To Kevin Rampe '88, Commencement 2004 was a demarcation line. “Up to this point, your life and what you have achieved has been defined by your education, your test scores, and your summer experiences,” he told the nearly 500 graduates at the College's Commencement ceremony on Library Field. “Starting tomorrow, your life and your happiness will be defined by the choices you make.”
As president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., created in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks to oversee the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Rampe makes decisions every day that affect family members of victims, downtown residents, business owners, real estate developers, and numerous government agencies. To begin his Commencement remarks, he set forth four principles he follows when making choices:
“First, make choices. Make choices wisely, but make them. Far too many people miss great opportunities because they are frozen in place for
fear of change. Don't fear change-embrace it. Tens of thousands of dollars spent on thousands of hours of higher education have been preparing you for this moment. Take a chance. More often than not the worst choice is not making any choice.
“Second, in making choices, draw upon your values and experience. Know that gathering information does not prepare you to make a choice. Spend time thinking about your values and your morals. They will help you interpret the information and, in the end, the choices you make should reflect your values.
“Third, understand that all of your choices cannot be made according to some
master plan. You cannot plan your life. When I sat in your chair I never imagined that I would return sixteen years later to deliver this commencement address. How I got here is not the product of any plan-it is the result of a series of choices.
“And fourth, know at the outset that some of the choices you make may turn out badly. Recognize this and realize that often in the wrong choices lie great lessons, in making mistakes, and learning from them, you will gain deeper personal understanding and knowledge. You will also develop better judgment to assist you in making future choices.”
He said that along with the right to make choices come certain responsibilities.
“First and foremost, you have a duty to make choices that improve our world for others and for future generations. You carry this responsibility if only because of the many who did not have the same opportunity. The diploma you receive is not simply an honor bestowed upon you which grants you the right to lucrative employment. It is a document which imposes on each of you a responsibility to undertake some form of public service or involvement in your community.”
Rampe shared the stories
of two alumni-people he came to learn about because they were among the more than 3,000 lives lost on
September 11.
“Andrew A. Fredericks was a 1983 graduate of Union. On September 11, 2001 he was in his 20th year as a firefighter and his 11th year serving in Squad 18 as a New York City firefighter. That morning he found himself on the front lines of the worst terrorist attack in our nation's history. In choosing to become a New York City firefighter, Andrew chose, many years earlier, to put his safety at
risk to save others.
“Thomas W. Duffy was a 1971 graduate of Union. A resident of Rochester, on the morning of September 11th
he was on the 99th Floor of World Trade Center Tower One for an appointment at Marsh, where he was a senior vice president. In addition to having an extraordinarily successful career, Tom chose to spend time giving back to Union as an active alumnus, and he gave back to his community by coaching his sons' sporting teams.
“Neither of these individuals knew the tragedy that awaited them on the morning of September 11. However, what both men knew, and what I hope you take home with you today, is the importance of public service, of giving back to your community.
“I see it every day. The recovery of lower Manhattan is not the brain-child of great political leaders or brilliant architects, although each has played a role. Big businesses have clearly been a part but they alone could not rejuvenate our community. Rather, lower Manhattan's recovery is the result of individuals volunteering their time, their resources, and their expertise -put simply-giving of themselves. It is that America which came under attack on September 11.”
Rampe said that he and the graduating seniors, although separated by sixteen years, share a common bond as a generation shaped by the events of September 11.
“On that day we saw evil. In the days, weeks, months, and years that followed, despite all of the problems facing us at home and abroad, we have seen a renewed commitment to community and public service. We hold in our hands, all of us, the legacy of over 3,000 people who lost their lives that day. We also hold their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. We have the ability to make the choices that they can no longer make. Together we face a choice-do we allow this legacy to falter as a single tragic event, look inward and detach from the world, or do we mourn, rebuild, and carry the September 11th legacy of community spirit, public service, and caring for others?
“That is your choice-make it wisely.”
Rampe received an honorary doctor of laws degree. His citation said, in part, “You are convinced that we can bring about a lower Manhattan that will serve as a model for the world. And you believe that such an endeavor is the most meaningful way in which we can show resilience in the face of tragedy, creativity in response to destruction, hope overcoming despair. For your tireless work in restoring our greatest city, we are proud to welcome you back.”
Rampe is a cum laude graduate of the College with a B.A. in political science and psychology. He earned his law degree magna cum laude from Albany Law School and became a litigator at the law firm of Sherman & Sterling. As part of his practice, he was involved in domestic and international securities, antitrust, and contract litigation. He also lived in Kuwait, and in 1994-1995 he was involved in the firm's representation of the government of Kuwait and its preparation of environmental claims against the government of Iraq arising after the Gulf War. He then became New York Gov. George Pataki's senior legal advisor on insurance, banking, civil justice, worker's compensation, and labor matters, and, after that, first deputy superintendent and chief operating officer of the New York State Insurance Department. He was named president of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. in 2003 by Pataki and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Receiving the honorary degree of doctor of fine arts was Wolf Kahn, widely known for his intensely colored and meditative landscape paintings. A native of Stuttgart, Germany, he fled Nazi Germany as an eleven-year-old. He graduated from New York City's High School of Music and Art and the University of Chicago, and studied with abstract expressionist Hans Hofmann, whose practice of using nature as the starting point for a painting was a great influence. Kahn's use of color has placed him at the forefront of American representational art, and he has received such honors as Fulbright and Guggenhein Fellowships. His work is exhibited throughout the world and is included in the collections of such major museums as the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The citation for his degree noted, “Asked to describe your paintings, a colleague of yours once compared your work to a string quartet, where the four principal colors, or voices, resonate together in a tightly-structured composition.…You combine landscape and abstraction to create atmospheric and sensual paintings that are refreshments to our souls.”
The College awarded a total of 492 degrees-260 bachelor of arts, 179 bachelor of science, 19 bachelor of science in civil engineering, three bachelor of science in computer engineering, 16 bachelor of science in electrical engineering, and 15 bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. Fourteen students graduated summa cum laude, 52 received their degrees magna cum laude, and 110 were cum laude. Starting a “new” tradition, graduating seniors and the
faculty marched through the Nott Memorial at the processional and recessional; the route honored Eliphalet Nott, who became president of Union 200 years ago, in 1804, and who served until 1866-the longest tenure of an American college president.
Sari Ziegelstein, a psychology major from Spring Valley, N.Y., was valedictorian of the Class of 2004. During her four years, she was a selected presenter for the National Conference on Undergraduate Research; a dean's list student; vice president of Chi Psi, the honor society in psychology; a team captain for Relay for Life, a fundraiser for cancer research; a volunteer peer mediator for Law Order and Justice at Elmer Avenue Elementary School; and a
volunteer reader for ROAR (Reach Out and Read), a
literacy program. She plans
to pursue a master's in education degree with dual certification in early childhood and special education at the Bank Street College of Education in New York City.
Co-salutatorians were Jeremy Dibbell, a political science major from Bainbridge, N.Y., and Claudia Gutman, a biology major from Floral Park, N.Y.
Dibbell, a past editor-in-chief of Concordiensis, the student newspaper, served on a number of campus committees; held various positions with the Office of Residence Life; and was on the Writing Board, Minerva Committee, and Commencement Committee. He will continue next year in the College's archives, planning the commemoration of the bicentennial of Eliphalet Nott's inauguration as Union president and assisting with other projects.
Gutman, a member of both Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, the scientific research society, was a crisis support member with Safe Space, an organization dedicated to the support of survivors of rape and sexual assault. She was a volunteer personal reading tutor for second-grade students and a “Big Sister” through the College's chapter of Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and she worked as an intern with a local dentist, traveling to Jamaica to assist with missionary dental care. She is planning to work for a year as a dental assistant and then attend dental school.
Thanks for the memories
When Phil Snow, associate professor of civil engineering, was asked for some retirement memories, he was able to come up with a list quickly:
- “When I came in 1974, I got a great office looking out over the football field and was able to watch the construction of Achilles Rink.
- The wedding of President Bonner in Memorial Chapel was quite memorable.
- Eight years of exciting research with Carl George and Peter Tobiessen [both of biology] on the lake restoration of Collins Pond in Scotia, with rain, snow, and pond weeds so thick the boat would stop after each time you pulled on the oar, followed by another eight or ten years doing dredging and lake restoration projects of Saratoga Lake, Ann Lee Pond, Central Park in Schenectady, and numerous other lakes and ponds in the area.
- Numerous trips with Gil Harlow to the Army Surplus Warehouse in Rotterdam where many of the drying ovens and microscopes in my environmental lab came from (we also got hundreds of nuts, bolts, screws, assorted hardware, and even parachutes).
- Working with Frank Griggs [chair of civil engineering from 1980 to 1987] during the strongest years of civil engineering at Union, with the Squire Whipple Bridge and six other old bridges being rebuilt in the surrounding area.
- Almost 500 civil engineering students went through Union during my 30 years and, I am proud to say, almost every one of them is doing great in their life and in their profession.
- Seven years of teaching 'Water Resources in Sao Paulo, Brazil,' a mini-term in December of each year. Martha Huggins [of sociology] and later William Garcia [of modern languages] were great partners as we visited slums, wastewater treatment plants, steel mills, and the beaches of Rio de Janeiro!”
Snow, a graduate of Marietta College, received his advanced degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Massachusetts and joined the Union faculty in 1974. Much of his career, both teaching and research, has centered on water resources, and it is not surprising that his professional affiliations have included membership in the American Water Resources Association and the North American Lake Management Society.
Although he is “retiring”, Snow will be back on campus next year to teach three classes in civil engineering's final year. After that, he says he is looking at opportunities with local consulting firms.
Seven other members of the campus community retired this year, and at the College's annual recognition luncheon this spring they reflected on their 165 years of memories. Here are a few of their comments:
Barbara Bell, administrative program assistant, Department of Performing Arts: “I worked at Union for thirty-four years. Obviously, I started here shortly after my adolescence. My BEST day was my LAST day-I was given a retirement party to beat all retirement parties. I was surrounded by good friends, I was serenaded with all my favorite songs, and I felt like a celebrity. So many people said such wonderful things to me. And as I looked around I was moved to tears.…I realize that Union truly was 'my home away from home.' ”
Giuseppina Biasiucci, day cleaner, Facilities Services: “I enjoyed the summers, when all my co-workers and I were able to work together, side by side, instead of in individual buildings. I will always remember and treasure the way the girls at Richmond dorm always made me feel special and appreciated. They treated me like more of a second mom, not just a housekeeper. And last but not least, I now have a special memory of the going-away party my department gave me. I will always remember their kindness and will miss them all.”
Martha Huggins, Roger Thayer Stone Professor of Sociology: “There is no ONE memorable moment during my almost twenty-five years at Union. I see Union as a package that includes making many new friends, people I will never forget. I include in the package of positive memorable moments, a group of students that I have taught at Union and in the term abroad to Brazil that allowed me to grow with them. Most of these students are still in contact with me and share their good experiences with me. Their lives are memorable moments to me.”
Leon Ward, grounds equipment operator, Facilities Services: “During the twenty-nine years I worked at Union, I saw a lot of changes-the building of the Alumni Gym, the football and soccer fields, the library renovation, the building of the theater, and, most recently, the football field grandstands and the remodeling of Achilles Rink. I have worked for three presidents (Tom Bonner, John Morris, and Roger Hull), I made a lot of friends over the years, and have a lot of fond memories of Union.”
Also retiring were Mary Ann Baker, secretary in the Human Resources Office; Sandy Andrejcak, director of Health Services; and George McMillan, purchasing director.
College receives $1.6 million from Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has given $1.6 million to the College to effectively build programs and motivate students toward research, study, and careers in emerging new fields in the sciences and engineering.
The grant, to begin this September with an organizational year, will change the way biology students learn and introduce students from other disciplines to biological problems, says Professor Leo Fleishman, chair of the Biology Department.
Among the main components of the grant are:
- the creation of a new
Center for Bioengineering
and Computational Biology
to include two research laboratories, design facility,
outreach area with virtual
bioengineering lab for use
by other colleges and high schools, computer teaching center, and teaching laboratory for bioengineering courses. - research opportunities for six students per year for summer interdisciplinary research combining biology with engineering, computer science, or other disciplines. Four opportunities will be at other institutions (Albany Medical College, the New York Health Department's Wadsworth Lab and Syracuse University).
- two new faculty hires (one has already been made in engineering, and the second, in biology, will be in two years).
- funds for two-faculty teams (biology and another discipline) to create new laboratory modules based on application of engineering and/or computing to solutions of biological problems. These will be inserted into laboratories throughout the biology curriculum. A new interdisciplinary course in bioinformatics will be created and a laboratory will be developed for the introduction to bioengineering course.
- four new years of support for a redesigned Summer Science Workshop for underrepresented talented high school students. The program is designed to encourage juniors and seniors to attend college, major in biology or another science, and go on to graduate or professional school.
“We are delighted by the Howard Hughes Medical
Institute's confidence-once again-in Union,” said President Roger Hull. “The grant comes at a perfect time for
the College as we move forward with Converging Technologies, our unique effort to blend the liberal arts and engineering. We are appreciative of HHMI's support and their recognition of the groundbreaking work we are doing.”
In announcing the award, the Hughes Institute noted that colleges face a number of tough challenges in teaching science today. New fields that blur the lines between disciplines are emerging, and biologists, chemists, physicists, and mathematicians are forging interdisciplinary collaborations. Scientists trained to be outstanding researchers need to learn to be outstanding teachers, and more minorities must be encouraged to pursue scientific careers.
In 2003, Union began offering an academic minor in bioengineering. This program will be greatly strengthened by these funds.
The College received grants from HHMI in 1993 and 1988 as well. Among the programs funded by past Hughes grants were several
targeting K-12 science, and math and tech-nology curriculum improvement (particularly in economically-disadvantaged school districts in the region). The present grant will allow for the continuation of these programs.
HHMI awarded nearly $50 million in grants to forty-two colleges in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Union shared the lead for top awards with Williams College and Haverford College. HHMI invited 198 public and private baccalaureate and master's institutions to compete for the new awards. Those receiving awards were selected for their record of preparing students for graduate education and careers in research, teaching, or medicine.
Works in progress
Ann Anderson, the Thomas J. Watson Sr. and Emma Watson-Day Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was recognized for achievement in science and technology at the Mohawk Pathways Council's annual Juliette Low dinner. Robert Balmer, dean of engineering and computer science, nominated Anderson for the award. He said, “Under Ann's well-respected leadership, the College's enrollment in mechanical engineering has grown, and she is clearly a role model for all students, and particularly for young women interested in engineering.” Anderson was a founder of the College's Aerogel Lab, a collaborative project between mechanical engineering and chemistry that has generated a number of undergraduate research projects. Aerogels, ultra-light matrix materials that are excellent insulators, are gaining widespread use in aerospace and medicine.
Richard Fox, associate professor of political science, is co-author of a study that found that fewer women than men run for elected office because they lack confidence, rather than the ability to garner votes. The research, which Fox did with Jennifer L. Lawless '97 of Brown University, appeared in the American Journal of Political Science in April. With men accounting for eighty-six percent of Congress, and previous studies finding that women perform as well as men in fundraising and getting votes, the researchers surveyed nearly 4,000 men and women whose professions
suggest they would be inclined to run for office. Women were twice as likely as men to rate themselves as “not at all qualified” to run for office, the
survey found. Women also received less encouragement than men to run.
Megan Ferry, Luce Junior Professor of Asian Studies, presented a paper at Harvard University's Fairbanks Center on Chinese underground
film maker Cui Zi'en titled “Between Realism and Romanticism: Prostitution and Homosexuality in Cui Zi'en's Night Scene.”
Christine Henseler, assistant professor of Spanish, has received a Franklin Research grant from the American Philosophical Society. The grant supported travel in Spain this summer to interview several authors and do research for her book on the publishing history of Spanish women's narrative from
1850 to 2000.
Silva Kantareva, an exchange student from
Bulgaria, advised by Robert Hislope, assistant professor
of political science, is the author of “The Balkans: A Study of a Discourse,” which was published in Politikon, the journal of the International Association of Political
Science Students. The paper, based on an independent study she did with Hislope, examines the logic and causes of the Balkan conflicts.
Quynh Chu-LaGraff, assistant professor of biology, was the co-author of a presentation
at the forty-fifth annual Drosophila Conference in Washington. Her talk was titled “Drosophila lacking palmitoyl-protein thioesterase1 accumulate autofluorescent inclusions and abnormal ultrastructural deposits in the adult CNS.”
Co-authors were A. Hickey,
H. Chotkowski, J. Ault, and R. Glaser, all from the Wadsworth Center of New York State's Department of Health.
Lorraine Morales Cox, assistant professor of visual arts, has joined the Board of Trustees
of the Schenectady Museum, serving a three-year appointment on the Programming, Diversity and Strategic Planning Committee. Brad Lewis, professor of economics, joined the museum's board last year.
George Butterstein, Florence B. Sherwood Professor of Life Sciences, was co-author on a paper presented at the International Conference on Bear Research and Management in San Diego. The title was “Seasonal Changes in the Correlation of Body Condition, Body Fat and Circulating Leptin in American Black Bears.” His collaborators were from the San Diego Zoo and the University of Wyoming.
Wilfried Wilms, assistant professor of German, presented a paper at this year's 20th Century Literature Conference in Louisville, Ky. The paper, “Negative Apophasis: The 'Indescribable' Ruins of Postwar Germany,” investigated rhetorical strategies in Allied war reporting on the bombing war, focusing primarily on Martha Gellhorn and Janet Flanner.
David Ogawa, assistant
professor of visual arts, has
been nominated to a two-year appointment on the Collections Committee at the Hyde Art Museum in Glens Falls, N.Y.
Union author explores the Opium War
History, for the most part, paints a picture of late nineteenth-century China as an empire in decline, plagued by widespread use of opium, a weak government and military, and a dwindling treasury.
But the 1908 photo that Joyce Madancy chose for the cover of her new book tells a different story.
The story is not in the piles of opium and related paraphernalia waiting to be burned at an opium suppression rally. Rather, it is in the slightly fuzzy background, where a large and diverse crowd of Chinese stands. The photo, according to the associate professor of history, shows that political participation in the opium suppression movement revealed not only a stronger state than expected but also a new emphasis on popular opinion in Chinese politics.
Madancy's book, The Troublesome Legacy of Commissioner Lin: The Opium Trade and Opium Suppression in Fujian Province, 1820s to 1920s (Harvard University Press) tells the story of vast official and popular participation in a nationwide campaign to eliminate the sale, smoking, and importation of opium in China in the early twentieth century.
“When the Opium War happened, China was helpless in the face of western imperialism,” she says. “But, as we can see in this case, right as the imperial system is supposedly dying, the Chinese launched this incredibly complex movement in which the whole country is organized against opium.”
While the campaign was not totally successful, it was very well organized, Madancy says. Authorities issued licenses with photographs, people
registered as addicts to get treatment, and newspapers devoted solely to the suppression campaign reported extensively on statistics and investigations.
Madancy's book focuses on the province of Fujian, where the leader of the campaign was the great grandson of Commissioner Lin Zexu, who seized and destroyed 20,000 chests of British opium and provoked the infamous Opium War in 1839. Lin, and later his great grandson, Lin Bingzhang, became icons of China's efforts to rid itself of opium against overwhelming odds. Both men are memorialized in China; the elder one even has a statue in New York City's Chinatown.
“When people talk about opium in China, they generally think about the Opium War, and they see opium as something that was foisted on the Chinese,” Madancy says.
“It becomes symbolic of Chinese weakness in a number of ways-socially, politically, economically. What I'm looking at is a well-organized and comprehensive attempt by the Chinese to actually get rid of opium on their own.”
Madancy, at Union since 1995, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She specializes in East Asian history. Her research has been supported by a number of grants, including a Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation
Fellowship in Chinese Studies from the American Council of Learned Societies, a Humanities Fund Research Grant from Union, and grants from the University of Michigan.
Alcohol policy updated
A campus alcohol task force has recommended a number of changes to the College's current alcohol policy.
Steve Leavitt, dean of students, said the committee, which included fifteen students and a half dozen staff members, “has been a wonderful example of how student and staff insights can result in a better policy for all at Union.”
Geoff Bowman '04, a member of the committee, said,
“I hope these revisions are not only perceived by the student body as realistic for our social needs, but also emphasize that we must continue to advocate responsible and respectful drinking. I hope this will
alleviate social tensions on campus and, along with the coexistence of the Greeks, themes, and Minervas, continue us on the path to a stronger Union.”
Another committee member, Dan Colish '04, noted that the process of revising the College's alcohol policy is
never complete. “This newpolicy represents the best efforts of this committee to evolve beyond the consumption of alcohol while also
concentrating on the student body's wishes for a better social environment.”
The committee recommendations include:
- enforce broadly the ban on hard alcohol at all social events;
- remove the 100-person limit at social events; instead, fire codes will determine size limits;
- require substantial food and non-alcoholic drinks at all social events with alcohol;
- establish a new category
of registered social events with alcohol for twenty-one-year olds that can occur during
the week at Minerva Houses, theme houses, and Greek houses; such events will have a size limit, limited quantities of alcohol, and be organized around an event; - allow social drinking,
of beer and wine only, for twenty-one-year-olds in a designated social space at a strictly limited number of houses or dorms; - enforce more stringently
the ban on drinking for underage drinkers; - implement a suspension-of-party-privileges-plus-probation policy for organizations hosting large-scale social events; repeated and gross
violations may result in losing one's house; - develop more alcohol awareness programs for broad-based alcohol education;
- augment on-campus
ounseling services for alcohol-related assistance; - establish a standing
committee on alcohol and drug use, with prominent
student membership.
Note: Dean of Students Steve Leavitt has further comments about responsible drinking in
a column that appears on
page 41 of this issue.
Milestones
Peter Williams, a longtime member of the College's grounds operations staff, died June 3 at his home in Schenectady. He was sixty-eight.
Williams, who began with the College in 1964, retired in 2000. More than 100 colleagues attended his retirement party, held on the occasion of his 65th birthday, and sang a chorus of “Happy Birthday.” He was cited at the event by President Roger Hull, who acknowledged that Williams should get much of the credit for the College's then-recent beautification award from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Williams's contributions to campus beautification also were recognized by the Class of 1993, which presented him with a special citation at their Commencement.
Williams was the son of the late Clinton Williams, professor of civil engineering at Union. Survivors include two brothers and a sister. Plans are for interment in the College Plot of Vale Cemetery sometime this fall.
Phil Beuth '54 gives $2 million to Minerva Houses
On the fiftieth anniversary of his graduation, former ABC television executive Philip Beuth '54 pledged a $2 million gift to the College to support Beuth House, one of seven houses in the College's new Minerva House system that
will provide a place for living, attending class, and interaction with other students and faculty.
“Union had a significant impact on my life, and was there with Bailey scholarships when I could not afford tuition anywhere,” Beuth said. “I was very fortunate, and I hope that my gifts will encourage others to give back as well.”
The gift will fund the
renovation of the former Psi Upsilon fraternity house near the center of campus. Beuth House will open this fall as one of seven social and academic hubs on campus, part of the new Minerva House system; it joins Golub House and Wold House as named houses, and the College anticipates announcing more names in the next few months. After recent elections, all seven Minerva houses have both students and faculty in leadership positions.
“We are deeply appreciative to Phil for his continued generosity to Union,” said President Roger H. Hull. “As the College embarks upon an exciting and unique system to transform and meld our students' intellectual and social lives, we are particularly grateful to Phil Beuth for his support.”
Beuth, who lives in Naples, Fla., with his wife, Mary, retired in 1995 as president of CapCities/ABC's “Good Morning America.” A former trustee of the College, he was honored for his service at this spring's meeting of the Board of Trustees.
He is a member of the board of the Guadalupe Center in Imokalee, Fla., a daycare center for the children of migrant workers. He is also on the board of the Broadcasters Foundation, and he and Mary operate a small resort on St. Maarten in the Caribbean.
Beuth began his career in 1952 as a page for WRGB in Schenectady and later was the first Capital Cities employee at WTEN in Albany. As a senior at Union, he was president of the Psi Upsilon fraternity. In 1996, he donated $1 million to support the expansion and renovation of Schaffer Library.
Union's athletic league changes name
The Upstate Collegiate
Athletic Association, to which Union has belonged since the league was formed in 1995,
has changed its name to the Liberty League.
The new league includes Clarkson University, Hamilton College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the
University of Rochester, St. Lawrence University, Skidmore College, Union, and
Vassar College. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute are associate members
for football only.
Margaret Strait, athletic director at St. Lawrence and league president, said, “The new name and logo project a positive image for a group of institutions that has worked together to provide a very meaningful educational
experience for thousands of student-athletes. We came together as selective private institutions with shared
values to bring out the best aspects of intercollegiate
athletics. The name change and new marks will help us tell our success story and will better reflect who we are as a
league. We have stood for
tradition and excellence,
and we are proud of what
we have established.”
The Liberty League sponsors championships in twenty-four sports. During the 2003-04 academic year,
members of the Liberty League sent seventeen teams in fourteen sports to NCAA tournaments, as well as dozens of individual athletes in cross country, swimming and diving, track and field, and tennis. Liberty League athletes earned five CoSIDA Academic All-America awards and thirty-seven CoSIDA Academic All-District Awards.
The Liberty League has partnered with Strategic Marketing Affiliates, Inc., of Indianapolis, to perform the role of licensing agent for the league and to oversee the administration of the new identity and the release of marks to approved vendors.
Cooperstown, Pittsfield…China
Whether baseball was invented in Cooperstown, N.Y., or
Pittsfield, Mass., as new research claims, the sport was widely played by Chinese soldiers as a grenade-throwing exercise at the turn of the nineteenth century.
The information came from Joe Reaves, author of the award-winning book, Taking in a Game: Baseball in Asia. That fact, and many others, were discussed by baseball authors, journalists, and scholars when Professors Ted Gilman of Political Science and George Gmelch of Anthropology hosted a day-long program this spring
on “Baseball in Asia.”
Robert Whiting, author of two books, You've Gotta Have Wa and the recently-released The Meaning of Ichiro, spoke about the influence that Japanese players have had on the U.S. and Japanese major leagues. He is working with DreamWorks to create a major motion picture version of one his fictional books, Tokyo Underworld.
Marty Kuehnert, a one-time journalist, broadcaster, and agent in Japan's major league, and author of books on Japanese baseball, talked about the reasons for baseball's current Japanese decline. He suggested much of the blame falls on their league's corporate structure, but also cited the recent exodus of Japanese superstars.
Bill Kelly of Yale University, who has written on the Hanshin Tigers and Japanese fans in general, gave an anthropological perspective.
In addition to speaking at Union, the four scholars were the featured panelists in a roundtable discussion at the Baseball Hall of Fame the next day, also titled, “Baseball in Asia.” The special program, moderated by Gmelch, was hosted in the Hall of Fame Library's Bullpen Theater. Union students accompanied the scholars to the Hall of Fame.