Delta Sigma Phi History 101

     When the fall semester of 1899 began at the College of the City of New York (C.C.N.Y.), several students who had graduated together from the city high school system found themselves renewing their friendships as college freshmen. They gathered daily between classes in a building at C.C.N.Y. They wanted a means to continue their special ties of camaraderie during college and throughout life. They quickly settled on a fraternity as the solution. They realized, however, that none of the fraternities on campus would accept them as members because the group included both Jewish and Christian students. During that time, groups of mixed religions were not socially acceptable either to the all-Jewish or the all-Christian students, of for that matter, to other segments of the stratified society. Yet, these young men had already demonstrated to their complete satisfaction that there was no reason for religious prejudice or other discrimination among men of quality (The Gordian Know of Delta Sigma Phi, 39).

     To preserve their friendship and to establish that fundamental truth of life, these enlightened young men organized their own fraternity by December 10, 1899. Thus, a new fraternity named Delta Sigma Phi was founded in the new hope of the dawning of the twentieth century, based upon the highest ideals of mankind.

     The first chapter at C.C.N.Y. was designated Insula, signifying its location on the island of Manhattan. In 1901, a second chapter was founded at Columbia University and was called Morningside for its location in Morningside Heights. Later, these chapters were renamed as Alpha and Beta. A third chapter was organized at New York University in 1903 called University, though it was also renamed, Gamma.

     The purpose of the fraternity, which was articulated in the Articles of Incorporation in 1902, was, "…to fulfill the desire of serious young college men for a fellowship and brotherhood, as near a practical working ideal as possible not fettered with too many traditional prejudices and artificial standards of membership, and accompanied by a clean, pure, and honorable chapter home life."

- Founding fathers of Delta Sigma Phi:
     - Meyer Boskey, C.C.N.Y., 1899
     - Charles Tonsor, N.Y.U., 1903

- Founding fathers of DSP - Theta Nu
     - Deron Robert Smith (a.k.a. "Jullani")
     - Michel McKay (a.k.a. "Bundy")
     - Luca Vasapolli (a.k.a. "Hummer")

- The Theta Nu chapter of Delta Sigma Phi at Idaho State University was colonized on November 24, 1994.

- On March 1, 1997, we were admitted as a chapter.