The Banner Plan of Omega Gamma Delta was created in 1925 at the suggestion of Lee C. Dowling, Kappa/Alpha Beta ’21. It was designed to test the various qualities of the chapters in order to let them compare their relative strengths and weaknesses and to allow the Grand Chapter to determine the best chapter in any given year. A Banner bearing the name of the winners was the annual prize.
In its first three years, the Banner Plan point system only gauged participation in the national fraternity and only a single prize was given. It was in fact, a contest between only two chapters, Upsilon and Beta. After that, additional factors were taken into consideration and the rest of the chapters became more competitive. In recognition of this, a second place cup and third place plaque were added to the physical prizes.
As the fraternity became smaller in the 1940s due to WW II, the plan was returned to the more limited, national participation-only pattern, in 1946, and the number of serious competitors shrank. In 1968, the Plan was again expanded to recognize local operations and individual achievements and the list of competitors again increased. Times change and the Banner Plan came to a sudden halt in 1983. A reduced number of competing chapters was the culprit.
During its early period and again during the 1950s and early 1960s, the point system was limited to attendance at Grand Chapter meetings, registration of new members, submission of monthly reports to the GC, sponsorship of new chapters, payment of annual dues, attendance at dances and conventions and sale of Grand Chapter chance bids. During the more inclusive competition periods, the following were included: charitable and community service activities, chapter social functions, chapter reserve funds, cooperation with the official journal, inter-chapter cooperation, assistance to weak chapters, personal achievements and activities by individual active members, high academic performance, acceptance to college and college scholarships.
With the expansion through our “Fraternity for Men” the Banner Plan was revived in 2016.
The Score
Year 1st Banner, 2nd Cup, 3rd Plaque
1926 Upsilon, Beta, Pi
1927 Beta, Upsilon
1928 Upsilon, Beta
1929 Upsilon, Rho Beta, Alpha Eta
1930 Upsilon, Rho, Beta, Alpha Beta
1931 Alpha Gamma, Rho, Upsilon, Theta III
1932 Rho, Mu, Beta, Nu
1933 Alpha Gamma, Nu, Rho Alpha Iota
1934 Nu Psi Alpha Gamma Alpha Mu
1935 Alpha Mu, Beta, Alpha Gamma, Nu
1936 Alpha Mu, Tau, Theta III, Alpha Gamma
1937 Alpha Mu, Alpha Gamma, Tau, Theta III
1938 Theta III, Rho, Tau, Alpha Chi
1939 Theta III, Delta, Beta, Alpha Alpha
1940 Mu, Alpha Mu, Theta III, Rho
1941 Mu, Alpha Psi, Rho, Alpha Alpha
1942 Mu, Beta, Alpha Delta, Theta III
1943 Rho, Beta Gamma, Mu Beta, Alpha
1944 Beta, Eta Rho, Beta Gamma, Alpha Psi
1945 Rho, Alpha Sigma, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma
1946 Rho, Alpha Mu, Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma
1947 Rho, Alpha Mu, Mu, Alpha Psi
1948 Rho, Alpha Mu, Theta III, Alpha Chi
1949 Rho, Beta Alpha, Mu, Alpha Mu
1950 Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Rho, Beta Gamma
1951 Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Beta Gamma, Mu
1952 Beta Gamma, Alpha Chi, Beta, Delta
1953 Alpha Chi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Mu
1954 Alpha Chi, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma, Beta
1955 Alpha Chi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma
1956 Alpha Psi, Theta III, Beta Gamma, Alpha Chi
1957 Beta Gamma, Beta, Alpha Phi, Alpha Chi
1958 Beta Gamma, Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Psi
1959 Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Alpha Phi, Alpha Chi
1960 Theta III, Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma
1961 Gamma Psi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi
1962 Alpha Phi/G. Psi, Delta Psi, Beta Psi, Delta Psi Delta
1963 Alpha Psi, Chi Beta Chi, Alpha Phi, Gamma Psi
1964 Gamma Psi, Alpha Psi, Upsilon Zeta, Delta Psi Alpha
1965 Beta, Gamma Psi, Beta Gamma, Alpha Psi
1966 Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Beta, Alpha Chi
1967 Zeta Psi/Alpha Psi, Gamma Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Chi
1968 Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Gamma Psi
1969 Upsilon Zeta/A. Psi, Beta Gamma, Beta Pi/Kappa Psi
1970 Alpha Psi, Beta, Upsilon Zeta, Beta Gamma
1971 Kappa Psi, Beta Gamma, Beta Chi, Beta
1972 Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Delta Psi, Gamma Theta
1973 Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Alpha Phi
1974 Iota Rho, Alpha Phi, Kappa Psi, Delta Psi
1975 Alpha Phi, Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Beta Chi
1976 Beta Chi, Beta Pi, Beta Psi, Alpha Phi
1977 Alpha Phi, Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Beta Chi
1978 Alpha Phi, Beta Chi, Beta Pi, Kappa Psi
1979 Beta Chi, Delta Psi, Beta Gamma, Tau Zeta
1980 Beta Pi, Beta Chi, Alpha Psi, Delta Psi
1981 Delta Psi, Beta Pi, Beta Chi, Alpha Psi
1982 Beta Sigma, Beta Pi, Alpha Psi, Tau Zeta
2016 Delta Beta, Delta Gamma, Delta Delta
2017 Delta Gamma, Delta Beta, Delta Zeta
2018 Delta Zeta, Delta Gamma, Delta Beta
2019 Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Delta Beta
2020 Delta Zeta, Delta Gamma, Delta Delta
2021 Delta Gamma, Delta Zeta, Delta Beta
Overall, Alpha Psi won 10 Banners; Rho won 7; Alpha Phi and Upsilon won 4; Theta III, Mu, Alpha Mu, Alpha Chi, Gamma Psi, Kappa Psi, and Delta Gamma won 3; Beta, Alpha Gamma, Beta Gamma, Beta Chi, Delta Zeta won 2; Nu, Beta Eta, Delta Psi, Zeta Psi, Upsilon Zeta Iota Rho, Beta Sigma.
Total awards: Alpha Psi, 25; Alpha Phi and Beta Gamma, 16; Rho, 15; Beta, 12; Theta III, Alpha Mu and Kappa Psi, 7; Mu, Upsilon, Alpha Chi, Beta Pi and Beta Chi, 6; Gamma Psi, 5; Alpha Gamma and Delta Psi, 4; Tau and Upsilon Zeta, 3; Delta, Nu and Beta Psi, 2; and Pi, Psi, Beta Eta, Alpha Sigma, Zeta Psi, Iota Rho, Chi Beta Chi and Beta Sigma 1. Delta Gamma 6, Delta Zeta 6, Delta Beta 5, Delta Delta 2.
