Meeting Minutes: March 3, 2025
From: Judie Gorra, Class Secretary
Location: via Zoom
President Elliot Gordon called the meeting to order at 7:06 pm EDT with a
quorum.
Attending:
| Name | Role |
| Barbara Attardi | Class Council |
| Nancy Taylor Butler | Affinity Chair |
| Alice Friedenson | Class Council |
| Elliot Gordon | President |
| Judie Pink Gorra | Secretary & JFK Award Committee |
| Ken Kupchak | Immediate Past President |
| Steve Lewenberg | Class Council |
| Linda Cohen Meltzer | VP, Membership and Treasurer |
| Stan Morgenstein | Class Council & JFK Award Committee |
| Michael Troner | Cornell Annual Fund Representative |
| Bruce Wagner | Website Community Manager |
| Lenore Weitzman | Class Council |
| Carolyn Stewart Whitman | Reunion Chair |
| Cynthia Wolloch | JFK Memorial Award Liaison |
| Lauren Coffey | Cornell Alumni Affairs Engagement Officer |
| Katie Dealy Polansky '00 | Chair, JFK Award Board |
Call to Order (Elliot)
Elliot welcomed everyone and emphasized the need “to do the greatest good”, including financial and volunteering.
JFK Memorial Award (Cindy and Katie)
Katie Dealy gave a report on the JFK Board and Award. She recognized Itai Dinour ’01 for his good work developing a survey of those who had applied. From the results it was seen that two finalist awards of $500 might encourage more students to apply. In addition, three essays were reduced to two, a full resume was required and an interview of finalists added. Twenty-six complete applications were received. Students and those who wrote recommendations were also asked to nominate students for the following year. We agreed with the JFK Board's decision to provide two finalists’ awards of $500 each.
Bylaws of the JFK Board specify the structure which includes a chair and a treasurer, the rules of recruitment, applications, and alumni outreach. The JFK Board plans to amend their bylaws so that no more than 10% of the funds will be spent on expenses, reserving the bulk of the funds for the awards.
The 2025 awardees will be notified on March 4. On April 8, Jared Genser ’95 will present the award at Cornell. A public announcement will be made spotlighting the importance of public service. Giving Day on March 13 will highlight the JFK Award. There will be a legacy fund and an update to the website so that the alumni of the Award can connect with each other, foster a real fundraising effort and publicize the importance of public service. The JFK Board would like to digitize the book of the history of the award. Also, it would like to organize symposiums to elevate the role of public service.
Cindy Wolloch recognized the good work that Katie Dealy has done for the Award. Ken Kupchak suggested that all Class Council members make a donation of $500.00. Ken also suggested that the 10% reserved for operating expenses be limited to current and future donations as previously it was expected that all the donations would go toward the award. He also suggested that class members would also be a good resource for outreach.
Bruce and Katie will discuss the coordination of the Class website and the Award website.
Linda would like to be able to communicate with the Award Board Treasurer. Cindy questioned whether the primary account would be separate from the operating expenses. Katie stated she did not feel that taking the 10% from the current donations would be sufficient to cover expenses. Mechanics will have to be worked out.
Linda questioned the amount of the award since our current annual Cornell endowment payout is around $27,000. She feels that a $20,000 award would be manageable. That will be discussed by the Award Board. Katie pointed out that the annual payout excess unspent amount rolls back into the Award fund.
Cindy said the Board is cautious about expenses. Katie emphasized that the objective is to make sure the bulk of the money goes to the awardees and to support their work in public service. Our class has created the legacy of 70 alumni receiving the award and they are coming together to take the torch and moving on. The Class Council is grateful for Katie and the Board’s work and Katie is grateful for what our class initiated.
Report on CALC (Elliot)
CALC -- the annual Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference -- was held in Philadelphia on February 20-22. Elliot attended CALC sessions on leadership. Interim University president Michael Kotlikoff [he’s no longer interim] was the keynote speaker. When questioned about his stance on the current situation re ICE detentions of CU students, he said he would obey the law but not give out any personal information. Cornell Tech and the Medical College are doing well.
[Several days after this meeting, classes were alerted about a “Do the Greatest Good” contest across classes. The class could be awarded $4,000 if enough classmates enter their information about how they do good in their community.]
Treasurer’s/Membership Report (Linda)
Linda sent the Treasurer’s Report to Class Council members and Class Officers before the meeting. She reported that dues numbers are down from last year. Our class is in seventh place for the number of dues payers. Dues solicitation will begin in late March.
Our annual class newsletter will be sent via postal mail at the end of April. All Council members and Officers should pay their dues. The fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30.
Nancy had questions about the Tradition Fellowship. Two awards of $4,000 are presented annually. The account is generating $10,000/year. Raising the amount of the award is not up to the class to decide. In the next five years Linda suggested we need to talk about what happens when our class is “put to bed.” The possibility that the remainder go to the JFK Award at the close of the 80th reunion was discussed. a decision will require further discussion.
The Gary Wood Scholarship is in perpetuity. This is an undergraduate scholarship for football players.
The email address for reporting news to Bev Lamont for the Class Column in Cornellians! is now jimlam1@comcast.net .
Annual Fund (Michael)
Michael reported that during calendar year 2024, the JFK Award raised $79,000 in donations. Before Giving Day on March 13, he and Phyllis Goldman will send an email message to classmates and past JFK Awardees to encourage donations to the JFK Award Fund. Michael encouraged Class Council members and Officers to make an award of minimum of $500.
Michael thanked Phyllis and Katie for their efforts on the JFK Award. He looks forward to working with Katie.
Website (Bruce)
Bruce reported that the website is current with classmates’ email addresses. He discussed adding more Cornell Daily Sun articles from the early 1960s; Class Historian Susie Labarthe will handle this. Bruce uses a commercial mass mailer, MailChimp, for emails to the class. MailChimp is free for us to use.
Affinity (Nancy)
Nancy reported on the use of Facebook. We now have 146 members, mostly classmates but also others with close connections to the class. She does not know how many classmates use it frequently but requested that Council members check it out. See and join our Facebook page here.
Reunion (Carolyn W.)
Carolyn reported on our most recent reunion, our 60th, which had a low-key program. Attendees were housed in two places, some in the Statler Hotel and some in a dorm on North Campus. Steve Lewenberg said that transportation from the dorm was an issue. Carolyn apologized and said there were a couple of vans available with clerk drivers. The custom jigsaw puzzle at the dorm created by Alice Friedenson was enjoyed by many attendees.
Carolyn is aiming for the same low-key atmosphere for the next reunion, our 65th, in 2029. All class attendees will be housed at the Statler Hotel, an easy walk from most campus event venues. There will be vans and drivers available at the Statler.
Other Business
Alice Friedenson asked whether the alumni trustee election results had been announced. They had not yet been announced. [Results were announced later and are posted here.]
Elliot thanked everyone for participating. The meeting was adjourned at 8:46 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Judie Gorra
Secretary,
Cornell Class of 1964
