Delta Zeta

Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta
ΔΖ
	File:Delta zeta crest.jpg
Founded	October 24, 1902; Miami University, (Oxford, Ohio)
Type	Social
Scope	International
Colors	Old Rose and Nile Green
Symbol	Roman lamp
Flower	Killarney Rose
Philanthropy	Speech and Hearing
Members	180,000 active
Jewel	Diamond
Headquarters	202 East Church Street; Oxford, Ohio; USA
Website	http://www.deltazeta.org

Delta Zeta (ΔΖ) is a college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 165 college chapters in the United States and 250 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In total there are over 180,000 college and alumnae members.

History

In 1902, Dr. Guy Potter Benton was elected as the new President of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of the first things that Dr. Benton did was to allow young women to enroll in the then all-male University. That coming fall, six of the newly admitted female students organized the first sorority chapter, an idea that was widely accepted due to the three fraternities that already existed.

Seeking help in the planning of such an organization, the six women consulted Dr. Benton. He was familiar with the processes of a Greek organization due to his membership in the Phi Delta Theta and therefore became a helpful resource for the girls in the establishment of the first Delta Zeta chapter. The six women faced harassment for wanting to form a sorority. One account tells of a person stealing the constitution from the hand of the group's secretary, however Dr. Benton pursued the offender and was able to get the constitution back.

File:Delta zeta new member pin.jpg

The new member pin

It was on October 24, 1902, that the Department of the State of Ohio issued formal Articles of Incorporation establishing the Delta Zeta Sorority. The founding members were stated as follows; Alfa Lloyd Hayes, Mary Jane Collins, Anna Louise Keen, Julia Lawrence Bishop, Mabelle May Minton, and Anne Dial Simmons.

Dr. Benton aided in preparation of a ritual, badge, and colors. Four pledges soon became part of the sisterhood, Elizabeth Coulter being the first. Dr. Benton was named as Grand Patron, and became the first and only man to ever wear the Delta Zeta badge.

File:Detla zeta badge.jpg

The DZ badge

The year 2002 marked the 100th year and Centennial Celebration for Delta Zeta. Chapters nationwide celebrated the event as well as a special convocation during the summer at the Delta Zeta National Convention.

The Delta Zeta Foundation

The Delta Zeta Foundation is a non-profit entity within the organization that provides various scholarships to members of the sorority as well as providing funds for leadership, philanthropy and education programs.

Mission statement

Article II "The purpose of this sorority shall be to unite its members in the bonds of sincere and lasting friendship, to stimulate one another in the pursuit of knowledge, to promote the moral and social culture of its members, and to develop plans for guidance and unity in action; objects worthy of the highest aim and purpose of associated effort."

Creed

To the World I promise temperance, insight, and courage, To crusade for justice , To seek the truth and defend it always;

To those whom my life may touch in slight measure, May I give graciously of what is mine;

To my friends, understanding and appreciation;

To those closer ones, Love that is ever steadfast;

To my mind, Growth;

To myself, Faith; That I may walk truly In the light of the flame.

Depauw University Controversy

At the end of 2006, the Delta Chapter of Delta Zeta at DePauw University became involved in a controversy that would eventually make national headlines. Founded in 1909, Delta is Delta Zeta's second oldest active chapter and its fourth chapter overall. Despite its long history at DePauw, however, the chapter in recent years has struggled with declining membership and acquired a negative reputation among other Greeks.^[1]

In an attempt to improve the chapter's image and attract new members, a team of national officers came to the university in November 2006 to conduct a membership review, interviewing women individually about their dedication to the sorority. A few days after the interview process the national officers held a recruiting event in the house in which they asked 25 of the sorority members to remain out of view and replaced them with women from nearby Indiana University's Delta Zeta chapter. The New York Times quoted one former sorority member as saying "They had these unassuming freshman girls downstairs with these plastic women from Indiana University, and 25 of my sisters hiding upstairs," she said. "It was so fake, so completely dehumanized."^[1]

Subsequently, 23 out of 35 active members, including the local president, were assigned early alumna status.^[1] Former members later told university officials that when the review was first announced in September 2006, they were led to believe that they would be allowed to decide for themselves whether to continue their involvement in the sorority,^[2] but in early December 2006, national headquarters sent the chapter letters informing the women that they were either still active or had been recommended for alumnae status and were to move out of the house by the end of January 2007.^[1]

In the months following the review, reports appeared on the Internet alleging that the evicted women had been threatened with expulsion if they refused to take alumnae status, and accusing the national team of choosing which women got to stay active according to their perceived attractiveness. In response to growing criticism from DePauw students and administrators, Delta Zeta representatives stated that the women who had been asked to leave lacked commitment to the chapter, but according to a report published February 25, 2007, by The New York Times, the 23 evicted members included all of the overweight women in the chapter, as well as the only black, Korean, and Vietnamese members; conversely, the 12 women invited to stay "were slender and popular with fraternity men," but eventually half of that group also resigned as a show of solidarity.^[1] In the days following the NYT article, other national media outlets picked up the story. DePauw President Robert Bottoms has since formally reprimanded Delta Zeta's national headquarters for its actions and instituted a new rule requiring that all housed fraternities and sororities at the university provide housing for their members throughout the school year, except when behavioral problems make eviction necessary.^[2]

In a February 26 interview with Paula Zahn of CNN, Delta Zeta Executive Director Cynthia Menges denied the chapter's allegations of discrimination against anyone based on religion, race, or ethnicity and maintained that the 23 affected women left voluntarily. She also stated that the chapter had voted to close anyway and that DePauw officials would not guarantee DZ an opportunity to recolonize at a later date, hence the reorganization. When asked if "...their appearance had nothing to do with their being thrown out?", Ms. Menges didn't directly respond. ^[3]

Depauw University member response

In response to the controversy surrounded by Delta Zeta's Delta Chapter at Depauw University the remaining active members issued a statement alleging that their chapter been misrepresented in the New York Times. They claimed that one of their current members was interviewed by Sam Dillon, the New York Times reporter who covered the story. They went on to deny the allegations that "race, weight, and academic majors were used as criteria in the membership review process". ^[4] Other, now alumnae, members have given different accounts^[5]

Texas Christian University reacts to controversy

Texas Christian University voted not to select Delta Zeta as a new member of its Panhellenic community on February 28, 2007. ^[6] "It will be a concern because if you bring on a sorority with nationwide conflict," said the Panhellenic director of recruitment, "that's taking a big liability." The Panhellenic president stated that the recent events at DePauw were a factor in the decision. ^[7]

Notable alumnae

For a full list of notable Delta Zeta alumnae please visit here. [1]

Marti Dodson (Theta) - lead singer for national recording artist, Saving Jane
Nanette Fabray (Aluma Initiate) - Actress, worked to bring sign language and captioning to television
Edith Head (Chapter Unknown) - Emmy Award-winning designer; 7-time Oscar winner in costume design
Florence Henderson (Alumna Initiate, Alpha Chi) - Actress (The Brady Bunch)
Maurine Brown Neuberger (Omega) - former US Senator
Pat Priest (Alpha Chi) - Actress (The Munsters)
Ivy Baker Priest (Alpha Chi) - Former United States Treasurer
Marcia Wallace (Delta Nu) - TV and stage actress

Trivia

The turtle is the official mascot of the Delta Zeta Sorority and was so named at the sorority's 2006 National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.^{[citation needed]}
Delta Zeta was admitted into the National Panhellenic Conference ([2]) in 1910.
Delta Zeta is one of the sororities with the largest number of college chapters. The 165 college chapters are distributed from coast to coast while our 250 alumnae chapters offer continuing association in 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada. (source: deltazeta.org)
The sorority colors are old rose and nile green, the flower is the pink Killarney rose. The Killarney rose is a hybrid rose commonly thought to be extinct, but is not.
The sorority emblem is the Roman lamp, its official jewel is the diamond.
Delta Zeta has a National loan fund and many scholarships to aid members who may need financial assistance to finish their education.
Delta Zeta's quarterly magazine, THE LAMP OF DELTA ZETA, is sent to all members.
Delta Zeta college chapters receive supervision from national officers, regional directors and local alumnae advisory boards.
Nationally, Delta Zeta supports the Painted Turtle, a camp for children dealing with serious illnesses. DZ also supports Gallaudet University.