living in the chapter house. In 1985, the house underwent many renovations. All of the bedrooms, the den and study rooms were painted. New wallpaper and drapes were added in the dining room. New drapes and mattresses were placed in the bedrooms, new tables, chairs and curtains were added to the study room, and the outside classic front columns and shutters were painted. In 1989 the living room and TV room were redecorated. The Delta Nu chapter house was the most beautiful and cared for sorority house on the U Mass campus.

Philanthropy:

Throughout the decade, Delta Nu was outstanding in its service and fundraising for others. They annually held their Halloween Party for the children of Amherst, Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, and service at Boltwood.

One year they sponsored a child in New Mexico with money and gifts, raised money for the Missing and Exploited Children, helped construct a new playground for the Fort River Project, and with other Greeks raised several thousand dollars for Cancer, participated in the walk-a-thon for the Jimmy Fund, and planted thousands of bulbs on the U Mass campus.

Chapter Convention Awards:

Highlights of the 1990s:

The1990s were often considered the true dawn of the Information Age. Info-age digital technologies became widely used by the general public. Highlights include: Gulf War with Iraq began in 1991, the same year as the Soviet Union’s dissolution ended; funeral procession of Diana, Princess of Wales, was mourned worldwide; bombings of the World Trade Center and the Oklahoma City Federal Building led to awareness of domestic and international terrorism as a real threat; Columbine High School massacre occurred; President Bill Clinton was a dominant political figure and scarred by the Lewinsky scandal; youth culture embraced environmental issues; record numbers of women were elected to high office in the US. ’92 became known as the “Year of the Woman.”

Delta Nu remained one of nine sororities and Alpha Epsilon Phi colonized. Theta Chi and Alpha Tau Gamma were welcomed back to campus after suspension. Phi Mu Delta’s charter was revoked after violating Massachusetts anti hazing laws.

The chapter continued the annual Faculty Tea, participated in Homecoming events, celebrated Founders Day with their alumnae, moved new students into their dorms, began a Faculty Night Out babysitting service, and held workshops on Date Rape, Self Defense, Alcohol Awareness, and Time Management and Parents Day became popular. The chapter participated in a Greek-wide Seder for Jewish members. Delta Nu was the hostess chapter for the Rho Province Meeting.

Some of the chapter goals during the decade were as follows: to improve cultural and academic awareness; to improve commitment to sisterhood; to promote New Member involvement before Initiation; to increase participation of all members in both mandatory and non-mandatory events; and to promote faculty and alumnae relations.

In 1995 the chapter won Greek Sing. In 1996 Delta Nu was chosen by the Fraternity to pilot an entirely new member program which was to last only six weeks. In 1997 at the Rho Province Meeting, they won the Most Improved Chapter Award.

The U Mass social system became more restrictive. Kappas held their Date Party in the fall and their formal in the spring. They instituted a Crush Party where the members could invite two guests. The annual Dessert Exchange was held for all sororities.

Individual members were selected for honoraries, the Society of Women Engineers, Golden Key, Dean’s List, PH offices, Greenpeace, International Studies Association, Boltwood, cheerleading, Theatre Guild, Arabic Club, Truman Scholarship, and two Phi Beta Kappas.

Said one president, “Our goal was to promote our scholarship through new programs and activities so that we could combine our college life with sisterhood to the fullest to strengthen and fulfill our hearts, soul, and mind. We went from 7th place in scholarship to #1.”

Housing:

In 1990, an alarm system was installed in the chapter house, the front walks were redone, and two computers were purchased for the study room. In 1994, the House Board sent seven members to General Convention. A new heating system and a new roof were installed. Several pieces of the living room furniture were reupholstered. In 1995 all bedrooms were freshly painted and new furniture purchased. New sinks and countertops were installed in the bathrooms.

Philanthropy:

The chapter continued the Halloween Party for the children of Amherst, the Newman Center Phon-a-thon, Dessert Exchange, and the Easter Party for children at battered women’s home. They participated in the Run for Horizon, Take Back the Night rally against violence to women, Jammin for Jimmy Fund, Americacares Program to clean up neglected neighborhoods, at Christmas made gift bags and delivered them to shelters, Breast Cancer Awareness Week, the Run for Newman, and the MS Walk-a-thon collecting cans to raise money for the Leukemia Society.

Chapter Convention Awards

Highlights of the 2000-2010

Globalization continued to influence the world. A prime contributor was the growth of the Internet. Wireless Internet became prominent and email became the standard form of communicating. Highlights included: George W. Bush being elected President; 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centers led the U.S. War on Terrorism at home and abroad; U.S. was once again involved in a war in Iraq and limited engagement began in Afghanistan; Mexican Drug War saw armed conflict between rival drug cartels which eventually would dominate the wholesale illicit drug market in the U.S.;. Virginia Tech Massacre became the deadliest shooting on a school campus; climate change and global warming became household words, and population growth skyrocketed. In 2008 Barack Obama became the first African American elected the U.S. President.

U Mass is a large public school, Greek Life involves a small percentage of the campus but all chapters were very involved on campus. Delta Nu had 48 members and many advisers lived close by. The chapter house is off campus but very close to many of the academic buildings.

Challenges were the involvement of second semester seniors and morale, spirit and attendance. The chapter held two scholarship banquets and recognized sisters with a 3.0 or higher, as well as those who made the Dean’s List. New members and their parents were invited to attend the banquets and the active members could invite anyone they wished. Senior Week was very special with activities, dinners and events. Bid Day, Heart Sis Night, Core Families and Initiation were highlights of the year. A BBQ recognized the alumnae special to the chapter.

Chapter Convention Awards:

Highlights of 2011-2019 (Information from chapter history reports, scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.)

Highlights of the 2020s (Information from chapter history reports, scholarship, group honors/awards, traditions, special events, changes on campus or within chapter, overall nature of the chapter, chapter goals, challenges and how they were overcome, etc.)

Note to Chapter Registrar: Please refer to your chapter archives including chapter meeting minutes and back issues of The Key to fill in any gaps in the above historical highlights. If your chapter archives are not complete, please research your university library, campus newspaper and yearbook archives for newsworthy information about your chapter. Please double check your work for accuracy. Contact chapter Advisory or House Board members, local Alumnae Association members, or your Province Director of Chapters for assistance.

Your efforts will ensure a complete and accurate history of your chapter for future generations to enjoy!