Download ANTIOCH ALUMNI BOARD MINUTES MARCH 6 AND 7, 2015

ANTIOCH ALUMNI BOARD MINUTES MARCH 6 AND 7, 2015
NB: Snow on the east coast and resulting plane cancellations resulted in having 13 AB
members being present in Yellow Springs, and 4 others present by conference call,
including the undersigned secretary. These minutes have been cobbled together from
notes taken by Deborah Warfield (in YSO) and Megan Rosenfeld (on the phone). There
was also confusion about the times that the conference call would be starting, so the
sequence of events as listed here may not be accurate.
Present: Ellison, Feldman, Hallam, Klass, May, Mayer, Mink, Ordman, Pearl, Reynolds,
Mark;; Spalt, Treichler, Paula; Vincent, Warfield.
By Phone Esbin, Evans, Mulhauser, Rosenfeld
Expected absence: Hobart, Guyer, Chestnut, Wood.
Absent: Buckingham
Overview: The Board approved recommendations from the Reunion Committee for
Alumni Awards to be given in 2016; discussed nominations for AB officers; accepted the
report from the development committee recommending a targeted AB gift; 50th Reunion
model should pass on to subsequent classes and include a member of the AB. Mission of
the Communications Committee should be revisited. Nominating Committee to conduct
exit interviews of departing Board members and improve orientation for new ones.
Friday, March 6:
Report from Mark Roosevelt: (excerpts)
Raising $8 million in the next few months is crucial. The Wellness Center has been a big
success – they expected about 900 people to sign up from the Village but got 2100. The
operation should be in the black in a year.
The Antioch College Village (ACV) concept is progressing; the charrette held Thursday
night to solicit YSO input was well-attended. This is an important part of future finances
because revenue from tuition is going slowly down as a proportion of income, as other
colleges have found. Twenty liberal arts colleges are closing. We have the advantages of
owning the land on which to build the AV, and it will not be just for retired people but
also have apartments for faculty and families. YSO is very invested in our success and
we’ll need zoning variances. Three to four hundred housing units are envisioned. A great
deal of background info and community feedback has already been circulated through the
YS News, The Record, meetings, and consultant.
We need to scale back enrollment goals to 600 students instead of 1,000 because of
scale. We have to be different than average liberal arts school. We are attracting first
generation and low income students but we can’t afford to take in too many more. Next
year students can apply for Pell grants. Need more full-tuition students, who are being
wooed by every other school as well. We have 300 applicants and 62 are first generation
or want to be environmental science majors.
The cost of rehabbing each building was underestimated by a 4:1 ratio. Each building is
a “work of art” as it is brought back; buildings should not be sloppy and dirty nor
luxurious but clean and efficient.
In retrospect, his first year was horrible, like “a daily barium enema.” It’s getting better.
One difficulty is that of the 14,000 people listed as alums only 8100 actually graduated.
Previous data was incorrect because of loose definition of an alum.
There is a possible partnership with Sinclair Community College once we have
accreditation. Two years there, two years here. Also cultivating relationship with
Dayton, which has become a strong immigrant community.
He got a grant for a systemic support for first generation students but needs a bigger one.
We have 8300 people who have given to the college since 2009, great participation, but
that doesn’t translate into sustainability.
Morning Session:
The Minutes from June 2011 were approved.
Report from Amanda: She has a new assistant, Jonina Kelly, who was introduced. She
will help work on Chapters.
The Million Dollar March (Match?) is going on now and they are aiming to raise $13,000
a day. $385,000 was raised last year.
There are 123 people registered for reunion which is better than last year at this time.
Donovan Bruenig is the new Assistant Vice-President of Advancement.
Communications, Alumni Relations, Advancement and Accreditation are all on the same
floor. Wendy Ernst is now the Principal Gift Officer.
Nicole Wroten Craw (Associate Director and acting Director of Communications)
resigned and has accepted a position at Wright State University. Kateri Kosta has been
promoted to Assistant Director of Communications from her previous post as Marketing
& Communications Coordinator. The Associate and Director of Communications
positions are currently in an open search.
Without a Director of Communications it has been hard to coordinate press releases and
other information.
Commencement: Amanda would like to know of anyone who should be invited as a
special guest. There will be 22 graduates out of the original 35. Hope to include all their
names in some way.
Break for Lunch with Board of Trustees.
Afternoon Session:
Discussion of the upcoming Reunion began with a closed session in which the nominees
for Alumni awards were discussed and voted upon.
Paula reported that everything was on track for the commencementent/reunion. John
Lewis will speak at the Commencement Saturday morning; Mia MacKenzie will speak
Friday night. A more detailed schedule is available.
Amanda suggested the AB might want to buy copies of her book as a gift to the
graduates; Megan asked to know which book. Paula said she would make a
recommendation.
The tent is already at capacity with 360 seats and once Faculty are included there will be
no room for alums. Outside seating with a video stream is being looked at; if there is bad
weather events will move inside.
Development Committee:
The goal to increase Board pledges by 10% has been met – but just 98% of the board has
pledged so far this year. Two people have not.
The committee is working with the development office on a proposal to have Board
money directed to a specific project for which we would be recognized.
Phoning lists will be targeted on thank-yous to long-lapsed donors and for reunion
housing.
The AB members from the Class of ’65 have been asked to record what they have done
so that the template can be passed on to subsequent 50th Reunions. Should every class
have a class rep? General agreement that 50th reunions should be anticipated with
appointment or election of Board member or two from that year.
Discussion of presenting a gift to Mark Roosevelt from the Board at the Saturday night
dinner. Barbara will be the presenter. Undecided on the gift.
Discussion of whether a portion of the Board’s collective donations should go toward the
endowment.
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
Mark Reynolds is at the Board retreat; Jim Hobart at Selma reunion, Barbara snowbound,
so Paula is chairing the meeting.
General agreement the event held at the Arthur Morgan House hosted by Stacey Wirrig
with students and local alums was excellent.
There was discussion about the Communications Committee decision to dissolve and
distribute its members among other committees.
Minutes from October 2014 were approved with one correction.
Report from the Nominating Committee:
Discussion of Board officers was held in Executive Session due to need to talk about
specific people.
The Nominating Committee has also discussed plans to improve Orientation for new
Board members and to conduct exit interviews for those who are going off the Board.
Consensus that these are excellent ideas.
Final points about the Class of ’65 Reunion:
They are producing a book of stories from Alums. Karen has received 100 stories from
the roughly 350 members of the class; 10 are in memoriam. A member of the class of
2015 (Elijah Blanton) has volunteered to do the formatting. Karen will chose a couple to
send to rest of the Board,
Will send a list and a couple of stories.
Tanya reports that the class has raised approximately $135,000, with some larger gifts on
the horizon. Thirty-five per cent of the Class of ’65 has contributed, compared to the
18% average for all alumni.
Tanya recommends the planning for Board members from 50th Anniversary classes be
rounded up 3 years ahead of the anniversary year.
There was a motion to adjourn at 4:44 p.m.
Megan Rosenfeld
Secretary.