Posted on Jun 5, 1998

FRED. It's not just a dean's name anymore. Now, it's
coffee, juice and bagels.

FRED — which stands for “Fast, Ready, Easy, Dutch” –
was Student Forum's name choice for the mobile food cart that made its debut on
campus this spring.

“Someone had mentioned Dean (Fred) Alford, and I was looking for a
name that was short and concise,” said sophomore Matt Smith, who won a mountain bike
for submitting the winning name. “It had to be something quick so that you could say,
'Hey, let's stop at Fred.'”

Smith, apparently eager for the prize, submitted a total of 70 entries.
It took him two mornings of brainstorming, he said. Among his other suggestions: UCOW
(Union Convenience on Wheels), DUCK (Dutch Union Convenience Kart) and Dutch Buggy.

Smith said he has met Dean Alford “a couple of times,” both
under pleasant circumstances.

Student Forum on Tuesday deliberated over 302 names submitted by 700
people, said Beth Wierzbieniec, Forum president. The name selection was the first item of
new business for the recently-elected body. The discussion was “much lighter”
than that for the second item of new business – moving rush to sophomore year, she
noted.

Plans are to add the name and perhaps a flag to FRED, said Steve Pearse,
director of dining services. Cathy Georgelas, the cheerful vendor/driver said she's
happy with the cart's new name, but admitted it will take some time for her to stop
calling it “Dutchmobile.”

And what about the man who inspired the name? “I'm really
touched,” said Alford. “I think I'll take the rest of the day off.”

Posted on Jun 5, 1998

The College has received a number of gifts recently. Among them:

— $98,600 from Dr. Wendell Bryce '48 of Ithaca, N.Y., in
unrestricted deferred charitable gift annuities;

— $160,000 from Hugh Fitch of Vista, Calif., in unrestricted life
charitable gift annuities;

— $25,000 from Paul Martini '73 of Winchester, Mass., and Peter
Martini '78 of Arlington, Mass., as a pledge toward the A.J. Martini Memorial
Scholarship;

— $50,000 from the estate of the late Alice W. McChesney as a bequest
toward the Alice W. and Fred W. McChesney Scholarship;

— $25,000 from Ross Spicer '47 of Irving, Texas, as a pledge
toward the Nancy and Ross H. Spicer Endowed Scholarship;

— $25,000 from Joyce M. Wiese of Longboat Key, Fla., as a gift toward
the Robert H. Wiese '44 M.D. Scholarship;

— $25,000 from the estate of the late Martha Young as a bequest toward
the Martha H. and Alexander J. Young Scholarship.

Posted on Jun 5, 1998

May 20, 1998

1. The minutes of May 13, 1998 were approved

2. Dean Lewis reported on the GenEd Board's response to the
Science/Technology and Society courses proposed by the Committee on Liberal Arts &
Technology. The GenEd Board was not comfortable with the idea of the courses counting as
either science or civilization courses. The Board unanimously rejected this proposal but
would like to find ways to implement the courses, perhaps in a minor. In response to the
proposal, the Freshmen Preceptors are involved in creating two packets with science
readings (one on Death & Dying and one including the Darwin Wallace papers).

3. The procedure for continuing work on the calendar proposal was
discussed. A memo to inform the faculty was revised and approved. Additional appointees
will be discussed for the subcommittee during the next meeting.

Posted on Jun 5, 1998

The senior class gift – a costume of a “Dutchperson” with
a sweater emblazoned with the number “98” – made its debut during ReUnion Weekend.

Plans are to introduce the mascot to the College community before
Commencement, says Ruthie Strosberg '98, senior gift chair. There is to be a contest
to name the mascot, known for now as “Dutch.”

The mascot has an oversized head and garnet clothing. It is “sort
of androgynous,” Strosberg admits. “The gender is in the eye of the
beholder.”

“We hope this becomes a tradition,” she said. “This could
be the (senior) gift that is really special.”

Posted on Jun 5, 1998

David Grzybowski, director of campus operations, has been
recertified as a facility manager by the International Facility Management Association.
The certification requires a combination of practical experience and passing an exam.

Paul Mantica, director of campus safety, has been named a housing
officer for the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority, a volunteer position which
reviews tenant regulations and housing codes.

Maribeth Krupczak, collection development librarian, was one of
three panelists who took part in a discussion titled “Electronic Media: Collection
Development” on the impact electronic media will have on library collection policies
sponsored by the Academic and Special Libraries Section.

David A. Cotter, assistant professor of sociology, has been
awarded a two-year grant from the National Science Foundation to extend ongoing
collaborative research into the micro- and macro-level determinants of gender inequality
across labor markets. He published a paper from this project titled “The Demand for
Female Labor” this month in the American Journal of Sociology. It examines the
macro-level effects of the demand for female labor on five dimensions of gender
inequality: labor market outcomes, education, family structure, political officeholding
and gender role attitudes. While strong effects of demand for female labor were found on
gender inequalities in labor market outcomes and education, only mixed effects were shown
on family status, and the demand for female labor had little or no impact on officeholding
and aggregate gender role attitudes. The NSF research focuses on gendered outcomes in the
labor market and education.

Jean Sheviak, associate professor, Schaffer Library, is a member
of the New York State Electronic Doorway Library Action Committee, which has drafted a
plan to move toward the goal of enabling all libraries to have electronic access to its
own and other resources. Sheviak also was recently elected president of the board of
trustees of the Capital District Library Council, and to a three-year term on the SCCC
Library Resources Committee.

Mary Cahill, reference librarian and head of interlibrary loan
and document delivery, and Cheryl LaGuardia of Harvard University have received the first
Janice Graham Newkirk Research Award of the Eastern New York Chapter of the Association of
College and Research Libraries in support of their research paper titled “From Buns
to Bytes: How Technology is Changing Librarians' Image” to be presented at a
joint meeting of the American Culture Association and the Popular Culture Association.

Donna Burton, government documents and reference librarian, has
had reviews published in recent issues of the Journal of Government Information.
She reviewed “Current Issues Source File,” a CD-ROM software product from
Congressional Information Service that provides indexing and access to the full text of
hard-to-find publications; and “Statistics on Crime and Punishment,” based on
government-collected statistics.

Posted on Jun 5, 1998

Schenectady, N.Y. (June 5, 1998) – Congressman Victor H. Fazio is to be honorary chancellor and deliver the main address at the Union College commencement on Sunday, June 14, at 10 a.m. in Library Plaza.

Fazio, a 1965 graduate of Union College, is to receive an honorary doctor of laws degree.

Also to receive honorary degrees are Allen L. Sessoms, Union Class of 1968, president of Queens College; and Diane Ravitch, a senior fellow in governmental studies at the Brookings Institution.

Fazio is serving his 10th term in the third congressional district of northern California. Elected by his colleagues as chairman of the Democratic Caucus, the third ranking Democratic leadership position, he also serves as ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. He also has served on the Military Construction Subcommittee.

Anguel Zapryanov, a native of Bulgaria, is valedictorian. Laurie Kirschner of Suffern, N.Y., is salutatorian. Naomi Harel of West Hartford, Conn., is to deliver the student address.

Nikki Stone, of Union's Class of 1997, is to receive the Nott Medal in recognition of her gold medal win in the women's aerial freestyle skiing at the Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. Named for Eliphalet Nott, who served as Union's president from 1804 to 1866, the award recognizes alumni who through perseverance have attained great distinction. Stone is a descendant of Nott.

Four alumni whose study at Union was cut short are to receive bachelor's degrees. This year, they are Raymond DeMatteo '41, a Schenectady attorney and former city councilman; Howard Beardmore '48, a periodontist in Coral Gables, Fla.; Howard Seld '35, a retired attorney in Lake Worth, Fla.; and Dr. George Clark '42, a physician in Chazy, N.Y. The College each year awards degrees to alumni who have completed at least three years of study at Union, did not receive a bachelor's from another institution, have received an advanced degree and have attained distinction in their field.

The Baccalaureate Commemoration is Saturday, June 13, at 5 p.m. in Memorial Chapel. The program is to include a keynote speech by Prof. Charles Steckler, and a collage of thanksgiving from Jennifer Angerosa '98, Francesco Barbarino '98, Leah Karp '98, James DiStefano '98, Julianna Spallholz '98 and Shana Meyer '98.