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Theta Upsilon Omega (ΘΥΩ), was a national collegiate fraternity in the United States. It was formed by the merger of nine local fraternities in 1924. On April 23, 1938, Theta Upsilon Omega merged with Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Representatives of several local fraternities at a December 1, 1923 meeting of locals, organized by the National Interfraternity Conference (NIC), determined to form a new national through amalgamation.[2] The following nine local fraternities were part of the NIC meeting and formed Theta Upsilon Omega:
They were joined by Pi Rho Phi of Westminster College at the Charter Arch Convocation meeting, held at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania from February 21 to 23, 1924.[2][3] The result was the creation of Theta Upsilon, later called Theta Upsilon Omega.[3] All then chapters received their charter and inducted members on May 2, 1924.[3] With the merger of the ten fraternities, Theta Upsilon's formed with 544 members.[3] Merle C. Cowden, of Worcester, was chosen first national president of Theta Upsilon Omega.[4]
The fraternity established its first alumni club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1925.[3] The fraternity had twelve chapters and 988 active members on June 1, 1926.[3]
Additional chapters were chartered, but growth stalled during the Great Depression. Following negotiations on April 23, 1938, Theta Upsilon Omega merged with Sigma Phi Epsilon. Of its thirteen active chapters, four merged with existing Sigma Phi Epsilon chapters, and seven others were granted new charters in Sigma Phi Epsilon. One chapter reverted to local status under its original name and another merged with Theta Chi on its campus.[5]
Theta Upsilon Omega's official seal was a voided fusil bearing inscriptions regarding the fraternity and having in the center, the Squire's helmet facing to the left.[6] Its crest was a dragon sitting on a mural crown, above an esquire's helmet.[7] Its coat of arms was designed by Emily Helen Butterfield.[7]
The fraternity's badge was a small pin of blue enamel with a circular contour in the center of which was a ten-pointed gold star enclosing a jewel.[6][3] The badge had three short triangular arms which were equidistant around the pin, and on them, in gold, the Greek letters ΘΥΩ.[6][3] In the spaces between the arms will be six pearls, two between each pair of arms.[6] Charter members could wear the pin with a diamond center, and initiated members could substitute a ruby for the diamond or wear a plain pin.[6]
The fraternity's pledge button was a cross fitchy of midnight blue with a border of gold.[6][3] Its recognition pin was its crest in old gold, consisting of a mural crown from the top of which issues a dragon's head.[6][3]
The fraternity's flag was equally sized vertical bands of blue, gold, and blue with a blue cross fitchy in the center of the gold band.[3] Its colors were midnight blue and gold.[6][3] Its flower was a dark red rose.[6][3] Its publication was The Omegan.[3]
^The Beta Alpha chapter was created from Delta Tau (local), a group that dated from 1906.
^ abcdefghijThis was a founding chapter of Theta Upsilon Omega.
^This chapter became the Massachusetts Beta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
^Chapter was created from Phi Kappa Pi (local), a group that dated from 1906. This chapter became the New Jersey Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
^Chapter was created from the Zeus Fraternity (local), a group that dated from 1919
^ abcThis chapter merged into a pre-existing chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
^Chapter became the Pennsylvania Mu chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
^Chapter was created from Beta Kappa Psi (local), a group that dated from 1920. It became the Pennsylvania Kappa chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
^Chapter was created from Kappa Tau Omega (local), a group that dated from 1921. It merged into a pre-existing chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
^Chapter was created from Sigma Beta (local), a group that dated from 1921. In 1936, it everted to local status as Sigma Beta (local).
^Chapter was created from Delta Kappa Nu (local), a group that dated from 1921. After creation, it absorbed another small local, Pi Kappa Nu.
^Chapter merged into the pre-existing Omega chapter of Theta Chi, formed in 1919.
^Chapter was created from Phi Alpha Pi (local), a group that dated from 1922.
^ abChapter was previously the revived Alpha chapter of Pi Rho Phi, a small, six-chapter fraternity formed at Westminster in 1854. In 1868 it merged with Delta Tau Delta but only lasted a year with them, and went dormant. It was revived, again, as Pi Rho Phi in 1872, then became a founding member of Theta Upsilon Omega in 1924. Two years later the only other surviving (unnamed, possibly Gamma) chapter of Pi Rho Phi, established in 1910 at Monmouth, would also join Theta Upsilon Omega as its Zeta Beta chapter. That Monmouth group had originally been Tau Lambda Phi (local), formed in 1907.
^Chapter became the Pennsylvania Lambda chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
^Chapter was created from Phi Sigma Phi (local), a group that dated from 1923. Name similarity to the national fraternity, ΦΣΦ, formed in 1987 is coincidental.
^Chapter was created from the Tilicum Club (local), a group that dated from 1913. Name similarity to the local club of that era at the University of Minnesota, Tillikum, is coincidental.
^Chapter was created from the Druids Club (local), a group that dated from 1923. Name similarity to the national fraternity, ΦΣΦ, formed in 1987 is coincidental. This chapter became the Pennsylvania Iota chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
^Chapter was created from Eta Nu (local), a group that dated from 1927.
^Chapter returned to local status as Pi Rho Phi in 1934, apparently ceasing operations in 1937.
^Chapter created from Tau Omega Chi (local), established in 1924.
^Chapter originated as Theta Delta Psi (local) in 1925. Three years later, in 1928 it merged into Sigma Zeta, a small, general fraternity formed in 1926 to become its Theta chapter. When that organization failed several years later, the chapter joined Theta Upsilon Omega.
^This chapter became the New York Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in 1938.
