Beta Theta Pi

2014-02-17T22:58:46Z

Jnic2107: /* House */

{{Infobox greek
|Name=Beta Theta Pi
|Letters=ΒΘΠ
|Abbreviation=Beta
|Founded=[[1839]] at Miami University (Ohio)
|Chap Type=Alpha Alpha
|Chap Founded=[[1881]]
|Motto=A king our founder.<br>
|Symbol=Dragon, Star, Diamond
|House=550 W. 114th
|Gov Board=[[Interfraternal Council|IFC]]
|Contact= Angel Valle, lav2118@columbia.edu}}

'''Beta Theta Pi''', which arrived at Columbia in [[1881]], is a fraternity on 114th Street. Beta was removed from the Columbia Greek system in [[2000]] for charges of drug abuse, among other things. Members of the [[Class of 2006]] resurrected the troubled wrestling frat in [[2002]], as an organization primarily composed of students involved with student government. Members are now required to do community service and maintain a [[GPA]] above 3.2.

For the last three years Beta has had the highest Greek Life GPA. In the Spring Semester of 2009 the overall GPA was a 3.8 according to the [[Center for Greek Life]].

Recently, Beta has become a hub of [[Math]], [[Physics]], and [[Political Science]] Majors, as well as active musicians (given recent additions to their common spaces), hosting numerous music events and providing a practice space for several campus music groups. Beta is also one of the only fraternity houses to have its own pool table, cat, and dog.

== House ==

[[File:Beta.JPG|thumb|Beta's house]]

Beta Theta Pi was founded at Miami of Ohio in 1839 and its mission is to develop principled men to lead a principled life. The Columbia chapter was founded in 1881 and is one of 125 chapters of this international fraternity (www.betathetapi.org) The Beta brownstone on [[Frat Row|114th Street]] was for a long time the only fraternity [[brownstone]] not owned by Columbia, and has been the chapter house of Beta Theta Pi since 1933. The chapter house was acquired by the Betas in 1910 when the Theta chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa went inactive. Since 1933 the Betas have been a fixture of Greek life on 114th Street. The Beta house received a major renovation in 2005 and is now pretty teched out.

The chapter motto selected in 1910 for the Alpha Alpha chapter of Beta Theta Pi is “A King Our Founder”, which is a reference to Columbia’s founding as Kings College as well as a nod to the famous founding member William Raimond Baird. William Raimond Baird, Stevens, 1878/Columbia 1882 worked in uniting the Alpha Sigma Chi Fraternity to Beta Theta Pi and while in Law School he founded the Alpha Alpha chapter at Columbia. William Raimond Baird is known for being the preeminent researcher of all Greek life organizations and his collected works are found in the Baird Collection of Fraternal Literature at the New York Public Library.

The exterior of the building has been painted red, white, and blue since 1976. Until [[2012]], a quote from Dante was painted above the doorway: "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'entrate" (Abandon all hope, ye who enter here). In [[2013]], that quotation was repainted. The Italian is taken from the Bantam Classics paperback.

Famous Columbia Betas include:
Eddie Collins, 1907, MLB Baseball Player, Manager Red Sox, Baseball Hall of Fame, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Collins
Edward Whittemore, 1945, Chairman/CEO American Brands
Chet Forte, 1957, Director – ABC Monday Night Football, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chet_Forte
Eric M. Javits, 1952, Ambassador, Oxford Cup Recipient , http://www.americanambassadors.org/members/eric-m-javits
Frank S. Hogan, 1922, Law 1924, District Attorney, County of New York, 1941-1973 (Hogan Hall at Columbia University is named after him) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Hogan

{{Greek}}
[[Category:Fraternities]]

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