Class Council Meeting, May 14, 2019

Present in the room for the 12:00PM meeting: Richard Davis, Alex Garvin, David Honneus, Mike Kane, Dan Koenigsburg (Treasurer), Louis Mackall (YAA delegate), Bob Oliver, Larry Prince, Dick Riseling (Communications Team member), John Stewart (Secretary), Steve Susman, Gerry Swirsky, Bill Weeden.

Present on the phone: Steve Buck (Communications Team member), Al Chambers, John Chapman, David Finkle, Dave Hummel, Lance Leibman, David Scharff, Jim Wexler, Ellis Wisner, Roman Weill, Murray Wheeler, Jean McKillop (Webmaster).

Treasurer’s Report – Dan

• Beginning Balance: $49,392.30
• Ending Balance: $67,988.06
• This does not include the results of the most recent appeal.

YAA November Meeting – Louis and John

• Louis urged classmates to visit Yale to see the changes underway, especially the Beineke plaza, currently torn up for a major redesign of Freshman Commons into a meeting, eating and performance space, under the direction of the previous Kennedy Center director
• John mentioned the name change from AYA to YAA. The intent of this change is to acknowledge that Yale grads are automatically members, and not something to join. Look at the YAA web page.
• A brief discussion about the nature of current undergrads. Alex said that despite the increase in the students’ variety of ethnicity and nationality (and the presence of women), he finds his students much the same as in our day. John said that there have always been a fringe of activist rebellious students nationwide, not just at Yale, but he’s also seen this through his contacts with singing groups (Glee Club, Russian Chorus, Spizzwinks and Whiffs). While admittedly a subjective sample, his experience shows that the majority of students are very bright, ambitious and plausible.

Website Rebirth – Dick and Steve

• Dick said the first new issue will be published on or near June 17, although death notices and subsequent full obituaries are posted as soon as they are submitted. There will be an updated look.
• Steve noted that it has taken a team of three to take over for the great Chris Cory, and a round of applause was offered Chris for his energetic and experienced leadership.
• There will be a Mail Chimp e-mailing effort going not just to the approximately 579 classmates with email addresses, but also, via postcard, to the approximately 200 without, alerting them to the rebirth and asking for submissions and ideas about content for both the website and the Yale Alumni Magazine column. A test email has been sent to the Council.

Mini Reunions/Class Dinners

A quite fruitful discussion occurred.

• There has been some talk about a mini reunion in Washington DC. The 2005 event was very successful. David Scharff and his wife, who ran that one are available to advise, but someone else still is needed to take charge. And the Hong Kong reunion, though small, was also successful.
• Al Chambers pointed out that attendance at mini-reunions fosters greater participation in the big milestone reunions. He mentioned that almost all of the Hong Kong mini attendees subsequently attended the 45th Reunion, and sat together at the first evening dinner. He further posited that we probably have a time deadline of the next two years, in order not to diminish attendance at our 60th in 2022.
• Roman Weil suggested that a survey be sent to the entire class. He thought that rather than proposing a place, ask classmates who might like to sponsor a reunion and where. That or those classmates could send a survey to the entire class asking who would attend, given the time, the place and the cost. Then that sponsor could decide to go ahead, if a critical mass, in his judgment, was interested.
• Minis have mostly been arranged on the coasts. There’s a great fallow area in between.
• In the coming months, Kirk MacDonald has offered to arrange a class dinner in New York City.

Obits – Bob O.
• Currently we have 778 living members. 227 full obits are on the class website and about ten are currently in the works.
• David Honneus mentioned that our class is far ahead of the curve. Average life expectancy is 79, which means statistically that half of us should be gone, but better than ¾ of us are extant. Congratulations!

Thank you all for attending. A good turnout and for me a very positive energy at the meeting.

Cordially,

John Stewart (Secretary)