Beta Theta Pi - University of Minnesota

Fall 2017 Newsletter

Beta Pi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi at the University of Minnesota

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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 2017 In June, the Beta Pi chapter president shared an important message with all alumni by email addressing the hazing tragedy at the Beta chapter at Penn State University. For those who didn't receive the email, we'd like to republish the letter in its entirety in this Piper. Dear Brothers of the Beta Pi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi, I am writing this letter on behalf of the Beta Pi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi in the wake of the tragedy at Pennsylvania State University, which led to the death of Timothy Piazza. The chapter expresses our deepest condolences to the Piazza family, and send our thoughts and prayers. Our chapter at the University of Minnesota has been around for nearly 128 continuous years, and we are proud of our rich history and legacy left by those who came before us. We are dedicated to carrying on this great tradition of developing principled men and furnishing lifelong friendships. In light of recent events, we feel it is necessary to be transparent with where our chapter stands on the issues facing Greek life today, such as hazing, the new member process, and substance abuse. We hope this examination of our chapter's culture will prevent such a tragedy from occurring at Beta Pi. Unfortunately, hazing is still a pressing issue on campuses across the nation and it is no secret that hazing used to be part of the chapter culture at Beta Pi. I want to be very clear—our chapter does not tolerate hazing in any form today and it is no longer a part of our chapter's culture. We hold our brothers accountable for exemplifying our fraternity's values and do not believe that it is necessary to tear down new members in order to build them up. Parties and alcohol are a reality of college, in both Greek and non-Greek life. Recognizing this reality, we take our risk management policies very seriously. Our chapter is committed to creating a safe atmosphere for members and guests. These are not just words, but actions. We encourage one another to act responsibly while under the influence of alcohol, enable our risk management team, and strive to create a culture of accountability. Each year, we invite the Aurora Center for Advocacy and Education to facilitate bystander-training sessions to new and seasoned members. I am proud to share that Beta Pi has one of the strongest risk management policies on campus, and is always looking for new ways to better educate its members and enhance their safety. Our chapter maintains high standards for education and initiation. We regularly evaluate our new member education program to ensure it remains engaging and relevant to campus culture and Greek life today. Our nine-week program covers a number of topics, including history and lore, risk management policies and member expectations, and our core values of integrity, mutual aid and assistance, trust, cultivation of the intellect, and responsible personal conduct. We make it a point to reflect on past experiences where our chapter fell short in terms of living up to our fraternity's standards. What happened at Beta Chapter is nothing short of a tragedy; one that incited grief and shock within the Greek community on a national scale. As each chapter reflects on their culture, it is Beta Pi's hope that we can work cohesively to prevent tragedies from occurring in the future. Our chapter is dedicated to personifying leadership at the University of Minnesota, and bringing about positive change to combat the negative realities of hazing and substance abuse, which are still present on college campuses. I hope this letter sheds light on our chapter culture and our stance on these issues. Transparency, cooperation, and candid discussions are necessary for Beta Pi to be proactive in prevention. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the aforementioned topics further, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. In _kai_, Evan Jobin '18 Chapter President betapi1880@gmail.com (651) 592-8394 Regarding the Tragedy at Penn State A Letter from Beta Pi's Chapter President W e are grateful to the following alumni who gave $1,200 in the spring 2017 appeal of our annual giving campaign. The success and achievements of Beta Pi are directly attributed to the support and involvement of its members. The active brothers are grateful for and proud of the Beta Pi Raises $1,200 in Annual Donations donations they receive from alumni. Donations to the annual campaign are separate from the capital campaign, yet equally important for the ongoing success of Beta Pi. If an error has been made in recording the amount of your gift(s), or we have mistakenly omitted your gift, we sincerely apologize. If corrections to your giving records are needed, please contact our campaign coordinator at (785) 843-1661. Thank you, again, for your loyal support. Charles Cunningham '49 Donald McGrath '55 Stanley Thompson '59 Bruce Johnson '61 John Avery '64 William Laakso '69 Paul Barber '84 Travis Fischer '05 Want an easier way to give? Visit www.betathetapisocietymn.org to make your gift for our annual campaign online today!

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