In 1965, five men in Arlington founded the local fraternity, Sigma Phi Beta, in search of brotherhood. Many national fraternities attempted to take this local fraternity in, but only one was good enough. Sigma Phi beta actives were initiated into Delta Upsilon on May 2, 1969. 

 

The Arlington Chapter of Delta Upsilon was also the first fraternity at UTA to have a house suitable for living in by its fraternity members. The other fraternities on campus bought lodges due to a school ruling against owning houses to be lived in that were situated on campus.

 

In the summer of 1969, the fraternity acquired the Old Thorton Home at 719 W. Abram St., which today is the oldest standing house in Arlington. On December 31, 1980, Delta Upsilon celebrated the final house payment in a note burning party. Delta Upsilon became the only fraternity at UTA to own its land and its house. 

 

In years past, the fraternity had marched each spring in the American Cancer Society’s annual fund-raising drives. When one of the brothers, Jimmy Turner, died of cancer in 1970, the fraternity made efforts to become more deeply involved in the work of the Cancer Society against this disease. Thus, in fall of 1970, Delta Upsilon put on the first DU Haunted House, a fund-raising project for the American Cancer Society. Soon after, the proceeds began to benefit Cooks Children’s Medical Center: Cancer Center. The Haunted House grew each year in complexity and reputation. It was a well-known Halloween event both on campus and throughout the community. The Haunted House tradition ended when the Chapter sold the Old Thorton Home in 2006, but the active chapter has still raised over $1,500 for the Cancer Center this year alone.

 

Another chapter and campus tradition was born when DU’s held an all school Go-Kart race called the “DU Derby”, which most of the other fraternities and other student organizations on campus participated in. Since that spring of 1970, the “Derby” had grown into the “DU Spring Festival”, which included games, athletic events, beauty contests and a big dance in the evening for all participants. This event has grown into a much bigger event that is now called “Greek Week” where all recognized Greek fraternities and sororities participate in weeklong events. 

 

As the longest standing fraternity at UTA, the Chapter celebrated its 45th anniversary May 2nd, 2014 with a dinner at the Old Thornton Home.

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International History