BETA TAU
Wayne State University

FOUNDED ON
2.12.1938

LOCATION
Detroit, MI

HISTORY
Wayne State University is an outgrowth of the merger of several older institutions in 1956. The older institutions were the Detroit Medical College, founded in 1868; Detroit Normal School, founded 1881; Colleges of the City of Detroit, founded 1933, and Wayne University, founded 1934.

Psi Delta was organized by nine students in the summer of 1934. In September 1937, the group leased a house at 65 Hancock Avenue, Detroit. In November 1937, the group submitted a petition to Alpha Kappa Pi was chartered as Alpha Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Pi in ceremonies at the University of Toledo’s Alpha Kappa Pi Chapter on February 12, 1938. W. S. Kitchen, National Secretary of Alpha Kappa Pi installed the Chapter.

In 1946, the chapter designation was changed to Beta Tau of Alpha Sigma Phi. In 1949, the Beta Tau Chapter acquired a chapter house; Michigan football coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan ‘25, spoke at the dedication of the house. From 1950 to 1957, the chapter house was located at 655 W. Kirby Street. From 1957 to the early 1970’s, the house was at 5857 West Second Avenue.

Beta Tau closed in 1973, when the remaining undergraduate members of the Chapter were about to graduate and had not recruited any new members all year. The Beta Tau Chapter had initiated 528 members before becoming inactive. The chapter newsletter was “The Sabre.” The Chapter won the 1956-58 Service Award and the 1964-65 Scholastic Improvement Award.

A re-colonization effort in 2004-05 failed. In the spring of 1946, a colony of Alpha Gamma Upsilon Fraternity was organized at Wayne State University. On May 4, 1947, it was installed as Eta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Upsilon, and had become inactive by the time Alpha Gamma Upsilon merged with Alpha Sigma Phi in 1966.

Fraternity Staff Member Josh Franke, Otterbein ‘06, developed a group from which the Beta Tau Chapter was re-colonized with 25 members on September 25, 2009. The Colonization Ceremony was held in Room 283 in the Student Center at WSU. 

Since then, the Chapter led by their Colony President Josh Cupp, Wayne ‘10, and their Grand Chapter Advisor Matthew Couture, Toledo ‘07,  have worked to bring the “Old Gal” back to Wayne State after a 37 year absence. The Beta Tau Chapter placed community service and philanthropy as one of its highest priorities. “Community service and good will are essential to bettering the man, as it is important to keep up and enrich ones community,” said Past Vice President Jonathon Dike, Wayne State ‘10.

On Sunday, November 21, 2010, on the Wayne State campus, Grand Secretary Bryan Proctor, Grand Valley ‘96, presided over the Chartering Ceremony and presented the charter to the 24 undergraduates who were initiated on Saturday, November 20th. Grand Councilor Aaron Dau, Toledo ‘07, the Fraternity’s General Counsel Steve Gnewkowski, Michigan ‘67, were also in attendance along with the Fraternity’s Director of Chapter Development Steve Latour, Central Michigan ‘04. 

One of the most memorable moments of the Chartering Ceremony was when several Beta Tau Alumni took the podium. Led by Art Schneider, Wayne State ‘56, who drove from Massachusetts to attend the event, and David Kolodziej, Wayne State ‘57, the men shared a few stories, presented the new group with items from the old chapter facility, including gold letters that used to be on the house, as well as some sage wisdom about how to keep the flame of the new group strong.

CHAPTER AWARDS
Records show award name and year(s) received.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Records show brother's name, initiation year, and award received.