History

The Epsilon Pi Chapter

This section is currently being updated with the help of our alumni. Compiling 20 years of Beta history at UCSB is no easy task. Rest assured it will be completed well in advance of the 20 year alumni reunion in Spring. So far we are 2/3 done with Part I: The Founding of the Epsilon Pi Chapter.

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I. The Founding of the Epsilon Pi Chapter

We are continually looking for more historical information. We know that our research into the founding has many holes. The majority of what we have compiled are from documents recovered in the Chapter house and from the General Fraternity archives in Oxford, Ohio. If you are an alumni or someone involved with out chapter over the last 20 years please help us by contributing historical information:

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This future will behold Beta Theta Pi at UCSB as a diamond of the California coast supported by a foundation of brotherhood as strong, as bright, and as valuable as the stone itself.” – Marco Bronzini, Founding President 1990

A. 151st General Convention Charter Petition

1. Rob Haldeman
In 1990 the members of the UCSB chapter colony formally petitioned the Board of  Trustees and Delegates of the General Convention to accept the UCSB colony as a full-fledged chapter of Beta Theta Pi. The official petition was dedicated to Rob Haldeman. Rob a Gamma Nu Beta initiated March 30th, 1947 is more widely known for his role as President Nixon’s Chief of Staff. Haldeman dedicated much of his spare time to the UC Santa Barbara colony. The original founding members wrote “From the very earliest colonizing efforts, he has assisted us in establishing ourselves. His greatest contributions have been in the field of alumni relations, as his home was the site of our very successful First Annual Alumni Barbeque” (colonizing documents, 1).

2. Letter to the Board of Trustees and Delegates
Tor Gronbord, ’91 whom served as corresponding secretary in 1990 wrote the formal introductory letter that was presented to the General Convention. The following are some excerpts from his letter:

“From foundation to charter petition I have watched the sands of time blow by. But even faster then time, I have watched the University of California, Santa Barbara colony grow and mature. As the expansion process near it conclusion, anxiety is mixed with joy, jubilation with exhaustion. A lone questions remains: How to make the Brothers of Beta Theta Pi as sure of us as we are sure of ourselves….

Now numbering sixty-four men the bonds of a strong chapter promise to guide the Betas of Santa Barbara. Like any, athletic team, the quality of a fraternal house can be measured by the returning members and the new initiates. With only three Brothers graduating this year, coupled with three outstanding pledge classes, Beta Theta Pi continues to thrive on the Santa Barbara campus. The strength of the alpha class is constantly renewed by the vitality of every now [new] initiate.” (colonizing documents, 3).

3. The Charter Petition
The Charter Petition was a formal witness of each of the regularly enrolled undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara of Beta Theta Pi requesting chapter status. The order in which their names appear:

Marcon Bronzini	George Alslaugh
Tor Gronborg	Chris Sbarbaro
John Rollo	Jason Robman
David Estrada	Kenneth Fung
Steven LaBella	Douglas Coty
Richard Saldana	Doug Haubert
Ron Gross	Tod Wiseman
Eric Seeley	Mike Rose
Matthew Trehub	Dace Barsochini
Glen Taxman	Eric Fleury
Stephen Paul	Cameron Lindsey
Anthony Falangretti	Scott Lowe
Toby kane	A.J. Palluck
Edward Bosetti	Keith McLane
Bradley Cormier	Scott Waugh
Brett Miller	Patrick Harrison
Michael Wilson	Christopher Thomas
Dean Shivers	Gregory Happberger
Kevin Egan	Andrew Hirsch
Miles Robert Adam Jr.	David Gianuluis
James Archuleta	Louis Clark
Marc Stice	Robert Kittle Jr.
Reid Marquand	Christopher Abel
Brian Good	James Fraser
Gregory immell	Michael Ghielmetti
Austin Nickerson	Steven Todd Marshburn
Scott Siegal	Shannon Nash
Duane Dennis	Scott O’Malley
Clinton Williams	Timothy Sosnowski
Del Paterson	Larry Steven
John Graham	Graham Patrick Van Ness
Walter Cegelka	Taite Whitchurch

4. Letter From the Founding President – Marco Bronzini
Marco Bronzini wrote:

“Dear Brothers,

Writing this letter is something that I have waited a long time to do, and in doing so, I take great pride. As our colony of Beta Theta Pi at the University California at Santa Barbara as settled into the Greek Community it is time for us to reflect upon all that we have done and to look to the future.

What was once just a vision in the back of this rushee’s mind in January 1989, something that I had never seen before in any other house has become a reality in all the says since. Out Beta colony at UCSB is that vision. It’s a brotherhood so strong that it leads us to succeed in all that we endeavor; whether it be academically, athletically, socially, or our community involvement. These qualities have enabled us to establish a house of fortitude in a short period of time.

That vision from nearly two years ago has grown with is as we have grown. What was once 33 Founding Fathers is no 64 Brothers and that vision will continue to be a reality among us as we pass it on to our newest brothers and they to theirs. Therefore it will be here long after we have gone and it will lead our great fraternity into the distant future. This future will behold Beta Theta Pi at UCSB as a diamond of the California coast supported by a foundation of brotherhood as strong, as bright, and as valuable as the stone itself.

Yours in –kai-
[signed]
Marco F. Bronzini, ‘91
Founding President”

5. Letter – District Chief
The District Chief in addition to several other individuals wrote on behalf of the colonizing members to ask the Board of Trustees to formally recognize the colony as a Chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Nicholas Kahrilas, UCLA ’82 served as district chief of district XXVIII. His letter noted the colonizing member’s “vast range [of accomplishments] from superior academics to dominance on the athletic fields.” He continued, “Since their inception in January 1989 I have met with the Brothers of the colony many times and each time I have gained more respect for these fine young men. These men shine with integrity, character, and ability like no others.”

6. Letter – Chapter Advisor
Chapter Advisor, William Fedde (whom continues as a chapter advisor to this day), wrote in his recommendation letter the “ingredients for the creation of a strong base and lasting legacy for Beta Theta Pi at U.C. Santa Barbara.” Those ingredients were:

• Choosing a well rounded membership that is fully involved
• Attracting participation and support from local Beta Alumni
• Systematically gaining control of an entire apartment building in a very tight housing market with prime location for a “first phase” chapter house
• Maintaining one of the best fraternity academic records at U.C.S.B.
• Cultivating relationships within the U.C.S.B administration and the “Greek” community

He further wrote, “I am confident that granting full chapter status to the U.C.S.B. Colony will be a positive step for Beta. This group has earned that recognition and my full support of their charter at this summer’s convention.

Yours in –k.a.i.-
[signed]
William S. Fedde
U.S.C./Gamma Tau, 1983
Chapter Advisor U.C.S.B.

7. Letter Of Recommendation
There were several letters of recommendation written to the Board of Trustees. Two letters from the Gammu Nu Chapter and Epsilon Delta Chapter (UCLA, Cal Poly) were particularly forthcoming.

Epsilon Delta’s President, Michael W. Birch, in an excerpt from his recommendation wrote:

“The brothers of my chapter have had several opportunities to periodically visit the Santa Barbara colony over the year and gave all come back with appreciation for the hospitality showed towards them. The men of the Santa Barbara colony are hard working and gracious individuals, men that we enjoy associating with and are proud to call fraternal brothers.”

Ed Quigley, the President of the Gamma Nu Chapter at UCLA in an excerpt from his letter wrote:

“Many times the Brothers of Gamma Nu have returned from this colony with pride knowing that we now have a strong link a couple hours to the north. There is no doubt in our minds that the colony at U.C. Santa Barbara will continue to flourich [flourish] as a positive element to both their campus and to Beta Theta Pi”

Kent Honey, President and Secretary of Gamma Nu at UCLA in an excerpt wrote:

“On April 13, 1990 they [UCSB Beta] concluded their third complete rush, in which they extended 12 bids for membership. This now brings the current total of pledges and actives to 65. In this time Beta has also secured a six-apartment building in the heart of Isla Vista to be used as a chapter house. In the fall of 1989 their colony received the highest G.P.A. on campus (2.86). In addition that pledge class had the highest pledge G.P.A. (2.99).”

8. Colony Visitation Report – Bradley Gunnell, Chapter Management Consultant
What is often hard to find in any self written history are the flaws and mistakes. When these flaws or mistakes are mentioned there is often very little detail provided. Bradley Gunnell’s report mentions some financial difficulties that existed and were rectified by Robert Adam ’91. In an excerpt from his report he writes:

“Previously, the only considerable deficiency in the organization was within the Treasurery. Since that time, M. Robert Adam ’91, has been elected as treasurer. He has utilized, state-of-the-art computer software to maintain his bookkeeping, and has brought accounts receivable to less than 1%.  Under Robert’s reign as treasurer, the colony has operated within a sound financial transacting program. He has enlisted an assistant treasurer to insure the office of treasurer remains successful. In regard to the colony’s account with the General Fraternity, all bill shave been paid promptly and in full.”

We are not currently sure what the financial problems were, how they were caused or to what extent the inhibited the chapter’s ability to attain chapter status earlier. >> Contribute Information

Gunnell also wrote about the chapter’s image and reputation on campus:

“Perhaps the most resounding asset this colony has is the reputation they have on their own campus. They are recognized as men of character, and they are in contention and in competition with the top fraternities established at UCSb. Clearly, they have established their identity on their campus. Their identity has evolved beyond the “new guy” image and, in many respects, “colony” is a label…”

9. Officer Reports

In the formal petition to the Board of Trustees the Chapter included reports from each of the executive officers. These reports provide some insight into the happenings of the chapter during 1992.

President’s Report – Jason I. Robman, ‘92

In an excerpt from Jason’s report he wrote:

“At the 150ths General Convention in Oxford, Ohio our three member delegation received the colony status for the entire group. Upon presentation, we promised that next year would be on a similar podium applying for full chapter status with more laurels and accomplishments than ever. Well, here we are; shining as bright as any Beta star. The beginnings of this star centered around a group of 33 young men chosen by the Sisson Award winning chapter at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. From that moment this colony has not looked back. Since our inception, we have accepted an additional 32 men into the Beta Pale. The colony at U.C. Santa Barbara, now 64 strong, has achieved goals commonly unheard of for such a young colony. These accomplishments will be related to you in the following officer reports….

Presently, the colony operates with two Vice Presidents. The Internal Vice President is responsible for ceremonies and ritual. While, the External Vice President oversees both the pledge program and judicial committee.”

Internal Vice President - Scott Lowe, ‘92

Scott Lowe’s report was short and to the point. In a brief excerpt he states:

“Not only have we had the support of the university, local alumni, and our fellow Greeks; but we have also been given the leadership of our sponsoring chapter, the Epsilon Delta Chapter of Beta Theta Pi- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. What Cal Poly was a respect for the songs, lore, and ritual that over the years have been so dear to our good and great fraternity.”

[the rest of this section is still under construction]

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General History of Beta

Beta Theta Pi was founded in 1839 by young college men of high integrity. This page will give a since of our fraternities history. Our founders set a high standard of accomplishment for the Beta's of today to follow. We believe that we should work to maintain these accomplishments. We are the oldest college social fraternity, and we enjoy the social aspects of our great fraternity. We have fun working together in our brotherhood. Our fraternity is a fraternity of firsts... we are always moving toward new accomplishments and achievements. This page will give you a since of how we have become the great fraternity Beta Theta Pi is today

Our Birth by John Riley Knox (Miami,1839)

First: in a letter to Edward Bruce Stevens of the Miami chapter, April 14, 1843:

“To begin with the beginning, it was the winter session, 1838-1839, that the idea of forming a secret association first suggested itself to my mind. I saw that there were many advantages in such an association, which could not otherwise be enjoyed. Such combinations of individuals are as old as the wants of man and coeval with the growth of literature. The Motto of our own Society, “firmam consensus facit” is but an embodiment of the experience of man in all ages and nations.

The history of many of these secret associations had always possessed a charm for me. There was an interest about the actions of men who bound themselves together by vows which were never broken, and who pursued the great objects of their association with an energy that never tired, with a zeal which knew not self, and with a devotedness that never counted gold. Men have been found among them who labored “from morn to night, from youth to hoary age,” in one cause and for one object. Revolutions have been accomplished and despots dethrone by the united action of small but daring associations. The great secret of their success consisted not in numbers but in union; not in great strength, but in well-directed and simultaneous exertions. What a few men united in object and effort will to do can be done; and more than that, such associations teach us in their records how far human friendship can carry us from the shrine of idol self…. In some of these societies however, were to be found many objectionable features which rendered them liable to be used as engines of evil and well as instruments of good. Some of these were to be found in the Alpha Delta Phi Society as it was organized at Miami University, and I imagined that an association might be formed which would embrace the good without the ingredient of evil. My attention was drawn more forcibly to this by the dissension then existing in the Union Hall which I conceived originated in the Alpha Society. In some of our conversations on the subject, Taylor Marshall suggested the idea of building up a Society which might unite the benefits without the disadvantages of the Alphas. I told him I had thought of it, but was afraid that we could not succeed. But if you know Marshal, I need not tell you that he is one of the most sanguine men in existence. The idea once started, he would not give it up until I set to work.

In the first place I got the Greek Lexicon and turned it over several times in search of a name. The present one was finally selected. Then came the badge. This was more difficult that the other. You have seen the first pins that were struck. In place of the crescent we first agreed on clasped hands- but that Taylor had altered when he went to the city to procure the pins…. We then went to work on the constitution. You have seen the draught as it was originally presented. On that I spent my leisure time for a week or more, and many were the long consultations which Taylor and I had over that. Night after night up in “the old wing” we revised and revised until we got it to our satisfaction, though necessarily imperfect; for it was altogether an experiment with me, as I had nothing to go by but imagination, and I believe Taylor was equally inexperienced. The next question was, whom shall we connect with us in this manner? Charles Hardin roomed next to Marshall, so we called him in, and I initiated him and Taylor Marshall.”

(Some words in the letter are illegible and because of wear due to age.)

Second: His “Recollections of 1839” prepared for the convention of 1873.

“It was in January, 1839, when I was in my senior year at Miami University,that the idea first occurred to me of the organization of our society. Circumstances had made me somewhat prominent in a rather bitter fight in the Literary Association of which I was a member against the society of Alpha Delta Pi, and in which though successful I had learned to admire the compact organization and esprit de corps of its members. About the same time, too, I came across an old book, no copy of which I have seen since, and the name of which I have forgotten, giving an account of some of the secret organizations of the Middle Ages. Their knightly vows and pledges were given, and some curious sketches of their inside working and their secret history; and I was, I might say of course, very much interested in these ancient brotherhoods.

Being, as I have said, already impressed with the force that lies in compact organization, an idea that had been a subject of conversation between two or three of us grew on me, and I went to sketching out a plan, the constitution and obligations for a new society. While engaged in doing this, I had repeated conferences with the gentleman whose name stands second on the roll, S. T. Marshall, now of Iowa. He was considerably my senior, anxious that something of the kind should be got up, and urged on the enterprise. The selection of the name being considered an important matter, several combinations were canvassed. Greek it must be, of course, and while desiring mainly that there should be significance in either the motto or the independent words adopted, we preferred that finally selected as being not only pleasant to the ear but reasonably significant of the object of the infant Society. The leading motive of uniting a few choice spirits on closer bonds for improvement in literary exercises and the cultivation of social life, but chiefly the latter, was probably the principal raison d’etre of the new organization. Mutual support and assistance, absolute faith and confidence in each other, and progress in knowledge and scholarship, were the fundamental ideas on which we built. With a view to the cultivation of intimate social relations, it was, for instance, originally provided that no more than nine members should at one time be in attendance at the same college, and, as an illustration of the closeness of the tie which was to bind us, the original obligation taken the neophyte pledged him to this brothers in the Order that, ‘their friends should be his friends, and their enemies his enemies.” But, at a very early day the introduction of a more Christian element into the organization led to a modification of this rather heathenish provision. The number nine, Too, was soon dropped, leaving the Order free to select good fellows where and in whatever number it might find them; and the three stars were no longer indicative of the limited membership (as the root of the mysterious nine) but simply remained as the heavenly representations of the three words of the order….

The members present at the first meeting of the Order were Brothers Marshall, Linton, Smith, J. G. (poor Leb as good as a fellow as ever lived; he died young), and myself. The meeting was held in a room occupied at the time by Taylor Marshall, in that part of the college buildings at Oxford known as “the old wing”. The venerable pile was abated as a nuisance and reduced to its original elements a few years ago under the active supervision of the chief of the Goths and Vandals, Brother John W. Herron, in his capacity of chairman of the committee on public grounds and buildings of the board of trustees of Miami University. At that meeting I administered the obligation to the members present, but, by inadvertence, no one qualified me in turn , so that I am scarce able to say, though my name has always been borne on the catalogue that I am entitled to the privileges of those who wear the badge and bear the name of Beta theta Pi.
Soon after this first meeting Charlie Hardin, John Duncan, and M.C. Ryan, good and true fellows, were added to the faithful band, and many a pleasant and profitable meeting we had in the early Spring and on into the Summer of that year of grace, 1839, our commencement at that time being in August, either the first or second Thursday, I am not sure which….

Though somewhat intimately connected with the early days of our Order that has gone on so prosperously for thirty-five years, half the period of man’s allotted time on earth, yet since then I have had practically but little connection with it, and thus, though largely responsible for its start in life, I can claim on no credit for the magnificent growth it has had. It was only with its small beginnings that I had anything to do. But it is needless to say that I take great pride in the prosperity of Beta and have faith in he future….

We were a pleasant company, pleasant to each other at least and I should greatly like to meet the survivors again. None of them will be at your festival, brethren. Pray, remember them when you drink to the absent.

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