Indiana University 's Omicron Delta Epsilon Gamma Chapter
The Philosophy of Omicron Delta Epsilon
"Omicron Delta Epsilon is dedicated to the encouragement of excellence in economics. It encourages devotion on the part of its members as economists to the advancement of their science and to the scholarly effort to make freedom from want and deprivation a reality for all mankind."
Omicron Delta Epsilon Gamma Chapter membership is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who meet the honor society’s and chapter's eligibility requirements. For eligibility see the "Eligibility" link found by clicking on the dropdown menu next to Home at the top of this page.
If you are interested in joining Omicron Delta Epsilon, please contact faculty advisor Professor Self (Email address is jkself@indiana.edu )
History of Omicron Delta Epsilon
Omicron Delta Epsilon is one one of the world’s largest academic honor societies, was created in 1963 through the merger of two honor societies, Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon. At the time of their merger, both societies had 28 chapters. Omicron Delta Gamma's chapters were primarily in the Midwestern and Pacific states while the chapters of Omicron Chi Epsilon were concentrated at Colleges and Universities along the Eastern Seaboard and in Texas.
Omicron Delta Gamma (The Order of Artus) was founded in 1915 by John R. Commons, the University of Wisconsin, and Frank Taussig, Harvard University through the union of the economics societies of their Universities. The intent of the society was the encouragement of a closer academic and social relationship between honor students and faculty on an informal basis, facilitating the exchange of information and views.
Omicron Chi Epsilon was the younger of the two organizations but of equal chapter strength at the time of the merger, having been founded in 1955 by Alan A. Brown while he was a student at City College of New York. From its inception, the Society sought to provide means not only to confer suitable honors on the more promising students but also to encourage scholarship by organized meetings and conferences and through the publication of its official journal.
Omicron Delta Epsilon is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies in the United States, is thus fully recognized and accredited. It is governed by an International Executive Board consisting of the International President, the President-Elect, two or more Vice-Presidents, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, and the Editor-in-Chief of The American Economist, the Editor of the Fisher/Taussig Competitions, and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees. The International Board of Trustees consists of outstanding economists both in the U.S. and in other countries who are elected at the ODE Biennial Convention. The International Executive Board is the operative governing body of the society. It meets at least once a year to set policy, approve new chapters (which may be approved by mail ballot in the interim), approve recommendations for the appointment of the regional representatives, recommend requested changes in the constitution, and take action on appropriate matters and issues in the accordance with the provisions of the constitution.