Dear Brothers,
Summer is coming to a close, the talk of college football fills the air and another school year is now in full swing. Recruitment events are starting on campuses across North America, and soon we will be welcoming new Phikeia classes to the Fraternity. This is one of the best times to be a Phi Delt, but it is also the time when we owe each other our greatest attention.
Every fall, we ask this brotherhood to recommit to one another’s health and safety, and this year is no different. Last fall, we welcomed our largest Phikeia class in over a decade. We also initiated our 300,000th member, continued making a difference in the lives of young men, and raised money and awareness for the ALS community. The 2025–26 school year was filled with Guard Against Elation-worthy activities and something to be proud of, but it also brought challenges we cannot ignore.
Health and safety violations increased, which led to a rise in chapter closures across the country. Phi Delta Theta was not immune. Questions were raised, some directed at chapters and some at General Headquarters about whether we are doing enough to support the chapters. These are not comfortable questions, but they are necessary ones.
That is why we must remember Robert Morrison’s warning to “Guard Against Elation.”
When I spoke at the General Convention in Atlanta in June 2025, I challenged Phi Delta Theta to use those words as a reminder that progress cannot lead to complacency. Brother Morrison, in his final address to the Fraternity, did not dwell on everything Phi Delta Theta had accomplished. Instead, he challenged his brothers to pave the way for future generations. That warning is as relevant today as it was 128 years ago. We have so much to celebrate, but the challenges of the past year make it clear that there is still work to do. We can all do better and come together to Guard Against Elation.
“You must guard against elation. Do not look at the past as a thing that should be satisfying; look at it only as something in general that was well done. Thank God for it but go and do something better.”
Robert Morrison, 1898 Convention Address
Our Commitments Haven’t Changed
Phi Delta Theta’s approach to risk management is not new, and it is not negotiable. Alcohol-free housing, a membership experience free of hazing, and a Good Samaritan Policy that makes clear that no brother should ever hesitate to call for help out of fear of getting in trouble. You can read the full picture on our Commitments page.
Alongside them stands Don’t Tarnish the Badge, our amnesty program for chapters that recognize they have drifted from our standards and want to course-correct before something serious happens. It is an opportunity to choose transparency over silence.
This doesn’t mean we can’t have fun; we just need to have fun by making good decisions and by following our guidelines and values. I would rather have that hard conversation with a chapter today than read about a preventable tragedy tomorrow. If something within your chapter does not align with our values, do not wait for it to become a crisis. Look out for one another and speak up when something is not right.
Earlier this year, Phi Delta Theta partnered with RealResponse, a secure and anonymous reporting platform that gives members, families, volunteers, and campus partners another way to share concerns or seek guidance. Through familiar channels such as text and email, concerns can reach the right people sooner, allowing us to respond before a problem becomes more serious.
National Hazing Prevention Week: September 21–25
This September, chapters across the country will join campuses nationwide in recognizing National Hazing Prevention Week (September 21–25, 2026).
Hazing has no place in Phi Delta Theta. It goes against everything our Fraternity was built on, and we continue to back that stance with real accountability for chapters and individuals who violate our policies.
I’m asking every chapter to use this week intentionally. Talk openly about what hazing looks like. Revisit your new member education plan. Make sure your newest members know where Phi Delta Theta stands on this topic. Use the resources available through our anti-hazing partnerships and make health and safety a conversation your chapter has throughout the year.
Prevention isn’t a one-week initiative—National Hazing Prevention Week is an opportunity to make sure every member knows where the Fraternity stands.
New Support at General Headquarters
General Headquarters leadership, with the support of the General Council, has developed a strategy to tackle these challenges head-on. We will be implementing the plan throughout the 2026–27 academic year.
Nick O’Neal, our new senior director of chapter support, will oversee our chapter support staff and strategy across the country, with a direct hand in strengthening health, safety, and conduct outcomes at the chapter level.
This fall, we will also welcome a director of health and safety dedicated to providing greater education and support to our chapters.
And we cannot forget our chapter support coordinators, who serve as the direct contact between your chapter and General Headquarters. Our goal is for our chapter support coordinators to make a visit to every chapter this academic year.
There is a great deal happening across Phi Delta Theta worth celebrating, but our accomplishments cannot become an excuse to stop asking what more we can do. Let’s turn National Hazing Prevention Week into something we focus on this whole semester. Together, we can have a greater impact on our campus communities.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Look out for your brothers. Ask the difficult questions. Use the resources available to you. And when you celebrate your successes, continue looking for the next opportunity to become an even greater version of yourself.
Wishing everyone a safe and strong start to the semester. Now go, Guard Against Elation!
Yours in the Bond,
Nat J. Love
