182ND BETA THETA PI GENERAL CONVENTION
THE WOOGLIN DAILY NEWS OXFORD, OHIO // SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 2021
WEREAFFIRM
TRIO OF CHAPTERS GRANTED CHARTERS Among the business in front of chapter and alumni delegates at the 182nd General Convention was the granting of charters to rising young chapters. After committee presentations and a floor vote, delegates from the University of Colorado, James Madison University and Florida Gulf Coast University walked out of the Legislation Hall with their official Greek designations. Colorado has been rechartered as Beta Tau, originally founded as a chapter in 1900. James Madison has been chartered as the Theta Gamma Chapter, while Florida Gulf Coast has been designated Theta Eta. Pictured above are Jake Brikner, James Madison ’24, and his chapter counselor Lorie Miller, Chris Kelly, Florida Gulf Coast ’22, and Marcus Vess, Colorado ’23. See reverse side for additional legislative outcomes.
BERT BATES, MISSOURI ’49, BECOMES SIXTH TO EARN BOTH OF BETA’S TOP ALUMNI AWARDS The 27th Francis W. Shepardson Award was presented at last night’s Celebration Banquet to former Foundation Board member W.H. (Bert) Bates, Missouri ’49. Considered among the Beta’s top honors, the Board of Trustees developed the Shepardson Award in 2001 to recognize brothers who embody the spirit and dedication of Brother Shepardson and epitomize the concept of lifelong service to the General Fraternity. Bert was initiated into the Zeta Phi Chapter at the University of Missouri in 1948, then went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Michigan. He is currently senior counsel at the law firm Lathrop GPM in Kansas City. Brother Bates becomes the sixth in the Fraternity’s history to earn both of Beta’s top recognitions for alumni members, following his 1996
acceptance of the Oxford Cup, the highest honor for professional achievement. In 2001, Bert was appointed to the Beta Foundation Board of Directors. Of his six years volunteering in this capacity, he concurrently spent four as chairman of the Upon These Principles Campaign. Under his leadership, the campaign successfully raised $20.1 million in cash and estate gift pledges – an interfraternity record at the time among Beta’s 60-plus peer organizations – to fund the then-young Men of Principle initiative and endow its educational programming. Bert’s grandson, W. Tucker Bates, Kansas ’21, drove his grandfather some 600 miles to celebrate the award presented by General Fraternity President Tom Cassady, Cincinnati ’76.
FINAL FAREWELL | GENERAL SECRETARY WAYNE KAY “We’ve talked extensively this weekend about important matters that deserve thoughtful vetting by the brotherhood. Through this dialogue, one truth is certain: Beta Theta Pi faces fantastic opportunities to better itself and our brothers who call it their fraternal home. We have overcome obstacles the last few years, no doubt, and put our chapters in a position to seize unprecedented success. By continuing to make decisions that honor our Founders’ visions, we reaffirm the Beta Spirit is alive and well – and determined like never before.” – General Secretary S. Wayne Kay, Virginia Tech ’73
GUIDING YOU HOME
SUNDAY, AUGUST 8 PROPOSAL 1: OUTSTANDING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARD Passed PROPOSAL 2: FACULTY ADVISOR AWARD Passed PROPOSAL 3: ALTERATIONS TO THE BAIRD FUND Passed PROPOSAL 4: ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP Tabled Indefinitely PROPOSAL 5: ALUMNI ASSOCIATION VOTING AT CONVENTION Failed PROPOSAL 6: ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS Passed PROPOSAL 7: ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CREATION AND CREDENTIALING Withdrawn PROPOSAL 8: ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STATUS AND ANNUAL CERTIFICATION Passed; Amended to align with Proposal 9 PROPOSAL 9: CONVENTION DELEGATE REGISTRATION AND ELIGIBILITY Passed PROPOSAL 10: TRIAL BY CHAPTER VOTING Passed Social icon
Clockwise: New Trustees, Ken Bryan, MIT ’88, Amar Budarapu, Lawrence ’87, and Aaron Kozuki, Washington in St. Louis ’05; Chapter delegates from 21 chapters showcase their Knox Awards; Jen Zamora, Friend of Beta, recognized with NIC Advisor Award of Distinction
THREE BROTHERS MOVE TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES FROM FOUNDATION BOARD
CHAPTER EXCELLENCE HIGHLIGHTED DURING KNOX PRESENTATIONS
Beta Theta Pi’s Board of Trustees is comprised of nine talented volunteers — the General Fraternity President, General Secretary, General Treasurer and nine vice presidents — from different schools, backgrounds, age ranges and regions of North America. Terms are three years in length, and one general officer and two vice presidents are elected by convention delegates each year.
An impressive 21 chapters across Beta’s Broad Domain received the prestigious John Reily Knox Award Saturday night at the Celebration Banquet, closing the 182nd General Convention. These chapters either received the Knox Award for 2019-20, 2020-21 or both.
During Saturday morning’s legislation session, Ken Bryan, MIT ’88, Amar Budarapu, Lawrence ’87, and Aaron Kozuki, Washington in St. Louis ’05, were affirmed as the Board’s newest members. All three recently completed terms on the Foundation Board of Directors. Brother Bryan was elected to a three-year term as General Treasurer, previously serving as Foundation Treasurer, while Budarapu was serving as Foundation Secretary. Both Budarapu and Kozuki begin three-year terms as vice presidents.
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The trio of brothers have big shoes to fill as they succeed outgoing Trustees General Treasurer Ben Swartz, Connecticut ’05, Vice President Ken Grispin, Rutgers ’70, and Vice President Mike Wortman, Nebraska ‘70.
Chapters receiving the Knox award included: Nebraska (18), Kansas State (13), Truman State (13), San Diego (12), Kettering B (10), Miami (9), Centre (8), Georgia Tech (8), Denver (4), Creighton (4), Delaware (3), New Jersey (3), Pennsylvania (2), Pittsburgh (2), UC San Diego (2), Villanova (2), Drexel, Elon, Iowa State, MIT and Texas. Established in 1997 to recognize chapters that have continued to raise the bar in areas of ritual, academics, leadership, community service and campus involvement, winning a Knox Award is a justifiable point of pride. Fittingly, the award is a handsome brasscoated marble statue bearing the resemblence of John Reily Knox and the Great Seal of Beta Theta Pi. Including this year, only 74 chapters of Beta Theta Pi have ever received this honor.
NEXT STOP: ATLANTA 183RD GENERAL CONVENTION /// AUGUST 4 – 7, 2022 /// ATLANTA, GEORGIA