Kappa Upsilon Chi

Infobox Fraternity | name = Kappa Upsilon Chi
letters = ΚΥΧ
crest =
motto = "As Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another" - Proverbs 27:17
colors = Royal (Leadership under Christ), Green (Growth under Christ) and White (Purity under Christ)
symbol = Knight
flower = No Flower
birthplace = Texas Tech University
founded = February 5, 1993
chapters = 17 (13 Active, 2 inactive, and 2 colonies)
type = Social Christian
scope = United States
address = PO Box 8998 (Zip=79114-8998)
city = Amarillo
state = Texas
country = USA
free_label =
free =
homepage = [http://www.kyx.org KYX Nationals]

Kappa Upsilon Chi ("Keeping Under Christ", Kappa Chi, or ΚΥΧ) is a national men's fraternity composed of Christian collegians seeking to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Kappa Upsilon Chi was founded in 1993 at Texas Tech University and has expanded across the southern United States of America. The organization is currently composed of roughly 250 active collegians and over 1,000 alumni. The mission of Kappa Chi is to expand beyond general men's ministry and to be a fraternity which uniquely focuses on engaging both the Greek communities and Christian communities with their outreach and involvement. [ Interview with National President Brent Webster ]

History

Kappa Upsilon Chi was founded at Texas Tech University in 1993 in response to a demand on campus for a Christian fraternity after the founding of a Sigma Phi Lambda Christian sorority chapter for women. Four men sought out to found the fraternity in the winter of 1993 as a male-only equivalent to the women's sorority.

The men originally looked at Beta Upsilon Chi, Alpha Nu Omega, Alpha Gamma Omega and Chi Alpha Omega but used their knowledge of Greek ritual and tradition from their founder Darren White, a member of Phi Gamma Delta social fraternity, to start their own fraternity. The men believed it was crucial to have what they considered a "Christ-centered Greek ritual to bind its members past and present and accomplish their goal of bridging the Christian and Greek communities." [ Interview with Founder Matt Welborn at 2006 Convention ]

Move to a National Fraternity

The first move to becoming a national fraternity occurred in the fall of 1995 when 12 men established a Beta chapter of Kappa Upsilon Chi at Wayland Baptist University. It was not until 1999 when eighteen men from Southwestern University began the Gamma Chapter that expansion occurred again.

Kappa Upsilon Chi expanded to Georgia College and State University,the University of New Mexico, Lamar University, the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, Clemson University, the University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky and the Southern Polytechnic State University

In response to this growth, and to preserve the history and traditions of the original fraternity, the national organization of Kappa Chi was incorporated on February 5, 2006 in San Antonio, Texas by the nine members of the National Board of Directors. [ [http://www.kyx.org/nationals/history.htm KYX ] ]

About Kappa Upsilon Chi

Kappa Upsilon Chi has both an open meaning to the public and a closed Greek meaning known to its members who are initiated. Kappa Upsilon Chi, or Kappa Chi for short, seeks to grow its members internally through accountability groups, prayer nights, service projects and brotherhood events. Kappa Chi seeks to have an influence on the community through the giving of a tithe, service projects, philanthropy and outreach.

The signature events of each Kappa Chi chapter is holding a large scale event on campus once a year for evangelism. These events raise awareness for Kappa Chi, salvation in Christ and usually raise money for Christian Charities. The Late Knight Philanthropy Project at the University of Florida chapter raised nearly $2,000 for Heisman Trophy-winner Danny Wuerffel's Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans, LA this past April.

Unique facts about Kappa Upsilon Chi

Fraternity Colors: White, Kelly Green and Royal Blue

Mascot: The Knight

Open Motto: "As Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17

Purpose Statement: Kappa Upsilon Chi exists for several reasons. Our greatest desire is to glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We also seek to uphold and maintain Biblical Christian standards, to be an influence in the community through servant lifestyles, to pursue a positive attitude and spirit, and to help others strengthen their academic achievement, enabling them to be what the Lord calls them to be. We do this by submitting to the Lord, our God, and allowing Him to direct our lives as Psalm 139:23-24 states, "Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We seek solely to do the will of God. [ [http://www.kyx.org/nationals/symbols.htm KYX ] ]

The Organization

Kappa Upsilon Chi is governed by a nine-member board of directors and committees. The board of directors is currently hiring an executive director to oversee the day-to-day duties of expansion and chapter outreach. Brent Webster, an attorney in Austin, TX and former president of the Gamma chapter, is the current president of the board of directors.

Chapter Structure

Keeping Under Christ, Inc. issues charters to each chapter and has all final say to the chapter activities. Each chapter consists of an officer corps, an active body, an alumni body and a pledge class. Each chapter runs on a constitutional committee system. This system creates a series of committees made up of actives and pledges that organizes the functionality of the chapter under the direction of a specific officer. The officers are in charge of all scheduling, all activities, programming and ritual. The chapter conducts weekly meetings, weekly accountability groups, multiple socials, a specific series of closed rituals and a semesterly brotherhood retreat.

There are six officer positions in Kappa Upsilon Chi. There is the President, the Internal Vice President, External Vice President, Chaplain, Secretary and Treasurer.

For the 2008-2009 Academic school year, each chapter was to nominate a new officer for the officer corps. The new officer position is National Liaison. As of 2008, the officer positions are now President, the Internal Vice President, External Vice President, Chaplain, Secretary, Treasurer, and National Liaison.

Chapters

#Α Alpha - Texas Tech University (Active - 1993)
#Β Beta - Wayland Baptist University (Active - 1995)
#Γ Gamma - Southwestern University (Active - 1999)
#Δ Delta - Georgia College and State University (Active - 2001)
#Ε Epsilon - University of New Mexico (Active - 2003)
#Ζ Zeta - University of Oklahoma (Inactive - 2004-2006)
#Η Eta - Lamar University (Active - 2004)
#Θ Theta - University of Florida (Active - 2004)
#Ι Iota - University of Texas at Dallas (Inactive - 2004-2005)
#Κ Kappa - Florida State University (Active - 2005)
#Λ Lambda - University of Central Florida (Active - 2006)
#M Mu - Clemson University (Active - 2007)
#N Nu - University of Tennessee (Active - 2007)
#Ξ Xi - University of Kentucky (Active - 2007)
#O Omicron - Southern Polytechnic State University (Active - 2008)
#Π Pi - University of South Carolina (Colony - 2008)
#ρ Rho -Texas A&M University(Colony 2008)

Prospective Chapters

University of Mississippi

University of North Florida

University of Oklahoma

California State University-Sacramento

Expansion

Kappa Upsilon Chi has traditionally held expansion to those seeking to found a chapter on their campus and Kappa Chi would accept applicants each calendar year.

However, with the advent of specialized marketing technologies such as Facebook.com and other internet communications devices within the last few years, Kappa Chi has developed a detailed marketing plan for their Expansion Initiative, aimed at adding five new chapters a year over the next six years giving the fraternity 40 chapters by the twentieth anniversary celebration in 2013.

To start a new chapter, a potential colony must show interest and contact the fraternity's National Board of Directors ([e-mail]) and fill out the appropriate paperwork. A telephone or in-person interview will follow and it will be decided whether a chapter can or cannot be established. If a potential colony is invited to become an official colony, they will come to the National Leadership Challenge (formerly known as the National Leadership Summit) in August of that year and be inducted into the Fraternity. The men will pledge for one semester and then be initiated by an appointed group of brothers, usually the closest full chapter.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.kyx.org/ Kappa Upsilon Chi National website]
* [http://www.kyx.org/alpha Kappa Upsilon Chi Texas Tech chapter website]
* [http://www.kyx.org/beta Kappa Upsilon Chi Wayland Baptist University chapter website]
* [http://www.kyx.org/gamma Kappa Upsilon Chi Southwestern University chapter website]
* [http://www.kyx.org/delta Kappa Upsilon Chi Georgia College and State University website]
* [http://www.kyx.org/epsilon Kappa Upsilon Chi University of New Mexico website]
* [http://www.kyx.org/eta Kappa Upsilon Chi Lamar University chapter website]
* [http://www.ufkyx.org Kappa Upsilon Chi University of Florida website]
* [http://www.fsukyx.org/ Kappa Upsilon Chi Florida State University website]
* [http://www.utkyx.org Kappa Upsilon Chi University of Tennessee website]
* [http://www.alligator.org/pt2/050930christian.php Kappa Upsilon Chi Article in the UF Alligator about Kappa Chi foundation]
* [http://www.alligator.org/pt2/060207christian.phpKappa Upsilon Chi Article in the UF Alligator about Kappa Chi national foundation]
* [http://www.dailytoreador.com/media/storage/paper870/news/2006/04/07/Entertainment/Spicing.Up.Spring.With.Some.Bling-1801316.shtml?norewrite200612072308&sourcedomain=www.dailytoreador.com Kappa Upsilon Chi Article about the Texas Tech Chapter]