An academic symposium on a subject near and dear to the heart of Union College's new president Stephen Ainlay will be part of the two-day celebration surrounding his formal inauguration.
The symposium will be titled “Bridging the Academic-Social Gap.” The keynote address will be given by Richard Light, director of the Harvard Seminar on Assessment at Harvard University, for the Friday, Sept. 15 event.
Ainlay will be formally installed the next day as the next president at the Schenectady college.
Ainlay said Wednesday that he wants to see Union students better balance the academic side of their experience at college with the social side. The college's Minerva Houses are designed to combine the academic and social lives of students by giving them a place to hang out, study and talk to each other more. Ainlay said the Minerva House model may be one that is useful to other colleges across the country.
In the past, fraternities have caused Union some embarrassment. Ainlay said he has talked to fraternity leaders and they have been receptive to his desire to boost intellectual interaction among students. Ainlay said that was the original intention of the creators of the fraternity and sorority systems, to make students conversant in the major moral, ethical and political issues of the day.
In places where colleges have succeeded in elevating the quality of discussions among students, Ainlay said there is some suggestion that the excesses of the fraternity life are diminished.
“We're looking at the whole matter of Greek life with keen interest,” Ainlay said.
He said he does not foresee a situation where Greek life would be banned on campus. He noted that some of the original chapters of national fraternities were first founded at Union, which is 211 years old.
The new president of Union College in Schenectady, Stephen Ainlay, said Wednesday that meeting the $200 million goal of the school's current fund-raising drive will be one of the first big tests of his presidency.
“I'd better raise $200 million,” Ainlay said. “To me, I think it's a realistic goal for the campaign.”
Raising more money will help build the liberal arts college's endowment which, in turn, will generate more money through interest on the college's investment. Ainlay said the goal is ultimately to be able to better control increases in the tuition, room and board that have become common at Union and almost all other private college in the United States.
It costs a full-paying student more than $40,000 to go to union. Ainlay said it actually costs more for that students' education, but some costs are offset by the money the school makes from endowment investments.
College presidents and educational experts around the country are worried that the college costs are becoming prohibitive to too many students. Ainlay said student aid becomes more important than ever with so many financial pressures on both schools and their students.
Ainlay said while fund-raising will be among the most important aspects of his job, he also said he has to juggle his other duties — as the public face of Union College and the chief liaison with the city of Schenectady and the business community.
Ainlay said he knows he also has to have a frequent presence on the campus to interact with faculty, staff and students.
“You can't simply be on the road raising money all the time,” he said.
He said this is a particularly good time to be raising money, however. It is a reason his school and many others have set highly ambitious fund drive goals.
With baby boomers starting to hit 60, Ainlay said successful people have fulfilled their obligations for their own children's education and many are looking for ways to leave a lasting legacy. Giving to the colleges that gave them their start is a natural destination for some of that money.
Ainlay started July 1. He was hired by Union's trustees last fall, but had to finish out the academic year because of commitments he had at his previous college, Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. A sociologist by training, Ainlay was vice president for academic affairs at Holy Cross from 1996-2006.
He said he would be unable to keep teaching, at least at the start, as he had been doing at Holy Cross. He also said his own research and writing would probably have to take a back seat to his new duties as president.
Union College President Stephen C. Ainlay gave a short history lesson Wednesday morning.
“We have a 200-year history of innovative education and of producing people who are innovators in their fields,” he told a group of print and TV reporters who gathered in Feigenbaum Hall to hear Ainlay's vision on where he wants to take the College.
He cited Lewis Henry Morgan, Class of 1840, the father of American anthropology; Franklin Henry Giddings, Class of 1877, Columbia University professor known as the father of American sociology; and R. Gordon Gould '41, inventor of the laser.
Ainlay was selected as the College's 18th president last October, but didn't officially assume his duties until July 1. He was previously vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. At Union, he succeeds Roger Hull, who stepped down in 2005. James Underwood, a longtime professor of political science, served as interim president over the last year.
Stephen C. Ainlay meets with the media in his first week as the College's 18th president
Ainlay described to reporters his first visit to Union last fall when he “fell in love” with the beauty of the campus. Union, he reminded, was the first planned campus in the U.S.
He also described meeting students at the grocery store and being invited to a barbecue at Beuth House. That experience, he said, gave him a sense for what it means to be part of the Union community and working closely with students.
“I went into higher education to work with students,” he said, “and I look forward to doing that as president.”
Ainlay stressed the importance of Union's role in shaping the landscape of American higher education, particularly with initiatives such as the Minervas — a national-model housing system that integrates the intellectual, social and residential spheres – and Converging Technologies, which focuses on learning at the intersection of traditional disciplines. “We have an obligation to share,” he said.
The Capital Region is an exciting area for higher education, he said, adding that he will work hard to promote partnerships with the local business community and with government.
“There is an attitude of openness to new ideas, and that has brought a real renaissance to the region.”
Ainlay will be inaugurated Sept. 16. The two-day event begins Friday with a symposium in the Nott Memorial on “Bridging the Academic – Social Gap.” The keynote address, “Making the Most of College,'' will be given by Richard Light, Walter H. Gale Professor of Education and director of the Harvard Seminar on Assessment at Harvard University.
The first mention of a ReUnion weekend was in 1861. Now, 145 years later, it is an event held every spring that is anticipated by many.
This past weekend, more than 1,600 alumni attended the four days of festivities. Dominick Famulare, Director of Alumni Relations, said, “We're still calculating everyone. We're at 1,600 right now but when we're done counting we'll be closer to 2,000 alumni in attendance.”
In this year's celebration over 70 graduating classes were represented from the years spanning 1934 to 2005. Fourteen anniversary classes were honored this year; every ReUnion there are different classes that are given prizes such as sweaters, hats, and t-shirts. This year's prizes went to any graduation year ending with a one or a six from 1936 to 2001.
The anniversary classes honored at this ReUnion donated $3,818,938.
Famulare said, “People came from all over the world to be here this weekend. One man from the class of 1956 came from Chile.”
Alums like this man participated in a range of events including award ceremonies, theater presentations, breakfasts, tours, wine tasting and a golf outing.
Some of these events were more popular than others. “The Alumni Parade and the All Class Pictures were very popular this year. These are both followed by Convocation. People also liked the picnic, fireworks display and Alumni Class Dinner and Gala were extremely popular as well, said Famulare.”
The Convocation is a time for the presentation of awards. Awards are given out to different classes for their participation with the college.
This year the Anable Cup for the greatest number of alumni in the parade went to the class of 1976. The class of 1951 was awarded the McClellan Cup for the highest class percentage in attendance. The class of 1956 received both the Van Vost/Class of 1941 Cup for the best costume and the Class of 1943 ReUnion Award for best overall ReUnion effort.
Convocation also included the presentations of Alumni Council Gold Medals that recognize alumni and faculty who have demonstrated distinguished service to the college. These medals went to Sigmund C. Giambruno '51, Albert V. Nahmias '66 and Mark L. Walsh '76.
Perhaps one of the more unique traditions of ReUnion weekend is the Senior Handshake. Associate Director of Alumni Relations, Betsy Seplowitz, said, “[This year], the class of 1956 shook hands with the class of 1906 when they graduated and now the class of 1956 shakes hands with the class of 2006, thus linking the century of Union graduates.”
ReUnion weekend necessitates a good deal of planning. “It was just a campus effort by everyone getting involved. Today we start planning for ReUnion 2007,” said Famulare.
Seplowitz said, “We had over 80 events in four days. We work with Volunteers from each ReUnion class to see what they would like to see happen. We also have children's programming, presentations by students, faculty and alumni, and live music. We work with facilities, dining services and campus safety to make it work. It really takes a campus effort to make it all happen.”
So far Famulare and his Alumni Relations staff has heard good things from alumni who attended this year. Famulare said, “The feedback is tremendous. Alumni from all different classes [have told] us how great the weekend was.”
A member of the class of '66 wrote in saying: “Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything you did to make this ReUnion weekend a total success. The class of '66 had a spectacularly good time…and all evidence was that everyone, all classes, enjoyed themselves immensely. Hopefully, today is a slow decompression day for all of you and the rest of your staff. …you've earned it.” Jokingly, he continued, “Now, about the weather…”
A Member of the class of '41 agreed saying, “It is a tribute to the entire Union College team that the weekend was absolutely perfect. I can't think of anything that was left out – the Class of 1941 Den was set up perfectly…the Dedication was absolute perfection, with wonderful speeches by Dr. Ainlay and Steve Ciesinski, the picnic was unbelievably efficient, the uniformed students who directed visitors all over the campus were so well trained, you had enough golf carts and other vehicles to help everyone who needed transportation at any time. The service in the Chapel was moving and appropriate.”
“Wherever we turned, there was an ingredient that added very much to everybody's weekend – I can only describe it, unusual as it sounds, as love – love for Union, love for the ReUnion, love for each other. I speak for the members of the Class of 1941 when I express these thanks,” the 194l graduate added.
Senior Matt Acciani looks forward to having a good time at ReUnion just as these alumni have. He said he will definitely come back to Union after he graduates.
“If I wasn't involved with athletics I'd probably be more in the air about coming. It'd be great to see people you haven't seen in awhile so there's appeal there. Personally, I'm planning on coming back to play in alumni games for soccer and swimming,” Acciani said.
