Beta Theta Pi - University of Minnesota

A P u b l i c A t i o n o f t h e b e t A t h e t A P i S o c i e t y o f M i n n e S o t A the betA Piper FALL 2022 CELEBRATING 130 YEARS OF BETA PI C ampus has been bustling with students this fall, which is a stark difference compared to two years ago with quarantines and online classes. Now that COVID-19 is making a smaller impact on in-person activities, more brothers are finding value in living on campus. This August, 25 brothers moved into the chapter house, which is up from 11 the previous semester! The undergraduates are excited to have a full house again. This semester, we're also resuming in-person alumni events! At the end of September, the undergraduates welcomed alumni and friends for the Homecoming parade. The Beta Theta Pi Society of Minnesota works closely with the undergraduate chapter to ensure alumni feel welcome at the chapter house. Homecoming is a great opportunity to visit your alma mater and show friends and family what Beta meant to you. If you were unable to attend this year, be on the lookout for the date next fall! Mark your calendars! December 2nd will be our first formal alumni event in three years. We are hosting a Beta Pi Alumni Social at the McNamara Alumni Center on campus. Following the social, the undergraduates will be initiating the fall pledge class at the chapter house. All Beta Pi alumni are encouraged to attend. To learn more and sign up visit betapi.eventbrite.com. For questions, contact Nate Wong '15 at (701) 212-7017 or nate@betathetapisocietymn.org. Over the summer, the chapter advisor has been working closely with the chapter to cultivate successful recruitment and offer continued support in the transition to substance-free housing. They are also working to help the chapter improve operations to win future Sission and Knox awards. In October, three members of the advisory team attended an Advisor Academy hosted by Beta General. If you have an interest in joining the Beta Pi advisory team, reach out to Casey Kuenn '15 at casey.kuenn@gmail.com. Yours in __kai__, Nate Wong '15 Chapter Advisor F rom a financial perspective, the Beta Theta Pi Society of Minnesota is in a more stable position now compared to recent years. In the short term, we are focused on addressing the ongoing maintenance needs at the house while making plans for large capital projects within the next few years. A major house remodel project may be on the horizon to address multiple needs, including potential updates to our heating system. Our current cash balance is around $15,000, and our long-term debt is $506,550. Our two main revenue sources consist of donations from alumni and the chapter's monthly rent. The chapter now pays a combined $10,300 per month for rent with the most-recent increase (a larger rent increase was instituted this year after two years of COVID rent reprieve). Thank you for your support of our society and our ongoing support of the chapter house. For questions, please contact Jack Liang '13 at jack@betathetapisocietymn.org. Old Heating SyStem needS WOrk – VOlunteerS/expertS needed The original chapter house pipes, which bring heat to rooms from the boiler, are increasingly cracking and failing. The pipes are nearly 100 years old. Hidden behind plaster walls and in between floors, pipe leaks are challenging to access and costly to mitigate. Right now, it is a game of wait-and-see for the next leak. As a result, we must seriously consider a major project to mitigate this repeating problem and ensure a well-researched and wise investment decision is made. We are now in an information-gathering stage and will be making a plan in the months to come. If you have recommendations, knowledge, and/or expertise to share, we highly encourage you to contact Scott Heineman '02 at hein0219@umn.edu or Cian Chase '08 at cian.chase@gmail.com. We also need short- term volunteers to help with research and evaluating options. Please contact us if you're interested in getting involved. teSting an air COnditiOning prOgram We are partnering with chapter members to provide them with an optional air conditioning solution for the hot summer months. In light of continued challenges with chapter members breaking policy and installing A/C units into windowsills, the Housing Corporation has purchased a set of portable A/C units; members can now rent a unit from the Housing Corporation at a reasonable price. At the end of the season, units will be taken off-site for storage. No window units are allowed at Beta Pi, as these units often damage windowsills. HOuSe maintenanCe and repairS Since the start of 2022, the House Corporation has spent $43,709 on repairs to the building. • Replaced front door jamb and threshold (thanks to Jeffrey Ohm '70). • Replaced suspended ceiling tiles with water damage in chapter room. • Installed new hand dryer in third-floor bathroom. • Mounted new house letters to front of house. • Repaired leaks and heating issues with commercial dishwasher. A BETA DAY IS ON THE HORIZON! Beta Pi Revitalizes Alumni Engagement BTP Society and House Corporation Updates A new set of Beta Theta Pi letters are added to the front of the chapter house in September, replacing the former set. (Continued on page 3)

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