At Beta Theta Pi, we recognize that technology is an integral part of the modern college experience, and to succeed, students need easy access to this technology. To that end, Beta provides a variety of resources for members, including a well-maintained computer lab. Ethernet ports and 802.11a/b/g wireless coverage connect every room and many common areas of the house, providing high-speed internet access for personal computers.
Four of the workstations in Beta’s computer lab
Use of Beta’s computer lab is provided to all house members. It is located in the basement of the Alpha Tau chapter house and is available 24 hours a day. The lab provides:
- 6 Windows Vista workstations
- Apple Macintosh workstation
- Black & white laser printer
- Color laser printer
- High-volume copier
- Fax machine
- Secure, backed-up network storage of documents
- Conference room with projector
Additionally, the chapter is devoted to providing an updated and useful website. In the fall of 2003, the Beta Technology Consortium was founded in order to direct the creation of a new, all-inclusive Beta website, which would combine the static content of our public site with the dynamic chapter message board ("Thebes") that had recently been developed separately. This group, headed by the Technology Chair, has directed the development of this website, and continues to recommend and implement new features.
Studying in Beta's conference room
Beginning in 2005, the chapter has pursued several educational grants for various major improvements to the chapter house. The first was a proposal to contract with Information Services for the installation of wireless networking throughout the chapter house. The second was a proposal to purchase two high-volume laser printers, one for black & white documents and the other for color documents. The third proposal was to improve the chapter’s conference room, including the installation of a video projector and audio/video system. These proposals were pursued by the former Technology Chairman, Mark Antonson, with full support from the chapter. They were approved by Beta Theta Pi's Grant Committee in the Spring of 2007, and have been implemented. Most recently, the chapter pursued a fourth grant to replace Beta's computer lab with brand new equipment, which was approved and implemented in the Spring of 2008.
The chapter, with the support of the Beta Theta Pi Foundation, plans to continue investing in technology as needed to ensure Beta's have the very best academic resources available at UNL.