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Beta Kappa Remains the Oldest Chapter West of the Mississippi River

The return to the University of Colorado was never going to be easy, but we can now celebrate the installation of Beta Kappa on Oct. 28. 2023 — just over 140 years after the chapter’s original chartering on Oct. 5, 1883. The chapter closed in the late 1990s. Due to the poor behavior of the undergraduates at the time and a looming mortgage payment, the chapter alumni had no choice but to sell the venerable chapter shelter. In 2004, all fraternities at CU moved off campus to protest a unilateral move by the university to implement campus-wide deferred recruitment for freshmen. A series of related decisions left many of the chapter alumni resentful toward their alma mater.

For many reasons, Delta Tau Delta chose to postpone a return to Boulder. However, nothing lasts forever. While conditions persisted in an undesirable state for some time, the status of the Beta Kappa Chapter at Colorado as the oldest chapter west of the Mississippi River would not change. Over time, conditions changed, tension thawed, and more chapters returned to be recognized by the university. 

In the spring of 2022, the Fraternity made a pitch to the IFC and was granted an opportunity to return. While the challenges were many, the Delt banner has since thrived in Boulder and the Beta Kappa Chapter has returned.

In front of the Flatiron Mountains for the second time in less than 12 months, the Fraternity installation team welcomed the newest Delts to Beta Kappa Chapter and to Delta Tau Delta. Not more than six months earlier, many members of the chapter at CU joined the men of the Epsilon Omicron Chapter at Colorado State to celebrate their installation. This time, it was the men of Epsilon Omicron who performed the Ritual for their brothers at CU. Indeed,

Delta Tau Delta is a brotherhood that transcends college rivalries and superficial differences. Perhaps the men at CU will have the opportunity to return the favor when the Fraternity returns to Northern Colorado in the coming years.

CEO Jack Kreman (Nebraska-Kearney, 2004) served as the master of ceremonies for the Ritual performance. In total, 34 men took the Oath to become a Delt and set the stage for the future of Delta Tau Delta at CU. The performance of the Epsilon Omicron Delts was superb and should rank among the best installation performances in recent memory.

In his keynote, Arch Chapter Vice Chairman Anthony Albanese (American, 1996) encouraged the men to continue to set new goals for the chapter and strive daily to achieve them. “When you stop trying to be great, you stop being good,” he said as he called for them to keep pursuing their mission of excellence. “It was a tremendous day in Boulder as we welcomed 35 men to continue the proud history of the Beta Kappa Chapter. I have no doubt these exceptional Delts will make us proud.”