Union College Alumni

MINUTES
Union College Alumni Council

October 14, 2006

Meeting to Order

Council President Jason Oshins ’87 called the meeting to order at approximately 9:15 a.m. and he welcomed everyone to the meeting.

New Members Introduced Themselves

William Dawson ’71, Bill Selley ’71, Eric Sanderson ’98, Denise Webster ’01, Evan Reed ’06, Amanda Goodman ’06

President’s Remarks

Oshins spoke about the interconnectivity between the Union College Board of Trustees and the Alumni Council. Council Vice-President John Vero ’97 is chairing an ad hoc Council committee studying how to integrate the fraternities and sororities into college life in a permanent way. This committee will make its report to the Board in early 2007. We need 100% participation in the Annual Fund this year; last year seven people did not contribute resulting in a 95% participation rate, but by now those people have donated.

Moment of Silence for Deceased Members

The Council observed a moment of silence for Robert Doolittle ‘37, Dr. John Senn ’41, Warren D’Aprix ’49, Duncan Lasher ’49, John Cassidy ‘61

April Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the April 2006 Council meeting were approved for filing as written.

Vice President of Admission Dan Lundquist

President Stephen Ainlay has traveled with Dan this fall to meet with parents and with high school counselors. Ainlay points to solid reasons that differentiate Union from other schools, creating excitement for parents and counselors. Admissions results are on a positive trajectory. Last year we had approximately 4400 applications with 42% selectivity. We want to have a <40% selectivity index this year, although we don’t want to become a “rejection office”. We want gains in geographic diversity, racial diversity, and gender balance. We have been singled out by the New York Times as a college that should be on the list of any student who wants a small liberal arts college. Palmer Fargnoli ’93 has taken a leadership role in the Admissions Office to engage alumni to support admissions efforts. Robert Howe ’58 noted that the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper publishes names of local athletes. Lundquist said that those names should be sent to Fargnoli so that letters are written to them inviting them to apply to Union. Don Bentrovato ’68 asked for the status on minority admissions. Lundquist said that we have the highest number and percentage of self-identified students of color in our history (20% of those admitted and 15% of those enrolled are students of color). Harris Ginsburg ’72 said he thought the website is harder to navigate than others are. Lundquist said that we are redesigning the website to make improvements in that area. Jeff Wisoff ’74 asked about whether colleges (even Union) will continue Early Decision, since Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Virginia have gotten publicity by eliminating some of these programs. Lundquist said that Union is seriously considering going from test-flexible to test-optional. The number of applications will rise, diversity will increase, and the SAT scores actually reported with rise. The SAT is best used as a predictor of graduate exam success, whereas the best predictor of classroom success is past classroom success. Union has been cited in USA Today and in the NY Times for its holistic approach to admissions. We want to encourage a broader range of students.

Report on the Annual Fund

Mark Webster '88, National co-Chair - The Union Fund stated that we are slightly behind where we were last year at this time due to calendar differences. Michelle A. Spaziani '95, Brian Selchick ’06, and Webster are spearheading an effort to increase alumni giving. Last year there were over 7700 alumni donors and over 10,000 total donors to the Annual Fund, with a 40% participation rate. Many colleges are ahead of us, which helps them be ahead of us in the US News and World Report rankings. In order to reach a desired 50% participation rate this year, we need 2000 extra alumni donors. It is hoped that donations will increase with the inauguration of the new president. Andy Wisoff ’80 said that we should compare the %-participation for recent graduates with that of older graduates; the lower percentage is probably a result of high debt load and high tuition costs and we need to change the attitudes about those. Webster feels that the graduating students like the professors, the academic experience, and their friends but are disenchanted with the administration. Joe Handler ’52 suggested sending a special letter from President Ainlay to non-donors. Leah J. Nero '02 said recent graduates were happy with their experiences and aware that they had received generous student aid.

U are Union Campaign Report

Michael O’Hara, Director of Development, said that we are about at the halfway point for the campaign dollar goals. Several generous bequests have been received. Union received $21 million in gifts and commitments during the 2005-06 year. Young alums are making significant commitments. Bob Howe ’58 asked about the progress of receiving matching gifts. O’Hara said that Union is focusing on receiving the matching gifts.

Treasurer’s Report

Cal Welch ‘62, Alumni Council Treasurer, presented the Treasurer’s report, including the budget for 2006-07.

When it is not necessary to have a Trustee election, the money is used for New Alumni Development.

CD’s generally have an interest rate of 5%. Michael Rapaport ’59 noted that our MBNA institution has considerably shortened the payment cycle for people using the Union MBNA card (as have other institutions). We should see if we can locate a bank with better payment terms.

Faculty and Academic Programs Committee Report

Chairman Richard Hermann ’54 reported that the committee had an excellent meeting in the spring with Professor William Thomas concerning international study programs.

Athletic Committee Report

Chairman John Vero ’97 reported that there is a new sense of vibrancy in the Athletic Director’s office. There is a new code of conduct for the Athletic Department including issues such as hazing, underage drinking, and academic affairs.

Ad Hoc Committee on Campus Culture (Greek societies)

The Board of Trustees has a focused plan to present to President Ainlay on initiatives. One area of focus is campus culture. The Alumni Council is charged with studying how to fold Greek societies into college culture. John Vero ’97 is chairing a Council ad hoc committee. The group will include Dean of Residential and Campus Life Tom McEvoy, Alumni Council President Jason Oshins ’87, Trustee William Curtin ’82, two students, Interfraternity Council President Max Zimbert ’07, Panhellenic co-president Sara Weiner ’07, faculty members, and 1-2 Council volunteers. The committee will present a comprehensive report to the Board of Trustees.

Presentation to Rex Moon ‘44

Richard Killeen ’51 presented an award to Rex Moon’ 44 that honors Rex for his ten years as chair of the Garnet Guard (1996-2006) and for his dedication and service to the Garnet Guard.

President Stephen C. Ainlay

President Ainlay talked about the large number and variety of things that makes Union special. Paul Turner ‘62, long-time professor of architectural history at Stanford University, tells us that the Ramee plan was the inspiration for plans for many other schools. Union was the first architecturally designed campus in the country. In a completely different vein, Ainlay is pleased with Symposium House for the weekly dinner-discussions they sponsor for with faculty and students in order to encourage intellectual exchange outside the classroom. Ainlay said that he was excited to meet Adam Grode ’05, who recently completed his Watson Fellowship study of long-necked lutes in Central Asia. Ainlay said that Union represents what liberal education is all about.

Union has much to be proud of. The incoming class has 560 students. An August open house for applicants surpassed all prior records of attendance. The Columbus Day open house for applicants also broke records and included a multicultural program.

We have awards to affirm our work. The Geology Department was invited to join the Keck Geology Consortium, a leading independent undergraduate research organization that hasn’t accepted new members since 1987. Union was among five new institutions accepted this year. The New York Times declared us as one of the 20 hidden gems in the world of colleges and universities. Union was selected in the top 25 of all colleges and university as “Saviors of the Cities”; we contribute $200 million to the economy of the community.

Bob Howe’58 thought that it would be good if the alumni could have a DVD of an architectural of Union.

Bill Nealon ’67 asked about campus safety (especially important in light of tragic events at other schools). Ainlay told about planning meetings for safety. He has met with District Attorney Robert Carney ’75 to discuss safety. Union is trimming trees and bushes, adding staff to the security force (especially in evening hours), locating the security office between West College and College Park Hall, and adding security cameras. The Trolley Service is an important safety tool. John Sciortino ’82 said that Union must be known locally before we can be known nationally. President Ainlay said that we are making strides in the local press, as well as in the national press. We need to balance regional and local commitments with national attention. Ainlay wants us to be more involved with Union University. Our paid professionals have to be accountable for making Union highly thought of.

Jonathan Gasthalter ’99 asked about the future of Converging Technologies. He felt that we should be getting more grants for this program. President Ainlay said that Union is in the middle of a strategic planning process. The Board and campus groups are working together developing recommendations that are due in February of 2007. We need to have a balanced education for the liberal arts, engineering, and sciences. Union will be developing structures to make that balance real. There is an opportunity for us to be in national leadership. The National Academy of Arts and Sciences has said that the nation is falling behind other countries and that students need to be interdisciplinary. Professionals need to be able to write, speak, and communicate. Grants and prestige will flow from successful efforts in this area.

President Ainlay noted that Council President Jason Oshins 87 represents the alumni view to the President and to the Board of Trustees.

Adjournment

The Council adjourned at approximately 11:40 a.m., pending the singing of the Alma Mater.

Respectfully submitted,
Karen Huggins ‘77 – Secretary

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	MINUTES Union College Alumni Council October 14, 2006 Meeting to Order Council President Jason Oshins ’87 called the meeting to order at approximately 9:15 a.m. and he welcomed everyone to the meeting. New Members Introduced Themselves William Dawson ’71, Bill Selley ’71, Eric Sanderson ’98, Denise Webster ’01, Evan Reed ’06, Amanda Goodman ’06 President’s Remarks Oshins spoke about the interconnectivity between the Union College Board of Trustees and the Alumni Council. Council Vice-President John Vero ’97 is chairing an ad hoc Council committee studying how to integrate the fraternities and sororities into college life in a permanent way. This committee will make its report to the Board in early 2007. We need 100% participation in the Annual Fund this year; last year seven people did not contribute resulting in a 95% participation rate, but by now those people have donated. Moment of Silence for Deceased Members The Council observed a moment of silence for Robert Doolittle ‘37, Dr. John Senn ’41, Warren D’Aprix ’49, Duncan Lasher ’49, John Cassidy ‘61 April Meeting Minutes The minutes of the April 2006 Council meeting were approved for filing as written. Vice President of Admission Dan Lundquist President Stephen Ainlay has traveled with Dan this fall to meet with parents and with high school counselors. Ainlay points to solid reasons that differentiate Union from other schools, creating excitement for parents and counselors. Admissions results are on a positive trajectory. Last year we had approximately 4400 applications with 42% selectivity. We want to have a <40% selectivity index this year, although we don’t want to become a “rejection office”. We want gains in geographic diversity, racial diversity, and gender balance. We have been singled out by the New York Times as a college that should be on the list of any student who wants a small liberal arts college. Palmer Fargnoli ’93 has taken a leadership role in the Admissions Office to engage alumni to support admissions efforts. Robert Howe ’58 noted that the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper publishes names of local athletes. Lundquist said that those names should be sent to Fargnoli so that letters are written to them inviting them to apply to Union. Don Bentrovato ’68 asked for the status on minority admissions. Lundquist said that we have the highest number and percentage of self-identified students of color in our history (20% of those admitted and 15% of those enrolled are students of color). Harris Ginsburg ’72 said he thought the website is harder to navigate than others are. Lundquist said that we are redesigning the website to make improvements in that area. Jeff Wisoff ’74 asked about whether colleges (even Union) will continue Early Decision, since Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Virginia have gotten publicity by eliminating some of these programs. Lundquist said that Union is seriously considering going from test-flexible to test-optional. The number of applications will rise, diversity will increase, and the SAT scores actually reported with rise. The SAT is best used as a predictor of graduate exam success, whereas the best predictor of classroom success is past classroom success. Union has been cited in USA Today and in the NY Times for its holistic approach to admissions. We want to encourage a broader range of students. Report on the Annual Fund Mark Webster '88, National co-Chair - The Union Fund stated that we are slightly behind where we were last year at this time due to calendar differences. Michelle A. Spaziani '95, Brian Selchick ’06, and Webster are spearheading an effort to increase alumni giving. Last year there were over 7700 alumni donors and over 10,000 total donors to the Annual Fund, with a 40% participation rate. Many colleges are ahead of us, which helps them be ahead of us in the US News and World Report rankings. In order to reach a desired 50% participation rate this year, we need 2000 extra alumni donors. It is hoped that donations will increase with the inauguration of the new president. Andy Wisoff ’80 said that we should compare the %-participation for recent graduates with that of older graduates; the lower percentage is probably a result of high debt load and high tuition costs and we need to change the attitudes about those. Webster feels that the graduating students like the professors, the academic experience, and their friends but are disenchanted with the administration. Joe Handler ’52 suggested sending a special letter from President Ainlay to non-donors. Leah J. Nero '02 said recent graduates were happy with their experiences and aware that they had received generous student aid. U are Union Campaign Report Michael O’Hara, Director of Development, said that we are about at the halfway point for the campaign dollar goals. Several generous bequests have been received. Union received $21 million in gifts and commitments during the 2005-06 year. Young alums are making significant commitments. Bob Howe ’58 asked about the progress of receiving matching gifts. O’Hara said that Union is focusing on receiving the matching gifts. Treasurer’s Report Cal Welch ‘62, Alumni Council Treasurer, presented the Treasurer’s report, including the budget for 2006-07. When it is not necessary to have a Trustee election, the money is used for New Alumni Development. CD’s generally have an interest rate of 5%. Michael Rapaport ’59 noted that our MBNA institution has considerably shortened the payment cycle for people using the Union MBNA card (as have other institutions). We should see if we can locate a bank with better payment terms. Faculty and Academic Programs Committee Report Chairman Richard Hermann ’54 reported that the committee had an excellent meeting in the spring with Professor William Thomas concerning international study programs. Athletic Committee Report Chairman John Vero ’97 reported that there is a new sense of vibrancy in the Athletic Director’s office. There is a new code of conduct for the Athletic Department including issues such as hazing, underage drinking, and academic affairs. Ad Hoc Committee on Campus Culture (Greek societies) The Board of Trustees has a focused plan to present to President Ainlay on initiatives. One area of focus is campus culture. The Alumni Council is charged with studying how to fold Greek societies into college culture. John Vero ’97 is chairing a Council ad hoc committee. The group will include Dean of Residential and Campus Life Tom McEvoy, Alumni Council President Jason Oshins ’87, Trustee William Curtin ’82, two students, Interfraternity Council President Max Zimbert ’07, Panhellenic co-president Sara Weiner ’07, faculty members, and 1-2 Council volunteers. The committee will present a comprehensive report to the Board of Trustees. Presentation to Rex Moon ‘44 Richard Killeen ’51 presented an award to Rex Moon’ 44 that honors Rex for his ten years as chair of the Garnet Guard (1996-2006) and for his dedication and service to the Garnet Guard. President Stephen C. Ainlay President Ainlay talked about the large number and variety of things that makes Union special. Paul Turner ‘62, long-time professor of architectural history at Stanford University, tells us that the Ramee plan was the inspiration for plans for many other schools. Union was the first architecturally designed campus in the country. In a completely different vein, Ainlay is pleased with Symposium House for the weekly dinner-discussions they sponsor for with faculty and students in order to encourage intellectual exchange outside the classroom. Ainlay said that he was excited to meet Adam Grode ’05, who recently completed his Watson Fellowship study of long-necked lutes in Central Asia. Ainlay said that Union represents what liberal education is all about. Union has much to be proud of. The incoming class has 560 students. An August open house for applicants surpassed all prior records of attendance. The Columbus Day open house for applicants also broke records and included a multicultural program. We have awards to affirm our work. The Geology Department was invited to join the Keck Geology Consortium, a leading independent undergraduate research organization that hasn’t accepted new members since 1987. Union was among five new institutions accepted this year. The New York Times declared us as one of the 20 hidden gems in the world of colleges and universities. Union was selected in the top 25 of all colleges and university as “Saviors of the Cities”; we contribute $200 million to the economy of the community. Bob Howe’58 thought that it would be good if the alumni could have a DVD of an architectural of Union. Bill Nealon ’67 asked about campus safety (especially important in light of tragic events at other schools). Ainlay told about planning meetings for safety. He has met with District Attorney Robert Carney ’75 to discuss safety. Union is trimming trees and bushes, adding staff to the security force (especially in evening hours), locating the security office between West College and College Park Hall, and adding security cameras. The Trolley Service is an important safety tool. John Sciortino ’82 said that Union must be known locally before we can be known nationally. President Ainlay said that we are making strides in the local press, as well as in the national press. We need to balance regional and local commitments with national attention. Ainlay wants us to be more involved with Union University. Our paid professionals have to be accountable for making Union highly thought of. Jonathan Gasthalter ’99 asked about the future of Converging Technologies. He felt that we should be getting more grants for this program. President Ainlay said that Union is in the middle of a strategic planning process. The Board and campus groups are working together developing recommendations that are due in February of 2007. We need to have a balanced education for the liberal arts, engineering, and sciences. Union will be developing structures to make that balance real. There is an opportunity for us to be in national leadership. The National Academy of Arts and Sciences has said that the nation is falling behind other countries and that students need to be interdisciplinary. Professionals need to be able to write, speak, and communicate. Grants and prestige will flow from successful efforts in this area. President Ainlay noted that Council President Jason Oshins 87 represents the alumni view to the President and to the Board of Trustees. Adjournment The Council adjourned at approximately 11:40 a.m., pending the singing of the Alma Mater. Respectfully submitted, Karen Huggins ‘77 – Secretary
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MINUTES Union College Alumni Council