Alumni Board Meeting Minutes

Staff:
Les Garner - President
Debbie Green - Director of College Advancement
Ruth Keefe Miller '66 - Alumni Director
Dee Ann Rexroat '82 - Director of College Communications

Guests:
Jerry Ringer '59 - Chair, Board of Trustees

President Julia H. Gutz called the meeting to order. Julia welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending the meeting. She commented on how wonderful it is to see so many board members wearing the color purple. She then asked everyone to introduce themselves and to mention briefly a fond Cornell memory of theirs.

The minutes of the May 4, 2001, semi-annual meeting were approved. Mark Van Etten questioned the criteria for the Young Alumni award as stated in the May minutes. Dee Ann Rexroat reported that the wording had been corrected before being published in the Cornell Report and online.

Jerry Ringer '59, Chair of the Cornell College Board of Trustees, expressed appreciation from the entire Board of Trustees for the fine work that the Alumni Association Board of Directors has done and continues to do. Cornell College is continuing to move forward due to their good work.

President Les Garner addressed the group and welcomed everyone back to campus. He expressed his appreciation to Julia Gutz for her leadership, strategic planning and high sense of energy in continuing to build alumni connections. Indeed, it has been a most unique start to a year at Cornell College. We have 353 new students, the most new students since 1995. It is obvious that the fine work the Board is doing is assisting in getting students here. There are so many positives - the teams of students who helped new students move in were great, Merner Hall has received rave reviews, construction fence has been painted around Alumni Hall, students are excited about the Meyer Strength Training Facility, opening convocation with Betty Williams was well received, and our football team has been victorious. We have record numbers of our students mentoring young people in the Mt. Vernon Middle School. We have a 4-year average of retention over 80% - the highest ever. The progress of the construction on facilities for Armstrong and Alumni is encouraging.

Les went on to say how the September 11 events have jolted the Cornell community. The campus response has been superb in raising money for the victims. Julia mentioned then how wonderful it was that Ruth Miller was in immediate touch via e-mail with our alumni in the affected areas trying to confirm that our alumni were all okay. The September 11 events may possibly have a negative impact on recruiting and, of course, we all know the business outlook is grim.

President Garner asked for the Board's input and endorsement regarding Cornell's national visibility and the possibility of a marketing campaign. He stressed that we must be aggressive and begin crafting a marketing campaign for the year. We must emphasize the One Course At A Time but it certainly won't sell by itself. He strongly believes that the Web is our most powerful marketing tool. After much discussion, the entire Board acknowledged their full support for the marketing campaign.

Julia thanked President Garner for his leadership and wisdom.

Mike Conklin gave an update regarding the Sesquicentennial. We will celebrate the Sesquicentennial throughout the 2003-2004 academic year with a series of events with a big kick-off probably at the beginning of the academic year. Events are still in the planning stages, however, following are some possible events: Ragbrai may go through Mt. Vernon that summer; construction of the Pedestrian Mall will be completed; a series of events on and off campus will be held. They will be held in our targeted areas. A video or other media presentation is a possibility which would be the cornerstone of all the Sesquicentennial events and get people excited about the college; Charles Milhauser's book will be published in 2003; series of speakers to come back to campus; and service projects.

Julia Gutz distributed a copy of the Strategic Planning document and emphasized that it should be reviewed in the committee meetings. She said the plan has been revised and we will move forward with the revised plan.

The meeting continued with adjournment to individual committee meetings. Following committee meetings, lunch was served.

COMMITTEE MEETING REPORTS

Julia then asked the Board to confirm a date for the May Meeting. The Board members agreed the meeting would be held Friday, May 10, 2002.

Alumni Director Ruth Miller gave a brief report on Homecoming events. She urged each Alumni Association Board Member to be a presence on campus during the weekend events. Everyone should have a copy of the Homecoming events schedule, however, additional copies are available from Ruth. It is hoped that everyone will attend the Alumni Convocation on Saturday, as well as the dedication of the Kendall and Kathleen Meyer Strength Training Facility. Ruth also mentioned several upcoming alumni events including St. Louis on November 9, Greater Cornell on January 25 and April 13, and Colorado on February 23. She stated that the Alumni Office will continue to send invitations to events to the board and encourages board members to attend.

Julia then presented Ruth Miller with a sterling silver mouse for her office computer. She also presented president-elect Mike Conklin with a sterling silver mouse for his computer as he and Ruth will be e-mailing back and forth often during his term as President.

Tokens of appreciation were presented to those board members having completed their terms on the board including: Martha Kimbrough, Tom Reinhard, Kirk Wilkie, and Cinthia Adams.

By motion of Tom Reinhard and seconded by Michael Mudlaff, the Board of Directors' elected the following new directors: Gary Thompson '69, Allan Ruter '76, Sheila Kruse Boyce '85, Lisa Naaktgeboren '90, Jodi Enger '91, and John/Ann Loewe Turner '94. Julia Gutz will now serve in the past president's position. Carol Bush Telling '66, and Mark Van Etten '76 were re-elected for their first full term. (The had been serving a vacant position.) Sally Larson Sargent was elected to her second full term.

Terry Gibson and Mike Conklin then presented a beautiful Cornell rocking chair to Julia for her years of service to the Alumni Association. Julia thanked everyone on the Alumni Association for their hard work and support

Meeting adjourned at 2:35 p.m.