Beta Theta Pi - University of Texas

Beta Omicron Times Beta Omicron Times Alumni Edition | Winter 2024 T he National Fraternity, especially Phil Fernandez, Anne Emmerth, and Austin Marple, along with the TCU and UT Austin chapters, executed a highly effective and engaging Beta General Convention in Dallas last August. Moreover, TBEF and TBSAF funding of academic scholarships for our Beta Omicron Chapter men has been effective. In the words of 2023 President Charlie Campbell '24, "[TBEF scholarships] are the most effective recruiting tool I used for success with our 34 new pledges." (See the Izcan Ordaz '24 letter for more.) The last Interfraternity Council GPA rank reflects the Beta Omicron pledge class was No. 2 and the fraternity No. 8 out of 21 chapters. This outstanding and improving trajectory enables a more significant, permanent, and large-scale no-dues-increase approach for housing that TBSAF has worked toward for years. Today, GreekRank.com rates Beta Omicron as the No. 3 fraternity at UT—no small accomplishment. Our Chapter's overall progress should not be underestimated. Special thanks to Jennifer Zamora, UT chapter adviser, for ensuring our young men stay on the rails and understand the fundamental values of Beta Theta Pi. This requires true skill and persistence. We are also taking steps to add young alumni to the TBSAF board. HOUSING Be sure to look at the pictured 2014 recolonization bronze plaque for "Capital Campaign 1." It is the result of years of tireless work by Mac Churchill '68, Louis Baldwin '68, and the many other outstanding Beta Omicron alumni named on the plaque. It will be located at the entrance to our new house. There would be no Beta Omicron today absent the alumni on this plaque—each one of you made an invaluable contribution to our young men of principle, who persist. Recruiting and the UT Research/ Academics Capital Campaign 2 Approach The Chapter's lifeblood is recruiting. Our reputation for character, academics, and university recognition is amplified with the right housing that does not materially increase dues. It also helps to have something important no other fraternity offers for continuing Beta Omicron's outstanding ascension. Best is the goal, not simply average. The UT academic-based and research-based Capital Campaign 2 plan circulated in 2020 with its applied artificial intelligence component will achieve TBSAF goals. Please see the conceptual rendering on page 2 for one of three potential Beta house locations. The Campaign is founded on supporting UT's research rank improving from No. 17 to No. 5 or better among public universities along with TBSAF and foundation matching funds perhaps guided by Pennington & Company (penningtonco.com); and most importantly, a federal-funding match professionally executed, provides the project scope and UT benefits required. In other words, funding success for the UT facility and research-standing goal achieves Beta Omicron permanent housing of sufficient scope. You are welcome to read our original plan and its update. We certainly would like to hear all ideas, solutions, concepts, and input. AI and UT UT has designated 2024 as the "Year of AI." Also, the federally funded UT Austin, UCSD La Jolla, Yale, and MIT formal AI collaboration has been achieved with the National Science Foundation. Our Beta alumni sentiment toward generative AI is positively correlated with their exposure to AI. Concerning UT and AI, "Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing our world, and this investment comes at the right time to help UT shape the future through our teaching and research," said UT President Jay Hartzell in January 2024. Apple announced January 17, 2024 that its entire AI and Siri team has moved to Austin which now has four major, world AI teams. AI, for example, includes medicine and healthcare diagnosis and delivery; biosciences; all business fields of study; computer vision; natural language processing (NLP); oil and gas exploration and equipment maintenance; autonomous cars, trucks, and vehicles; Alumni Proud of Outstanding Recruitment Results and Chapter Progress Beta Omicron Housing Options Come into Focus (Continued on page 2) The 2014 recolonization bronze plaque for our first capital campaign.

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