Posted on Jul 17, 2004

Rising to the Challenge

On June 6, we celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of the Normandy landing, a
landing that was accomplished by what some said was “the greatest generation.”

Was it? I don't know. What I do know is that that generation clearly rose to the occasion.

I believe that today's students, too, will rise to the occasion. Whether as members of the military or members of their communities, I believe they will work hard to make a difference in the lives of their families and in the lives of those in their communities, their states, their nation, and their world. I believe that they will recognize that their reward will be the satisfaction that comes from putting others before self. And I believe that they will remember that they will be judged not only for the professional challenges they choose to tackle, but for the contributions to the intellectual and moral betterment
of the society in which they live.

Those thoughts came to me again this June, as I looked out at 500 young men and women in their caps and gowns, sitting in Library Plaza and waiting for their names to be called to receive their degrees. I know that graduation day has its melancholy moments-moments when both student and parent realize that a fundamental shift is taking place in their lives. For the most part, though, recognition of that change is a cause for great satisfaction and joy. Having been faced with challenges on many fronts-academic, social, physical-these about-to-be alumni have risen to the occasion again and again.

I'm particularly pleased that for so many of them the challenges have included working for the betterment of the campus and the surrounding community. This challenge is one that could be easily ignored amid papers to be written, exams to be taken, labs to be completed, and extracurricular activities to be enjoyed. Again this year, though, as for so many years, Union students made life better for those around them. In doing so, they made life more meaningful to themselves. As the Hebrew inscription on the dome of the Nott Memorial urges us all, “the day is short, the work is hard, the pay is ample, and God is urgent.”

This issue of the magazine takes note of some of our students' achievements. I wish we had the space to list the names of all the students who helped the local community through such efforts as the Relay for Life (a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society), Big Brothers-Big Sisters, UCare Day (an event that brings local children to Union for fun and feats of skill), canned food drives, tutoring efforts in area schools, and fundraisers such as one involving the Harlem Wizards that attracted 500 people from campus.

I also wish that we could list the names of all the students who volunteer at our Kenney Community Center, which is the centerpiece of the renovation to the College Park neighborhood. Let me cite just a few examples of what goes on in their small building:

• In the Homework Program, approximately twenty to thirty student volunteers tutor twenty third- and fourth- graders for fifteen to twenty hours a week.
• In the America Reads Program, two student program coordinators and fifteen to twenty volunteers provide one-on-one tutoring for some twenty youth ages five through twelve.
• The Girls Inc. Science Program, supported by Union volunteers, is offered one day per week for girls in grades four through six. Ten girls participate in interesting and time-consuming projects.
• The Studying Arithmetic in Literature (SAIL) Program involves three elementary schools, with thirty-five to fifty Union volunteers tutoring more than sixty third-and fourth-graders in reading and math.
• The Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP)
  provides after-school tutoring and Saturday workshops for thirty middle- and high-school students.

• Big Brothers-Big Sisters, our biggest student program, provides mentors for at-risk youth and UCARE, a student volunteer outreach group, assists individual students and student groups in identifying volunteer opportunities in the
  community. Projects include tutoring at the public library, volunteering at the Northeast Parent and Child Society, planting trees for Re-Tree
  Schenectady, and assisting in after-school programs at the Hamilton Arts Center.

Each year, I conclude my Commencement remarks to the seniors with the same words-Make a difference; do well and do good! It is gratifying to know that many have already done so, and it is reassuring to believe, as I do, that they will rise to the unknown challenges ahead, just as an earlier generation rose to the challenge of Normandy.

Posted on Jul 17, 2004

The Union Bookshelf regularly features new books written
by (or about) alumni and
other members of the Union community. If you're an author and would like to be included in a future issue, please send
us a copy of the book as well as your publisher's news release. Our address is Office of Communications, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308.

Daniel M. Paine '63

Elevated Work Platforms
and Scaffolding : Job Site
Safety Manual by Matthew J. Burkart, Michael McCann, Daniel M. Paine, Matthew Burkart, Jim Lapping, Daniel Paine, and Michael Joye

McGraw-Hill Professional;

ISBN 0071414932, $89.95
Nowhere is construction site safety more at a premium than on elevated work platforms and scaffoldings. Elevated Work Platforms: Job Site Safety Manual demonstrates how to keep these areas as accident-free as possible. Written with authority by construction site safety experts, this heavily-illustrated reference promotes safety through knowledge, correct equipment usage, and the careful application of construction regulations and standards. The manual is ideal for architects, engineers, contractors, and attorneys.

Antonio F. Vianna '66

Talking Rain
1st Books Library,
ISBN 1414066481, $10.74
When Tony Vianna, a human resources executive, isn't
writing management articles for trade journals, he creates mystery novels that pull the reader right in. The backdrop for his most recent yarn, Talking Rain, is a twenty-year-old murder case that sent a man to death row. However, it appears that the case is anything but “closed.” When the convicted killer's wife walks into a police station and confesses to the murder, the police are incredulous. But when people who had been involved in the
case start to die, she gets the authorities' rapt attention,
particularly that of police detective Jack Bogle.
Rewind twenty years ago to the violent death of a university professor. Mix in an academic rivalry, problem gambling, an alleged affair, and a callow policewoman and her not-quite-ex boyfriend who was the lead reporter at the time of the crime. As they rake over the cold embers of the murder and investigate new evidence, the clock on death row continues to tick.

Vincent M.
Bonventre '70

Streams of Tendency on the New York Court: Ideological and Jurisprudential Patterns in the Judges' Voting and Opinions

William S. Hein & Co., Inc., $75
Vincent Bonventre, a prominent judicial scholar and noted expert on the New York Court of Appeals, examines the judges' voting and opinions in nearly 400 divided public law cases from 1987 through 2001 and uncovers how the jurisprudential values and outlooks of individual judges have shaped the court's decisions. Highly readable, this book will be of interest to attorneys, judges, legal scholars, academics, or anyone curious about the judicial process in general.

A member of Albany Law School's faculty since 1990, Bonventre is widely quoted and published on judicial decision making, state constitutional law, criminal and civil rights, legal ethics, and the New York Court of Appeals. He is founder and director of the Center for Judicial Process, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to the interdisciplinary research and study of courts and judges. He is the editor of Government, Law, & Policy Journal (New York State Bar Association) and State
Constitutional Commentary.

The book can be ordered
by contacting W.S. Hein by phone 800-828-7571, fax
716-883-8100, e-mail heincite@ wshein.com, or
at www.wshein.com.

Jim McCord

Professor of English, Union College

Approaching Winter Solstice
Cobtree Press, Aylesford,
Kent, England
Approaching Winter Solstice is
a selection of twenty-eight poems by Jim McCord, professor of English at the College. The poems have been described as “closely observed encounters with an ordinary world suddenly rendered extraordinary through attentive eye and ear.” Subjects include the delights of small wonders around house and garden, the loving and difficult presences of mother and father, meditations on loss, illness, and death, artifacts, art, and architecture. Whether set in New York State, England, Greece, or Italy, they remind the reader that even when looking into
the heart of darkening light, man as maker can still the beauty of continuance. The book was designed, illustrated, and printed by Anthony Smith. Copies are available from the printer and the author.

Emily Haft Bloom '85

Burgers Every Way

Stewart, Tabori & Chang publisher
ISBN 158479352, $13.97 (Amazon)
'Tis the season-for burgers traditional and exotic. Get
out and fire up the barbecue because Emily Haft Bloom, a freelance writer and regular contributor to Parents magazine, has published Burgers Every Way. With carb-conscious and protein-focused Americans, Bloom offers up a burger for every plate.

Her book is a compendium of 100 recipes for burgers that go beyond beef. A variety of delectations may be created from chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, and veggie variations. The ingredients are easy to find and she includes accompanying beverage suggestions and interesting side dishes, sauces, and condiments (Pineapple Chutney, anyone?). From haute cuisine to low cholesterol, some of the enticing recipes include orange-flavored shredded duck, grilled lamb, big kahuna tuna, and portobello mushroom. Indeed, she has elevated the humble hamburger to new gustatory heights. Along with the recipes and absolutely beautiful photos, Bloom provides a brief history of the hamburger (yes, the American hamburger's grandfather was indeed from Germany) and some very sensible information about food safety.

All in all, this slim volume (less than 100 pages) is a delightful, valuable addition
for the serious gourmand and
a gentle, user-friendly companion to those intimidated/ bewildered by the culinary arts.

Posted on Jul 17, 2004

Recent gifts, grants, and bequests received by the College include:

• A distribution from a trust established by the late James S. Parsons '19, upon the death of the trust's income beneficiary.
• An unrestricted bequest from the estate of Barbara McCarty in memory of her husband, Spencer L. McCarty '29.
• An unrestricted distribution from the estate of Babette L. Roth, widow of Henry B. Roth '30.
• Proceeds of a charitable gift annuity were added to the Kenneth N. Mathes '35 Endowed Fund for Engineering Students on Terms Abroad upon the death of Mr. Mathes.
• Upon the death of Renate Fitch, widow of Hugh F. Fitch '36, the College received the proceeds of a life insurance policy, a charitable gift annuity, and a pooled life income fund. These gifts are all unrestricted.
• An unrestricted bequest from the estate of Morris Weintraub '41.
• An unrestricted distribution from a pooled life income fund upon the death of Avery J. Beer '42.
• An unrestricted partial distribution from the estate of William E. Fasake '48.
• Randolph W. Meyer '57 established a charitable gift annuity that will ultimately be used to establish both the Randolph W. Meyer '57 Endowment Fund and the Michael B. Meyer '57 Endowment Fund. Randolph and Michael are brothers.
• Les Trachtman '77 made a generous contribution to the Arthur Vash Fund through the Eliphalet Nott Society. Members of the society pledge a minimum of two percent of their equity in an enterprise in which they are founder, principal, lender, or investor. At the time their company goes public or is sold, they contribute the portion of their stock that was pledged to the College as a gift. Les's company, Trancentive, Inc., a leading provider of solutions for employee stock plans, was sold to Computershare, an Australian company. Les is remaining with Computershare as the head of the global share plans business. He earned an electrical engineering degree and continues to stay very involved with the College's entrepreneurial programs and education.
• An unrestricted distribution from the estate of Mary Hyde Eccles, who received an honorary degree in 1979.

A change in the Report of Gifts

The traditional Report of Gifts will be distributed in a new way this year. Look for it with your class letter, which will be mailed in the fall. Each class will receive a list of their donors by gift category. You will also be able to view your class list through your class web page, found under the Alumni heading on the College's website (www.union.edu).

Mark Rosenthal Prize established

The College recently received the following letter:

Mark Rosenthal '76, husband of Linda Rosenthal and father of Brian and David, died in September of 2002.

Mark graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Medical school and became a renowned cardiologist, practicing in Dresher, Pa., outside of Philadelphia. His accomplishments at Union followed him throughout his medical career, but more importantly, also as a community activist, father and husband. Anyone who knew Mark knew that his sense of humor, keen mind, and untiring commitment to everything he pursued made him a special person, and I was fortunate to have been his friend. He was simply a great person whose very presence made the College community a better place.

After discussions with Linda at the College, I have given thought about how to honor Mark's memory. In recognition of what a special person he was, in coordination with the College Relations Office, I have asked that the Mark Rosenthal '76 Memorial Senior Prize be established at Union. This prize will be awarded each year to a graduate who by his or her community service made the College community a better place.

I have volunteered to begin the funding for this memorial, and am asking any of our contemporaries and/or Mark's friends to consider contributions of whatever size you feel appropriate. If we are able to raise $25,000, the annual prize can become permanently endowed. I hope we are successful in reaching the necessary goal.

Please send your check (payable to Union College) or pledge to Kathy Quinn, Office of College Relations, 807 Union Street, Schenectady, NY 12308.

Thanks.

Steven Loren '77 Highland Park, III.

Posted on Jul 17, 2004

News of special interest to Union families

Our daughter, Kate '06, figured that when she started her freshman year at Union, Mom and Dad would be totally out of the picture. Yes and no! We're comfortably at home, so Kate can have a wonderful academic and social experience. On the other hand, we've returned to the beautiful Union College campus several times as co-chairs of the Parents' Association. We're nearly invisible to Kate, yet our involvement with other parents and faculty has been very rewarding.

Most importantly, the
official stamp of approval is the publishing of a “Parents' Page” in Union College magazine. This is another opportunity to share news and information of interest specifically to parents. Some of that information will be included in our column and some will come in a partner column from the Dean of Students Office. Steve Leavitt, dean of students, and members of his team of administrators will touch on topics such as the Minerva System (formerly the House System), discipline, issues pertaining to first-year students,
the College's policy on alcohol, and so on-all issues about which the parents' community will
be glad to read. In addition, we will include contact information so you can follow up on whatever you need.

Also, we want to be sure that all parents know there is the Parents' Program Office on campus. Under the direction of Lis Bischoff-Ormsbee, this office is a place for parents to go for a variety of reasons: you might want to be more involved with the campus community (as we did), you might have a question and not know exactly who to ask, or perhaps you'll want to register for Spring Family Weekend. Feel free
to contact this office whenever you would
like at 518/388-6601 or
Parents_Program@
union.edu. Everyone is there to help!

Spring Family Weekend took place on May 7-9 and many parents turned out for the Steinmetz Symposium, Prize Day and other parent events including a Parents' Association Meeting and the Mother's Day Brunch. Please join us for the next big event which is Homecoming and Family Weekend. This will take place on October 1-3, 2004.

We would like to join Bill Gottdenker (Suzanne '05), chair of the Parents Fund, in encouraging any parent who hasn't already done so to participate in the fund. Participation at any level is a gesture that you appreciate the experience your student is having here at Union-it is not a request for an endowed scholarship (unless of course you feel so inclined). Last year, thirty-five percent of our current parents chose to give a gift and many
designated where they would like it to be used. (We're just closing out the 2003-04 Parents Fund and will share those figures in the fall.) Thanks in advance for considering this for the upcoming year!

Finally, there are a number of other ongoing initiatives that will continue to grow Union communication with parents. These will take the form of e-mail newsletters and events. Please feel free to join us at any of the Union events that are held in your home town/city. This is a wonderful way to meet other parents and hear more about what is happening on campus (or hear a professor or experience a wine-tasting event or…). And check our parents' web page at http://www.union.edu/Parents/. If you want to see what the students are involved in on campus, take a look at our new feature, “Your Kids in Action,” http://www.union.edu/Parents/action.php.

Feel free to join us on or off campus-we can't wait to meet you!

From Dean of Students Steve Leavitt
Revising our alcohol policy

Welcome to the first of what we hope will be a regular column from the Dean of Students office.

This month I want to talk about alcohol. Colleges everywhere have to wrestle with patterns of alcohol abuse among their students. The culture of what is often called “binge drinking” remains one of college campuses' most intractable problems. Union's student culture shares that interest in alcohol. In the past year, nearly seventy percent of reported disciplinary incidents at the College involved alcohol in some way. For that reason, I wanted to share with you some of our thoughts on where we stand and where we are headed.

Three years ago, as a part of the plan to diversify Union's social life, President Hull presided over a substantial revision of the College's policy on alcohol use. The new policy came into effect in the fall of 2001. It set in place new well-defined rules for hosting social events; these included wristbands for eligible drinkers and strict limits on the number of kegs allowed at parties.

Last fall, after hearing a number of concerns from students about features of the new policy, I decided it was time to assess its effectiveness. Students reported that the “party scene” on campus has been much more controlled, but that drinking in dorms has remained a concern. And our office has continued to encounter alcohol-related problems. I thought it best for students themselves to play a central role in considering any revisions in the alcohol policy, since they were the ones who knew best what worked and what did not. So I assembled a large Alcohol Task Force, with fourteen student members and six administrators. I invited students who I knew were centrally involved in the delivery of alcohol on campus; five were Greek, and five were from the Residential Life student staff.

The Alcohol Task Force became for me the most satisfying committee experience in my eleven years at Union. Nearly every member attended every weekly meeting. I asked each student to research the policy of a nearby peer institution, and each gave a report. We learned that Union's policy fit in well with what other colleges were doing. What made the group

work was the clear sense that everyone was thinking not about this or that pet concern, but about what was best for the Union community as a whole. And alcohol was clearly a topic these students knew something about.

The end result was some relatively minor revisions of what was, overall, already a strong policy. The Task Force recognized that drinking is an activity with many facets-it helps make events more fun, it smoothes social interactions, and it offers a clear context for trying to make an impression. It can be an escape, a crutch, an addiction. Symbolic dimensions of a policy can be as important as pragmatic ones. The overall message the Task Force sent out was that they, as students of Union College, sought a policy that promotes sensible, responsible drinking. Policy revisions relaxed some of the strict limits on beer to make large parties more workable but demanded stronger rules against hard liquor and underage drinking in the dorms.

Parties must serve real food. The Task Force also recommended new initiatives in alcohol awareness and counseling for students. And it asked for a new standing committee on alcohol and drug use. My hope is that the committee will help us to sustain our efforts in shifting the culture of drinking at Union onto an increasingly responsible plane.

My hope is that the Alcohol Task Force can become a model for further considerations of college policy on student life. It shows the insights students can have when working together for what is best for the Union community.

I close with a couple quotes from Task Force members:

“The process of revising our alcohol policy is never complete. This new policy 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.”
-Dan Colish '04

“Union is not all about drinking. It's about a lot more as demonstrated by this policy and by the day-to-day events on this campus. Here is a policy that has taken into account student input and opinion, from Greeks to ResLife staff to other involved individuals.”
-Joanna Stern '06

“The College has given us as students the chance to have the kind of responsible social events we all want to have. It is up to us to act responsibly and maturely, in order to not jeopardize the policy for future students.”
-Evan Leibner '05

“Union's revised alcohol policy is engineered by the students to encourage a greater sense of community and responsibility.”
-Brian Kelley '04

Read More

Posted on Jul 17, 2004

The summer place to be

Dixon Ryan Fox, the College's theater-loving president, was the catalyst. As a Columbia undergraduate, Fox had “trod the boards,” and as a Union faculty member, he collaborated on historical films and wrote and acted in a pageant based on eighteenth-century politics. In 1935, he invited movie star Charles Coburn and his actress wife, Ivah Wills, to establish a summer theater festival modeled on England's venerable Malvern and Stratford festivals. The Coburns agreed and established a corporation to run both the festival and an acting institute, which used the College's grounds and facilities but remained independent financially and operationally.

The first season was moderately successful. Then the Carnegie Corporation awarded a $12,000, three-year grant, and the New York State Regents granted a charter. Thus fortified, the festival began to evolve. By 1938, the bill offered seven plays, all staged outdoors near the current Achilles Rink-a Shakespeare production, some modern works, and standards such as Molière, Sheridan, and Shaw. Many major stars, such as Walter Hampden, Cornelia Otis Skinner, and Beulah Bondi, performed here. Reviews and articles appeared nationwide in newspapers and magazines, drama editors and critics from the Washington Post and New York Herald Tribune wrote about the productions, and the festival, while not a money-maker, began gaining prestige.

The Coburns' institute offered courses in theater production, scenery design, set construction, dance, fencing, make-up, and publicity. Students completed two eight-week summers, and the top four graduates received offers from professional troupes and often screen tests. It was a rigorous schedule-students attended class in the mornings, rehearsed afternoons in Jackson's Garden, and participated in that evening's production.

By 1940, the war in Europe had its impact. Attendance waned, and many local backers could no longer afford their support. Then the festival was “postponed” when the government called on the College
to participate in accelerated summer courses to train physicists, engineers, and chemists for the war effort. The postponement was actually the festival's grand finale.