May 2009 Board Report

By Frank L. Messa '73, Chairman, Board of Trustees

Dear Friend of Union:

The Board of Trustees met on campus on May 8 and 9. Not surprisingly, we focused much of our attention on meeting the challenges brought on by the current economy. The 2009-10 budget approved by the Board reflects a broad commitment from across the Union community to developing a plan that furthers our goals while recognizing the current economic downturn. I join my colleagues on the Board in thanking the many people who have been involved.

The College’s five-year budget model is indicative of the times in higher education as institutions of all kinds wrestle with declines in their endowment income, which will have an impact on future budgets.

Further complicating matters is the increased financial aid needs for students, and the impacts on annual giving and other donations. It has been truly gratifying to see that alumni and other friends of Union have found ways to support the College in this economic climate. Your commitment to Union and your loyalty to our mission, especially now, is greatly appreciated. However, it appears we may not meet our budgeted goals.

Fortunately, we have been able to build contingency funds in the budget, thus allowing for a measured strategy to deal with the pressures on future budgets. Unlike many other institutions, which have announced immediate and significant budget cuts and staff reductions, Union has sufficient time to develop and implement a plan that preserves current priorities and maintains our momentum toward reaching strategic goals.

The College community has come together to ensure Union’s place among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. The trustees, president, vice presidents, faculty and staff remain committed to preserving the integrity of a Union education and the student experience. The Priorities and Planning Committee (comprised of the president, vice presidents, faculty, staff and students) devoted much of the year to refining strategic plan initiatives and the winter and spring terms identifying opportunities for cost containment and reallocation.

The $136.8 million budget for the next fiscal year includes contingencies necessitated by the downturn in the economy which will protect the College. It calls for a salary wage pool increase of one percent; salaries for the president and vice presidents will not increase. The budget contains modest increases in funding for academic programs and student services, and eliminates funding for new initiatives.

Facilities

Unlike many institutions that have imposed moratoriums on new building projects, we are proceeding with two important construction projects that will further our strategic plan. We are able to do so to thanks to generous campaign gifts.

A design team is working on the Peter I. Wold Center for Science and Engineering, an exciting new building made possible by a generous gift from John Wold ’38 and his wife, Jane. The project is designed to a LEED gold level of sustainability with alternative energy components throughout. Construction is to begin this fall.

In addition, thanks to the generosity of Linda and Jim Lippman ’79 and family, we will break ground for the renovation of the Social Sciences Building, to be named Lippman Hall, during ReUnion weekend.

In keeping with our major initiative on sustainability, the College has engaged Novuss Engineering to perform energy audits on our largest buildings. We plan to incorporate energy saving measures into future budgets. The College received a recycling award from T.A. Predel, a Schenectady firm that has partnered with the College. Last year, the College recycled 38 tons of material which saved 648 trees, 267,000 gallons of water and 114 cubic yards of landfill space. The program also saved the College more than $3,200 in trash removal fees.

The College’s emergency communications effort moves to the second phase with the installation of audio horns in residence hall interiors. Members of the Emergency Planning Committee are meeting regularly with Schenectady police and fire officials to coordinate training exercises and to familiarize those agencies with campus buildings and grounds.

As part of the continued cooperation with the City of Schenectady, the College initiated an agreement in which the College upgraded the Central Park “C” diamond for exclusive use by the Union baseball team during its season. The work, at a cost of $150,000, included new irrigation and drainage, dugouts, bullpens, and infield improvements. The city will maintain the field, and have it available for use after the Union season is over. President Ainlay and Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton opened the new field on April 10.

College Relations

As of May 8, the You are Union campaign had raised $163 million toward our $250 million goal. Despite the global recession, staff are focused on pursuing unrestricted annual gifts and soliciting and closing capital gifts. The goals for the current fiscal year are $3.6 million in annual support, $9 million in support of critical areas such as professorships, scholarships and terms abroad, and reaching $170 to $175 million in gifts and commitments to the campaign. A $300,000 Trustee challenge has resulted in record-breaking receipts for the Union Fund in both March and April. I am pleased to report that our donors understand the importance of supporting Union, especially at this time, and I appreciate the sacrifices they make for our alma mater.

In Alumni Relations, regional clubs continue to be very active, and the new Union Business Network has expanded into New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C. and the Capital Region. The UBN has partnered with the Eliphalet Nott Society to provide more alumni networking opportunities. President Ainlay has been a featured guest at record-setting events staged by regional clubs in New York, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, Jacksonville, Miami, Palm Beach and the Capital Region. ReUnion 2009, set for May 28 through 31, has an exciting lineup of events including a groundbreaking for Lippman Hall, a presentation on the Minerva Fellows program, dozens of class gatherings, and of course, fireworks. During the Board meeting weekend Tom McEvoy, associate dean of students/director of Minerva Programs, and the Minerva Fellows made a presentation to the Board about their recent experiences abroad under the Minerva Fellows Program. The Board also met the new class of Minerva Fellows, who are about to embark upon what we all expect will be an equally moving and educational opportunity.

In Communications and Marketing, the team is focused on enhancing collaboration and aligning resources with institutional priorities, strengthening partnerships with campus clients, and building Union’s reputation. New publications have included a “We are Union” brochure, postcards and video to assist with the Admissions yield; and print collateral to assist College Relations programs. Media outlets have featured students who attended the presidential inauguration, the Peter I. Wold Center for Science and Engineering and Founders Day, which centered on the College’s role in the abolitionist movement. In Web and on-line activities, the team updated the Admissions site for the start of the spring push for admitted students, contracted with two firms to produce video content for the Web and will be working toward launching an official Facebook page. Among initiatives on the reputation-building front, the office is about the embark on a partnership with a design firm that will result in a distinctive and unified look, launch a “Web reboot” that will result in a cleaner and more user-friendly site, and conduct market research to develop a coordinated communications portfolio.

Finally, the Board approved the reactivation of an advisory group to be called the President’s Council. The members will consist of alumni who demonstrate commitment and financial support of the College. The vice president for College Relations will act as the liaison between this group and the College.

Academic Affairs

Several Academic Affairs projects focus on aspects of the You Are Union campaign including the design of the Wold building, preparation for renovation of the Social Sciences building, proposal development for new faculty positions, and a proposed Center for Civic Engagement, Entrepreneurship and Ethics, which has been approved by the Academic Affairs Council.

The Middle States Self Study is under way, organized according to the six main sections of the Strategic Plan. A report will be circulated to the campus community for comment this fall. A visiting team headed by Daniel Weiss, president of Lafayette College, will come to campus next spring.

We are pleased to announce that the New York State Education Department has approved the following new majors: Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Religious Studies, and Bioengineering.

The Board is delighted that Kristin Bidoshi, associate professor of Russian and interim dean of studies the past year, has accepted an offer to become dean of studies. The Trustees also were pleased to recognize the contributions of six outstanding faculty members by granting them tenure and promotion to associate professor. They are Deidre Hill Butler, Sociology; Aaron Cass, Computer Science; Palmyra Catravas, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Zhilan Fang, Union Graduate College; Jennifer Milioto Matsue, Music; and Andrew Morris, History. We also congratulate two faculty promoted to professor: Seyfollah Maleki, Physics and Astronomy; and Linda Stanhope, Psychology.

Admissions

At the time of the Trustees meetings, deposits for the Class of 2013 were tracking behind projections and we had gone to the wait list to complete the class. Nevertheless, we are cautiously optimistic that we will meet our enrollment target of 565 and stay within budget for financial aid.

The College received 4,818 applications, down 9 percent from last year, but still the third most applications in Union history. The pool is arguably the strongest in our history with an average SAT score of 1280 and with 50 percent of applicants ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Twenty one percent of the pool are students of color, compared with 18 percent last year; 4 percent are international students, compared with 3 percent last year.

Diversity

The Office of Campus Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, with Alumni Affairs and UNITAS, is hosting Joseph James ’69 during ReUnion Weekend on May 30. Joe was honored with the Purpose Prize from Civic Ventures, a think tank in San Francisco, for leading efforts to help South Carolina farmers produce “green” products such as biodiesel fuel. Dating back to his days as a one-time chemistry student at Union and continuing through his 35-year career in economic development, Joe has been inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King’s vision of equal rights and economic advancement for African Americans.

Among the recent events sponsored by the Office of Campus Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Founders Day celebrated the College’s role in the abolitionist movement. It was a moving event that featured a keynote address by historian James McPherson and the unveiling of a painting by Simmie Knox of Moses Viney, an escaped slave who became President Nott’s companion and a campus legend.

Also under way is an exciting project called the Union Unity Quilt, which celebrates 215 years of family history at Union College. Organizers are collecting 12- by-12-inch squares from students, alumni, faculty and staff. The quilt will be assembled this summer in time for the February 2010 celebration of 215 years since the College’s founding.

Board Governance

I have initiated a complete review of the Board by-laws that has thus far resulted in several changes to the governance of the Board. Initially the Board approved the creation of a new Committee on Trusteeship. This committee will assume the responsibilities of the former Committee on Nominations but will also be responsible for ongoing review of the by-laws, as well as performance reviews of individual trustees, the Board Chair, and the Board as a whole. Secondly, the Board approved the division of the Committee on Admissions and Student Affairs into two separate committees to allow increased focus on these two important activities of the College.

The Board expressed appreciation to the following members for their many contributions to Union College during their time on the Board: Ann Anderson, faculty trustee and Shanique Kerr, student trustee.

Finally, I join my colleagues on the Board in inviting you back to campus for ReUnion 2009 from May 28 through 31. (You can see the details at www.union.edu/reunion.) If you cannot make it for ReUnion, I hope you can visit the campus soon. This is an exciting time for Union, and a rewarding time to be part of the Union family.

Sincerely,

Frank L. Messa '73
Chairman of the Board of Trustees

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About Union Mission Statement History of Union Office of the President Board of Trustees Presidents of Union College Union Notables Exhibit Traditions of Union What to do AroundU? The Union Campus Great Grads of Union	By Frank L. Messa '73, Chairman, Board of Trustees Dear Friend of Union: The Board of Trustees met on campus on May 8 and 9. Not surprisingly, we focused much of our attention on meeting the challenges brought on by the current economy. The 2009-10 budget approved by the Board reflects a broad commitment from across the Union community to developing a plan that furthers our goals while recognizing the current economic downturn. I join my colleagues on the Board in thanking the many people who have been involved. The College’s five-year budget model is indicative of the times in higher education as institutions of all kinds wrestle with declines in their endowment income, which will have an impact on future budgets. Further complicating matters is the increased financial aid needs for students, and the impacts on annual giving and other donations. It has been truly gratifying to see that alumni and other friends of Union have found ways to support the College in this economic climate. Your commitment to Union and your loyalty to our mission, especially now, is greatly appreciated. However, it appears we may not meet our budgeted goals. Fortunately, we have been able to build contingency funds in the budget, thus allowing for a measured strategy to deal with the pressures on future budgets. Unlike many other institutions, which have announced immediate and significant budget cuts and staff reductions, Union has sufficient time to develop and implement a plan that preserves current priorities and maintains our momentum toward reaching strategic goals. The College community has come together to ensure Union’s place among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. The trustees, president, vice presidents, faculty and staff remain committed to preserving the integrity of a Union education and the student experience. The Priorities and Planning Committee (comprised of the president, vice presidents, faculty, staff and students) devoted much of the year to refining strategic plan initiatives and the winter and spring terms identifying opportunities for cost containment and reallocation. The $136.8 million budget for the next fiscal year includes contingencies necessitated by the downturn in the economy which will protect the College. It calls for a salary wage pool increase of one percent; salaries for the president and vice presidents will not increase. The budget contains modest increases in funding for academic programs and student services, and eliminates funding for new initiatives. Facilities Unlike many institutions that have imposed moratoriums on new building projects, we are proceeding with two important construction projects that will further our strategic plan. We are able to do so to thanks to generous campaign gifts. A design team is working on the Peter I. Wold Center for Science and Engineering, an exciting new building made possible by a generous gift from John Wold ’38 and his wife, Jane. The project is designed to a LEED gold level of sustainability with alternative energy components throughout. Construction is to begin this fall. In addition, thanks to the generosity of Linda and Jim Lippman ’79 and family, we will break ground for the renovation of the Social Sciences Building, to be named Lippman Hall, during ReUnion weekend. In keeping with our major initiative on sustainability, the College has engaged Novuss Engineering to perform energy audits on our largest buildings. We plan to incorporate energy saving measures into future budgets. The College received a recycling award from T.A. Predel, a Schenectady firm that has partnered with the College. Last year, the College recycled 38 tons of material which saved 648 trees, 267,000 gallons of water and 114 cubic yards of landfill space. The program also saved the College more than $3,200 in trash removal fees. The College’s emergency communications effort moves to the second phase with the installation of audio horns in residence hall interiors. Members of the Emergency Planning Committee are meeting regularly with Schenectady police and fire officials to coordinate training exercises and to familiarize those agencies with campus buildings and grounds. As part of the continued cooperation with the City of Schenectady, the College initiated an agreement in which the College upgraded the Central Park “C” diamond for exclusive use by the Union baseball team during its season. The work, at a cost of $150,000, included new irrigation and drainage, dugouts, bullpens, and infield improvements. The city will maintain the field, and have it available for use after the Union season is over. President Ainlay and Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton opened the new field on April 10. College Relations As of May 8, the You are Union campaign had raised $163 million toward our $250 million goal. Despite the global recession, staff are focused on pursuing unrestricted annual gifts and soliciting and closing capital gifts. The goals for the current fiscal year are $3.6 million in annual support, $9 million in support of critical areas such as professorships, scholarships and terms abroad, and reaching $170 to $175 million in gifts and commitments to the campaign. A $300,000 Trustee challenge has resulted in record-breaking receipts for the Union Fund in both March and April. I am pleased to report that our donors understand the importance of supporting Union, especially at this time, and I appreciate the sacrifices they make for our alma mater. In Alumni Relations, regional clubs continue to be very active, and the new Union Business Network has expanded into New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C. and the Capital Region. The UBN has partnered with the Eliphalet Nott Society to provide more alumni networking opportunities. President Ainlay has been a featured guest at record-setting events staged by regional clubs in New York, Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, Jacksonville, Miami, Palm Beach and the Capital Region. ReUnion 2009, set for May 28 through 31, has an exciting lineup of events including a groundbreaking for Lippman Hall, a presentation on the Minerva Fellows program, dozens of class gatherings, and of course, fireworks. During the Board meeting weekend Tom McEvoy, associate dean of students/director of Minerva Programs, and the Minerva Fellows made a presentation to the Board about their recent experiences abroad under the Minerva Fellows Program. The Board also met the new class of Minerva Fellows, who are about to embark upon what we all expect will be an equally moving and educational opportunity. In Communications and Marketing, the team is focused on enhancing collaboration and aligning resources with institutional priorities, strengthening partnerships with campus clients, and building Union’s reputation. New publications have included a “We are Union” brochure, postcards and video to assist with the Admissions yield; and print collateral to assist College Relations programs. Media outlets have featured students who attended the presidential inauguration, the Peter I. Wold Center for Science and Engineering and Founders Day, which centered on the College’s role in the abolitionist movement. In Web and on-line activities, the team updated the Admissions site for the start of the spring push for admitted students, contracted with two firms to produce video content for the Web and will be working toward launching an official Facebook page. Among initiatives on the reputation-building front, the office is about the embark on a partnership with a design firm that will result in a distinctive and unified look, launch a “Web reboot” that will result in a cleaner and more user-friendly site, and conduct market research to develop a coordinated communications portfolio. Finally, the Board approved the reactivation of an advisory group to be called the President’s Council. The members will consist of alumni who demonstrate commitment and financial support of the College. The vice president for College Relations will act as the liaison between this group and the College. Academic Affairs Several Academic Affairs projects focus on aspects of the You Are Union campaign including the design of the Wold building, preparation for renovation of the Social Sciences building, proposal development for new faculty positions, and a proposed Center for Civic Engagement, Entrepreneurship and Ethics, which has been approved by the Academic Affairs Council. The Middle States Self Study is under way, organized according to the six main sections of the Strategic Plan. A report will be circulated to the campus community for comment this fall. A visiting team headed by Daniel Weiss, president of Lafayette College, will come to campus next spring. We are pleased to announce that the New York State Education Department has approved the following new majors: Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Religious Studies, and Bioengineering. The Board is delighted that Kristin Bidoshi, associate professor of Russian and interim dean of studies the past year, has accepted an offer to become dean of studies. The Trustees also were pleased to recognize the contributions of six outstanding faculty members by granting them tenure and promotion to associate professor. They are Deidre Hill Butler, Sociology; Aaron Cass, Computer Science; Palmyra Catravas, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Zhilan Fang, Union Graduate College; Jennifer Milioto Matsue, Music; and Andrew Morris, History. We also congratulate two faculty promoted to professor: Seyfollah Maleki, Physics and Astronomy; and Linda Stanhope, Psychology. Admissions At the time of the Trustees meetings, deposits for the Class of 2013 were tracking behind projections and we had gone to the wait list to complete the class. Nevertheless, we are cautiously optimistic that we will meet our enrollment target of 565 and stay within budget for financial aid. The College received 4,818 applications, down 9 percent from last year, but still the third most applications in Union history. The pool is arguably the strongest in our history with an average SAT score of 1280 and with 50 percent of applicants ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Twenty one percent of the pool are students of color, compared with 18 percent last year; 4 percent are international students, compared with 3 percent last year. Diversity The Office of Campus Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, with Alumni Affairs and UNITAS, is hosting Joseph James ’69 during ReUnion Weekend on May 30. Joe was honored with the Purpose Prize from Civic Ventures, a think tank in San Francisco, for leading efforts to help South Carolina farmers produce “green” products such as biodiesel fuel. Dating back to his days as a one-time chemistry student at Union and continuing through his 35-year career in economic development, Joe has been inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King’s vision of equal rights and economic advancement for African Americans. Among the recent events sponsored by the Office of Campus Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Founders Day celebrated the College’s role in the abolitionist movement. It was a moving event that featured a keynote address by historian James McPherson and the unveiling of a painting by Simmie Knox of Moses Viney, an escaped slave who became President Nott’s companion and a campus legend. Also under way is an exciting project called the Union Unity Quilt, which celebrates 215 years of family history at Union College. Organizers are collecting 12- by-12-inch squares from students, alumni, faculty and staff. The quilt will be assembled this summer in time for the February 2010 celebration of 215 years since the College’s founding. Board Governance I have initiated a complete review of the Board by-laws that has thus far resulted in several changes to the governance of the Board. Initially the Board approved the creation of a new Committee on Trusteeship. This committee will assume the responsibilities of the former Committee on Nominations but will also be responsible for ongoing review of the by-laws, as well as performance reviews of individual trustees, the Board Chair, and the Board as a whole. Secondly, the Board approved the division of the Committee on Admissions and Student Affairs into two separate committees to allow increased focus on these two important activities of the College. The Board expressed appreciation to the following members for their many contributions to Union College during their time on the Board: Ann Anderson, faculty trustee and Shanique Kerr, student trustee. Finally, I join my colleagues on the Board in inviting you back to campus for ReUnion 2009 from May 28 through 31. (You can see the details at www.union.edu/reunion.) If you cannot make it for ReUnion, I hope you can visit the campus soon. This is an exciting time for Union, and a rewarding time to be part of the Union family. Sincerely, Frank L. Messa '73 Chairman of the Board of Trustees
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