Minutes
Class of 1961 Meeting
Friday, February 9, 2019

 

Location:                       Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference

                                            Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, MA

 

 

Class Members in Attendance:

 

Dick Tatlow, Marshall Frank, Rosanna (Romanelli) Frank.

Via Conference Call: Pauline Degenfelder, Carol Franklin, Larry Wheeler, and Doug Fuss,

 

President, Dick Tatlow, called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM.

 

Financial Reports:

 

Walt Cottrell sent in the year ending Class Account Figures:

 

1. Class Account Balance 12-31-2017           $39,171

    Class Account Balance 12-31-2018            $43,743

 

2. Class Long Term Investment Account

 

                             Balance 12-31-2017                $75,197

                             Balance 12-31-2018                $78,593

 

              These funds were started with $35,000 deposited over three years 2002, 2004, and 2007. For the year 2018 this account increased in value 4.5% while spinning off $2,941 to help with our class expenses.

 

 

3. Two Class of 1961 Scholarships:

 

              Class of 1961 Scholarship @ 12-31-18                                     $188,903

              Michael Schwerner Memorial Scholarship @ 12-31-18              $148,107

 

Note: These figures are rounded. The first paid out $8,451 that goes to classmate’s children, grandchildren, and then, if not assigned, to general need based individuals. The second paid out $6,603 that goes to general need based individuals interested in civil rights. The payout figures are for the fiscal year 2019 ending on June 30.

 

Total lifetime giving for our class through June 30, 2018 is $214,716,959.

 

 

 

 

Financial discussions and comments

 

1. It was noted that the Cornell Fund performances of the two scholarships over the same period to March 31, 2017 were different. The main scholarship increased 10.8% while the MSMS fund increased 18.1%.

 

I am leaving last year’s remarks on this subject because we have the same disparity for performances between March 2017 and the end of 2018. The main scholarship increased 3.2% while the MSMS increased 6.6%. Walt Cottrell provided the answer. MSMS receives more new funding each year. For the year ended 6/30/18, the 1961 scholarship received $2,200 in new funds, and MSMS received $6,000 new funding.

 

2. The class received $2,941.2 from LTIP fund for fiscal year ended 6/30/18. That is a return of 3.9%, quite respectable.  We have been advised that removing funds from our investment account was not possible unless all was removed at the same time. Why? The answer on our LTIP continue to remain outstanding.

 

 

 

The Reunion Committee

 

Pauline Degenfelder, along with Co-Chair Carol Franklin led the discussion on the planning for our 60th.

 

Pauline provided a recent (2/5/19) program events timeline outlining the specific responsibilities of the reunion committee members. Pauline included the impressive bios of Don Greenberg and Charles Hecht as potential speakers. Kate Freyer  (our main contact in Alumni Affairs), attended our sparse meeting for about 20 minutes. She is forever helpful. Notes and discussions one various topics were as follows:

 

1. We will follow the planning and experience of each 60th reunioning class for ideas and adjustments to our planning. The current class is 1959. The class of ’59 had only one classmate at CALC and he was the husband of the chair of the 1960 class. The class of ’60 had five folks at CALC.

 

2. Housing for our classmates will be a dorm (Mews Hall), Statler, and local hotels. For the class of 1958 last year 60% stayed in the dorm. They had 159 people returning of which 105 were classmates. About two thirds arrived on Thursday. 

 

This class (1958) picked up Statler rooms as follows: Wednesday 4, Thursday 25, Friday 28, and Saturday 28. The normal allocation for the 60th reunion class at the Statler is 51 rooms total. This class clearly was granted additional rooms. The standard room charge was $265 per night.

 

 

3. The theme for the 60th is Great Journeys and Jon Greenleaf has worked out our logo using our historical one. Pauline showed us the result – great job.

 

4. It was determined that Thursday night’s dinner will be a buffet at headquarters. The headquarters will have a tent and can be secured for inclement weather.

 

5. Thursday evening there is a possibility to get a senior official to give a brief talk on such topic as sports, ROTC, and current challenges of the university in contrast to our time there. Kate suggested Ryan Lombardi, the Vice President of Student and Campus Life.

 

6. Friday’s lunch could be at the Plantation or on their own. Friday dinner would be our big sit-down meal perhaps at the Meinig building.

 

7. Friday’s class of 1961 form envisions a talk by Don Greenberg in the Statler Auditorium and open to all classes. We would have to get the University involved as it would be a major part of their schedule.

 

8. Friday’s “Afterglow” might be a time for Charlie Hecht and/or Larry Wheeler to speak about their major successes beyond their regular career. This certainly would fit our theme of “Great Journeys”.

 

9. Saturday’s dinner would need to be near Bailey Hall because of “Cornellia Night” which starts at 9:30 pm.

 

10. Other subjects talked about during this Reunion planning session as follows:

 

              a. Instead of the old affinity groups, Rosanna suggested emails be sent to friends encouraging attendance nine months before reunion.

              b. Carol suggested that a souvenir might be a throw blanket - great idea.

              c. Entertainment needs to be refreshed with new groups dropping the Waiters and The Sherwoods. Carmine Liotta will take on this task.

              d. Pat Tatlow will look into developing a background slide show with 50’s and 60’s music. High quality photos are solicited. In addition a quality electronic system needs to be in place.

 

11. We still have another year plus before the Alumni Affairs support group focuses on our class. In July 2020 Lauren Coffee will become involved in our planning. Kate Freyer will continue to support our class in conjunction with Lauren. Transportation, housing, and the like will get defined. There will be a two-day session on campus for our Co-Chairs and others as then defined to attend sessions on reunion at the end of September or early October 2020.

 

 

Other Topics of Discussion

 

1. Just for information, Kate did send out notification about CALC, the class meeting, and dinner to all local 1961er. There was no interest or response.

 

2. Marshall Frank was commended for organizing and leading a tour of Cornell Tech and a lunch for the class of 1961 last spring. There were 33 classmates enjoying this outing.

 

3. The CALC sessions held in early February in a northeastern city has not been conducive to travel or attracting local 1961ers. I have suggested we seek a warmer location for our class meeting and dinner that is the essence of our attendance. My eye was on a Florida location, say in March, where several of our active classmates live or winter. We might attract quite a few attendees generating energy for our coming reunion. The downside is the organization of such a gathering whereas Cornell does all the work and planning at CALC. Kate our AA Engagement Officer saw no problem with such a move.  I am floating this idea to get your feed back.

 

All in all, we had quite a lively discussion with those present in person and by phone.

 

Thanks to everyone.

 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted

 

Richard H. Tatlow IV, President