Tau Kappa Epsilon - Missouri University of Science & Technology

OUR PROUD HISTORY F or nearly 70 years, the Beta Eta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity has been an important part of MSM, UMR, and Missouri S&T. Since our founding in 1947, Beta Eta has played a significant role in the personal and professional development of its members. Many of our more than 1,100 initiates have distinguished themselves in their respective professions, their personal lives and within their communities. Much of this success is due to the lessons we learned outside of the classroom in TKE meetings and activities. The Chapter House While there are sure to be some differences in today's Chapter compared to the one you remember, a fraternity continues to provide a place in which to develop skills essential for success in today's competitive world. Our Chapter House at 1107 State Street has played a pivotal role in creating the atmosphere and opportunity for the nurturing of social and academic skills vital to a young man's development. Over the years, the house provided a comfortable and safe environment for hundreds of our members and was a central place where young men can interact, learn, bond, and socialize. We now have an opportunity to build a modern Chapter House that is even safer and more conducive to fraternity life. It is essential that all Tekes, from yesterday to today, bond together to help build a new Chapter House. As a home away from home for the next generations of young men, the house will serve as a living and learning center for our members. If others are to benefit from the Beta Eta experience, we must use this opportunity to build our new home and prepare for the future of TKE in Rolla. OUR NEED TO BUILD A s plans for construction of a new chemical engineering building progressed and the pressing need to address major infrastructure failures in our aging facility became eminent, the Beta Eta alumni leadership assessed our future on campus. With 1107 State Street now in the shadows of the new five-story Bertelsmeyer Hall—where we used to park—and facing the need for a significant capital investment in the Chapter House to continue occupying it, our alumni leadership and undergraduates both voted to proceed with securing a building site for a new house. We partnered with University officials to establish a site on Fraternity Row for construction. Our next home will stand where the old Delta Sig "Roundhouse" is today. Additionally, the sale of the Chapter House to the University will generate $600,000+ to assist the Fraternity as we move forward. The alumni leadership has reviewed the needs and desires of today's undergraduates, as well as renovations that other fraternities have completed to upgrade their chapter facilities. It is clear that we must make a major investment in our next Chapter House if we are to provide a beneficial educational experience and an up-to-date facility that will serve our undergraduate men well into this century. Safety. To ensure the safety of our members, the new Chapter House will comply with all applicable building codes associated with residential building projects. A fire sprinkler system will be installed throughout the house, as well as energy-efficient mechanical and plumbing systems. Academics and Technology. We have seen the impact of technology over the years, as devices not present during your college years are now necessities, including laptop computers, tablets, wireless high- speed Internet access, e-mail, and smartphones. We must make plans for the Chapter House with present and future technology needs in mind. A college living facility must include state-of-the-art computer/technology access, multiple electrical outlets in each room, and quiet, well-lit, comfortable personal/group study space for our members to compete academically. Our plan will ensure that Tau Kappa Epsilon excels academically and remains leaders on campus and within the Greek system. Competition. Today, students and their parents expect more for their housing dollars. Increasingly, students expect more room and privacy, and they are getting it in the residence halls and off-campus living options. While Tau Kappa Epsilon continues to attract some of the top men, we know that we are losing quality potential members to other fraternities that offer more modern facilities. Kappa Alpha Order, Kappa Sigma, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Kappa Theta, Pi Kappa Alpha, and Sigma Phi Epsilon are in the midst of or have completed major projects. We must also compete with the amenities offered in newly renovated on-campus residence halls and off-campus apartments. The University has completed a new suite-style residence hall and has renovated older residence halls.

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