Beta Theta Pi - MIT

BACK BAY BETA Beta Upsilon Chapter of Beta Theta Pi at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Spring 2022 Aspire to Inspire Beta Upsilon's Comeback Is Stronger Than Their Setback A s I write this, we are fast approaching the Chapter's formal installation on April 30, 2022, in Boston. is is the culmination of a process that began over a decade ago. We preemptively shut Beta Upsilon Chapter down in June 2011. As the Chapter declined in size, relations with alumni were quite strained and lacked trust, and the Chapter's commitment to maintain the property and the proud history of Beta Upsilon was dropping quickly. ere had been some serious disciplinary actions taken and years spent trying to address these issues by alumni, advisors, and volunteers. We began the restart, in partnership with the General Fraternity and in combination with our Centennial Campaign, in the fall of 2012 with the refounding father class of seven initiated in December 2012. Over the past nine years, the Chapter has made significant progress—although it wasn't always easy. We had to learn how to hold a successful recruitment cycle in a very competitive environment. e active members had to determine, and demonstrate, the aspects that make them unique at MIT to differentiate our Chapter from the various organizations on campus. We continued our investment in the facilities by finishing the Main House renovations in the fall of 2013 (along with our 100th anniversary celebration) and the Annex renovations in 2015. Along with your generosity, the long-term and continued support of our alumni board and advisors have been crucial to maintaining the Chapter during this time. As we reached the end of the 2010s, our recruitment numbers started to significantly improve. We target 15 new members each academic year in order to have enough upperclassmen to fill our two buildings. We came very close to that the last two years before COVID-19. Recruitment in the midst of the pandemic was smaller, as it was virtual; virtually welcoming brothers into our Chapter proved to be a challenging endeavor as these great men struggled to connect with potential new members in ways we have in the past. As always, however, men of Beta Upsilon portray patience and grace, and our end result has been worth the wait. is year, we are thrilled to be on track to exceed past numbers with the addition of our spring pledge class and 14 new initiates in the fall. ese strong membership numbers led to the Chapter petitioning for, and receiving, their charter at the Convention in 2019. An installation celebration was planned for the spring of 2020. COVID-19 got in our way, however, leading to the celebration being postponed to April 30, 2022. What a tribute to our young men that they persevered through all these challenges to grow, flourish, and ultimately succeed! We are back in our historical position as a leader at MIT, with strong involvement on campus and a great reputation. Working with these great young men is inspiring. So, I'd like to invite you to join me and the other board members in doing so. Can you spare a couple of hours per month to work on communications? Do you have an interest in spending a few hours per month to mentor a young house manager? Do you have a few hours per month to help with finance? Many of these roles can be fulfilled outside of Boston, and these are open to all members. If you can give some of your time, then please let me know. Yours in _kai_, Mike Feinstein '82 President, Beta Upsilon Association (781) 454-5710 mike_feinstein@yahoo.com A HELPING HAND FROM OUR FRIENDS AT MIT MIT's IRDF Funds Door and Egress Upgrades for Chapter House A lthough our facility remains in great condition aer our renovation, there are always things to do to maintain the house and improve safety. ere are also some architectural idiosyncrasies of our building that don't line up to today's safety standards, particularly involving doors. With 75% of the project cost covered by MIT, we are among the first living groups at MIT undergoing a full audit of all doors and egress paths with significant upgrades to enhance safety. Most of the upgrades involve installing automatic closers for bedroom and closet doors. ere are a couple of cases where we will reverse the direction that a door opens to comply with current building codes. ese changes are not strictly required due to the age of our buildings, but we do want to keep our students safe without losing the architectural character of our facilities. is project is funded by the Independent Residence Development Fund at MIT. We have tapped into this fund many times in the past for construction and renovation loans, as well as grants, to cover the cost of renovating educational spaces. If you make gis to MIT, then please consider designating your gi to the IRDF as I do. is ultimately supports the Chapter House as we continue to leverage this great support provided by MIT.

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