History of Delta Omicron

HISTORY OF THE DELTA OMICRON CHAPTER DELTA SIGMA PHI FRATERNITY

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

On February 1^st, 1957 the first local fraternity at Western Carolina College was formed under the name of Chi Delta. Chi Delta became a chapter of a national fraternity when they were chartered by Kappa Sigma Kappa (national fraternity) on April 12, 1958. Later on Kappa Sigma Kappa merged with another national fraternity, Theta Xi and retained the name Theta Xi from that point forward. Gamma Tau and Lambda Phi Kappa was founded on October 8^th, 1957. Lamda Phi Kappa went on to become a chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon on April 4, 1959.

In the summer of 1957 Griff Miller (Asheville) transferred from the University of The South in Suwanee, TN to WCC (Western Carolina College). Griff was a member of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity. When he arrived at Western that summer he found that a member of the faculty, Professor Frank Maturo was also an ATO. The two began talking and decided to form a local fraternity at Western with the hope of becoming a chapter of Alpha Tau Omega. Throughout the summer Prof. Maturo and Griff Miller recruited eight members to start a new local fraternity. When school started in the fall the eight men recruited in the summer recruited an additional eight into the organization, thus becoming the sixteen founding fathers of Gamma Tau.

At that time Western Carolina College was on a quarter systems. The first president of Gamma Tau was Griff Miller and the faculty advisor was Professor Frank Maturo. In December when the winter quarter started Gamma Tau had their first pledge class of five. The five members of that first pledge class where Joe Lynn Maney, Fred Madison Arrowood, Jack Hendrix, Charles Daniel Sells, and Frederick William Rosenkampff. Max Eury was the second president of Gamma Tau and was elected in April 1958. In the January of 1959 Gamma Tau contacted Alpha Tau Omega with the hopes of becoming a chapter. The brotherhood was informed by Alpha Tau Omega that they did not take on any new affiliates unless they had been a local fraternity for at least twenty years. This news ended Gamma Tau’s hope of becoming affiliated with Alpha Tau Omega. Immediately the brothers began contacting other national fraternities, narrowing it down to three after months of communication. In early April the brothers voted unanimously and selected Delta Sigma Phi as the national fraternity they wanted to become a part of. In April of 1959 Gamma Tau was pledged (colonized) by Frank Lloyd a representative of Delta Sigma Phi.

The next month (May 1959) Gamma Tau sent a formal petition to Delta Sigma Phi requesting Chapter status. The newly elected president of the chapter at that time was Thomas Bridges and the Secretary that put the petition together was John Carland. At the time the petition was submitted Western Carolina College had twelve hundred and eighty students. Delta Sigma Phi accepted the petition, but informed Gamma Tau that they could not become a chapter until they had an Alumni Control (Corporation) Board of at least seven members.

The Brothers of Gamma Tau took this setback in stride and immediately began recruiting faculty members to form an ACB. After two weeks of recruiting, Gamma Tau had secured six members to serve on the ACB. At a loss to find the seventh member the brothers at a regular meeting (all meetings were held in Joyner Building which served as the Administration Building) went over all possibilities. Brother Robert Zerfoss then informed the brothers that he did not think his father had become a member of a fraternity when he attends Pennsylvania State University years earlier. The next week Brother Zerfoss informed his brothers that his father had accepted the offer to become a member of Delta Sigma Phi and to serve on the first ACB. That first ACB consisted of the following members.

MEMBERS OF THE FIRST ACB OF DELTA OMICRON - 1959

Dr. William A. Ashbrook - Head of the Business Depatment

Professor Jack Wesley Barnett - Business Department

James H. Gray, Sr.

Professor Filo Hufustus Hodges - Science Department

Professor Eugene William Vosecky - Business Department

Dr. Francis Wagoner Yow - Science Department

Lester Frank Zerfoss - President American Enka Corporation

On December 5^th the informal initiation was held in the basement of the Stillwell Building. The chapter that initiated Gamma Tau was from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC. The following day the formal initiation was held with a black tie banquet at the Jarrett House in Dillsboro, NC. There were thirty-one brothers and six ACB members initiated on Dec 6^th, 1959, which started the beginning of the Delta Omicron Chapter of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. Initiated on that day were the ACB as listed above and the under-graduates as listed below.

FOUNDING FATHERS OF DELTA OMICRON

Paul Edward Allison, Jr. Mark John Hollar

Fred Madison Arroweed Charles Richard Jolly

Clyde Alexander Barnwell Kenneth Leon Lamb

John Joseph Bolen Joe Lynn Maney

Frank Bradley Bruce Redfern Medlin

Thomas Wayne Bridges Percy Vivian Mitchiner

Jennings Hilton Bryson Joe Richard Poole

John Paul Carland Robert Sidney Roberts

Marvin Harrison Calloway Frederick W. Rosenkampff

Robert Lee Coffin Harry Louis Sandlin

George Finley Curtis Walter Vance Schrum

Ronald Lloyd Dalton Charles Daniel Sells

Albert P. Falls James Lane Simpson

Harry Alexander Gossett Clyde Franklin Staton, Jr.

McChesney Powell Gray Robert Williamson Zerfoss

Herbert Morris Hickson, Jr.

It should be noted that Professor Frank Maturo could not be initiated because he was already an ATO. But, he continued to serve as an Advisor/Sponsor of Delta Sigma Phi throughout the 1960’s. Of the original ACB, Brother Jack W. Barnett served his fraternity for thirty-five years as an advisor and also as the board’s treasurer.

In April 1960 Brother Fred Rosenkampff became the second president of the Delta Omicron Chapter. The presidents that followed him in the 1960s were: Brother Harry Gossett 61-62 and Ken Rogers 63-64. The chapter was a leader on campus throughout the 60’s by in terms of scholastic achievement, intramurals, and student body involvement, including 3 presidents of the student body along with presidents of many of the organizations and clubs on campus.

Beginning with the founding of the Delta Omicron Chapter the dues were twelve dollars a month with one dollar of each members dues were set aside for the building fund. Ten years later in 1969 the brotherhood purchased their first house, which was located on Parker Farm road. Later the house was added on to accommodate sixteen brothers.

In the mid 70’s at the end of the Vietnam War drugs became infested on campuses throughout the United States, and Western now a university was no exception. In 1982 the problem became so elevated that the national headquarters had their first reorganization of Delta Omicron. The results of the reorganization were the expulsion of over half the brothers leaving a membership that numbered in the twenties. At this point Brother David Fowler became the president of the ACB and along with the other members of the ACB built Delta Omicron back. The fraternity again became the leader on campus from the mid to late eighties. . In 1985 the chapter was honored when it received the prestigious Pyramid of Excellence award from the national fraternity. In 1987 Brother Barnett was honored by Delta Sigma Phi when he was awarded the Charles G. Bartell Chapter Advisor Award as the best Chapter Advisor in the country.

In 1991 the chapter went through reorganization once again. Again Delta Omicron built themselves back from a membership in the twenties to one in the fifties. Then in the fall of 1997 the chapter found itself divided once again. In October 1997 two weeks prior to homecoming a party was held at the chapter house, there were six pledges were in attendance. Hazing occurred and a fight broke out between one of the pledges and a number of brothers. The next day the dean of students became aware of the situation.

At the Annual Meeting of Alumni during homecoming in 1997 a new ACB board was elected. In the ACB meeting that followed Brother Fred Rosenkampff was elected President. Before the Christmas break the brothers of Delta Omicron decided to have a Down with the Ship party. As a result of this party, the ACB closed the off campus house on Parker Farm Road during Christmas break. In late January of 1998 Jackson County pressed hazing charges on two of the brothers of Delta Omicron over the incident in October. Almost immediately after these two brothers were charged WCU withdrew their recognition of Delta Sigma Phi - Delta Omicron. Without recognition by the university the national headquarters had no choice but to withdraw the Charter of Delta Omicron.

The following month Brother Rosenkampff wrote a letter to over two hundred alumni of Delta Omicron asking for support to start working towards the reestablishment of the Delta Omicron Chapter at Western. In this letter he announced the formation of a new alumni organization to be known as the DO100+. The DO100+ would be the sole financial avenue to serve the needs of the alumni, scholarship fund and the chapter. The name signified one hundred brothers plus giving one hundred dollars or more each year. The response was beyond expectations, as of this writing the DO100+ has never reached one hundred but has stayed between seventy and ninety-six members since it’s inception in 1998. The ACB began working with the administration at the university to try and find a way to re-establish the Delta Omicron Chapter at WCU. The university was very open to this because, the alumni of Delta Sigma Phi contributed more to the university than any other alumni group. Dr. Bill Haggard and Brother Rosenkampff came to the conclusion that it was best to wait until all members of the 1997 chapter graduated from Western before starting a new colony. From 1998 to the end of the 2001 spring semester the alumni remained strong by means of newsletters and homecoming.

In the fall of 2001 the national headquarters sent a representative to start the colonization of Delta Omicron. In November of 2001 Delta Sigma Phi with the approval of Western Carolina University colonized with 18 brothers. The first President of the new colony was Zack Terry. The Presidents that followed were Brother Keith Livesay 02’-03’; Brother Matt Walker 03’-04’; and Brother Lee Fayssoux 04’-05’. The chapter grew to over thirty members during the presidency of Brother Fayssoux. When it met all the various requirements of Delta Sigma Phi, which included financial, academics, community service, and campus involvement the Delta Omicron Colony was granted a new Charter.

The chartering ceremony was held on November 15^th, 2005 at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville, NC. It was a black tie affair and a banquet followed the ceremony.

After the banquet and speeches by Brother Fred Rosenkampff, William Haggard, Dean of Student Affairs at WCU, and Brother Scott Wiley, Executive Director of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. Brother Lee Fayssoux was presented with the New Charter for the Delta Omicron Chapter of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. .

At this point one Brother of Delta Omicron should be mentioned. Brother Cody Grasty served as Student Body President for WCU for two years ‘05-’07. The Delta Omicron presidents that have followed Brother Fayssoux are Brother Ben Stiles ‘05-’06 and Brother Erick Gregory ‘06-’08.

This history of Delta Sigma Phi was written from October 4 – 8, 2007; by Brother Fred Rosenkampff with the assistance of Brother Joey Glenn.

The exec board members from 2005-2020 are seen below:

2005-2006

President Lee Fayssoux

VP Marshall Deats

Treasurer Ryan Jones

Secretary Kiffin Queen

Sergeant at Arms Shawn Jones

2006-2007

President Ben Stiles

VP Jason Marshburn

Treasurer Thomas Edel

Secretary Jonathan Motsinger

Sergeant At Arms Myles Hutto

2007-2008

President Erick Gregory

VP Joe Brown

Treasurer Daniel Johnston

Secretary Jonathan Motsinger

Sergeant At Arms Thomas Edel

2008-2009

President Travis Maines - John Williams (mid year transition)

VP John Williams - Jason Mull (mid year transition)

Treasurer Kyle Bielan

Secretary Will Goode

Sergeant at Arms Jason Mull - Doug Williams (mid year transition)

2009-2010

President Travis Maines - Richard Huffman (mid year transition)

VP Tyler Tadlock

Treasurer Chason Stevens

Secretary Richard Huffman - Ben Arant (mid year transition)

Sergeant at Arms Michael McGathy

2010-2011

President Richard Huffman

VP Daniel Helig

Treasurer Caleb Chandler

Secretary Ben Arant

Sergeant at Arms Michael Anderson

2011-2012

President Jonathan Moulton

VP Ben Arant

Treasurer Chris Banks

Secretary Zach Warren

Sergeant at Arms Trevor Dunlap

2012-2013

President Juan Guevara

VP Zach Warren

Treasurer Carlos Acuna

Secretary Will Crandall

Sergeant at Arms Lane Fayssoux

2013-2014

Pres Lance Barton

VP Ryan Denver

Treasurer Michael Parks

Secretary Luis Mendoza Chavez

Sergeant at Arms Byron Tenesaca

2014-2015

President Aaron Heavener

VP Byron Tenesaca

Treasurer Dallas Cason

Secretary Sergio Chavez

Sergeant At Arms Patrick Spong

2015-2016

Pres Connor Kick

VP Sergio Chavez

Treasurer Dallas Cason

Secretary Coleman Leopard

Sergeant At Arms Lonnell Sherman

2016-2017

Pres Sergio Chavez - Coleman Leopard (mid year transition)

VP Jeremy Sasser

Treasurer Nicholas Glenn

Secretary Andrew Capps

Sergeant at Arms Matthew Marinaro

2017-2018

President Matt Lutz

VP Alex Norwood

Treasurer Mark Vollmer

Secretary Sean Price

Sergeant at Arms Ryan Brooks

2018-2019

President Dylan Rood

VP Alec Romano

Treasurer Hugo Sanchez

Secretary Martin Chan

Sergeant at Arms Austin Peters

2019-2020

President Paolo Balladares

VP Jacob Whiteside

Treasurer Daniel Hutchinson

Secretary Camden Hyde

Sergeant at Arms Anderson Royston II

TO BE CONTINUED