Co-Presidents: Bill Higgins, 5360 Miami Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243
Steve Warhover, 33 William Fairfield Drive, Wenham, MA 01984
Vice-President & Webmaster: Chuck Sherman, 3100 Rittenhouse Street NW, Washington, DC 20015
Secretary: Larry Geiger, 93 Greenridge Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605
Treasurer: Jim Weiskopf, 13125 Willow Edge Court, Clifton, VA 20124
Head Agent: Bob Spence, 16 Surrey Road, New Canaan, CT 06840
Bequest Chairmen: Rich Daly, PO Box 39, West Boxford, MA 01885
Steve Lanfer, 178 Sea Meadows Lane, Yarmouth, ME 04096
Alan Rottenberg, 24 Gould Road, Waban, MA 02468
Mini-Reunion Chairman: Al Keiller, 85422 Dudley, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Newsletter Editor & Alumni Bob Serenbetz, PO Box 1127, Newtown, PA 18940
Council Rep: Phone: 215-598-0262 Fax: 215-598-0770
Email:BobSerenbetz@prodigy.net
Class Website: http://www.alum.dartmouth.org/classes/66

June-July, 2003


News from Classmates

From Tom Hoober comes word that “Jack Young, my roommate of four years and fellow Gamma Delt married Kathy Sullivan of Milwaukee, May 17th at American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin. Guests included Bob Young ’70. Got to tell a few funny stories, Dartmouth-style, which were heartily enjoyed by all in attendance, as Jack’s best man”. Tom resides in Lancaster, PA and can be reached at 717-397-3266.

Chris Sanger writes “Carolyn and I will be adopting a bi-coastal (sort-of) life-style at the end of June. We are moving to Tucson, Arizona, but both of us will be commuting back to Maryland frequently to attend to my business interests (real estate) and hers (organizing services). For fun, I have rediscovered golf (after a forty year hiatus from the game) and do a bit of mountain climbing and hiking. I also spend as much time as I can on the ‘Blue Moon’, my sixty-five foot houseboat located on Lake Powell in northern Arizona near the Grand Canyon. I am convinced that God lives there!” Tucson seems to be a happening place for ‘66ers, as Jack Stebe has also moved there (see later). Chris can be reached at chris_sanger@transwestern.net.

News from Walt Harrison of a Class of 1966 mini-reunion not organized by our crack mini-reunion chairman Al Keiller: “Larry and Sharon Goss, Bob and Jan Baldwin, Bill and Paula Roberts, and Walter and Jackie Harrison all got together recently in Portland, Maine for a very enjoyable day. Larry is a professor at Salem State College in Massachusetts, Bob is an accountant in Maine, Bill is a retired computer programmer in Massachusetts, and Walter is a pediatrician in Lynn, Mass.” For those wanting news of Walt’s next mini-reunion, you can email him at harrison@massmed.org.

Bill Koelsch writes, “Retired, but enjoying substitute teaching at local Pasadena and La Canada high schools. Helping with Dartmouth interviews December through February. Spent a few weeks visiting friends in Rio de Janeiro in November; Salsa cruise to Puerto Vallarta in January; visit to wife Amanda’s classmate, Ambassador to Costa Rica in February, planned visit with friends in Paris and Corsica in June; month at the beach in Oceanside, CA in July with sons Marcelo and Fabio planning to visit on weekends. Feeling very glum about our new foreign policy that seems to think everyone who disagrees with us is a pariah.” I wonder when Bill finds time for his substitute teaching!! Those wishing to find out, or in need of an experienced travel agent, can write Bill at koelsch@earthlink.net.

Apropos of Bill’s comments, “I keep reading the news about classmates retiring,” writes Mike McConnell, “and here I am just starting the job I’ve always wanted!! This summer I’ve been asked to become Director of Research for CSFB Hoyt, a group I joined just six years ago via a joint venture with my old firm. Also moving is our daughter Emily ’97, who’ll be entering the very selective (only two acceptances each year) MFA program at Northwestern.” Mike’s email is mjmpers@aol.com.

Further to Roger Brett’s comments about his new job at the Chabot Space and Science Center, “We are located at the top of the hills in Oakland, CA and are just now opening a 36” research grade reflecting telescope that will be the largest telescope open to the public in the entire country. This addition will make three large telescopes that are open for public viewing every Friday and Saturday evening, year-round, weather permitting. Whether you are interested in astronomy or not, it is exciting to see distant planets, stars, and galaxies and get a sense of the enormous distances and timeframes that they represent in the universe.” If you have an interest in astronomy far greater than my own (an interest which started and ended with passing Stars I to meet my degree science requirement!), you can get hold of Roger at roger@casabrett.com.

From South Miami, Florida’s Bill Wilson, “Still playing around with oriental languages – mostly different forms of Japanese and classical Chinese. Finished up two books this month. It would be nice if this gig paid the rent! Travel once a year to hike the backwoods of Japan (yes, there are still backwoods there) with my wife, Emily. Traveled there some last year with Chris Knight ’65 and his wife, Cathy. Expecting my third child in late October, my wife’s first.” For those with advice on newborns at age 55+ (e.g. Jeff Futter), you can call Bill at 305-665-0856.

My “new” Bucks County, PA neighbor, Steve Sloca, writes, “It’s been a while since I have checked in with the ’66 class editors. Indeed, the last time I wrote, I probably did not know how to turn on a computer, much less had and concept of email. But times change, no more so than in my life over the last five years. After my divorce in 1999, I retired from the practice of law after thirty years as a trial lawyer, most of it as a partner in the LA law firm of Irell & Manella. While I had enjoyed my career and had many successes both in court and out of it, the practice had changed rather dramatically since I began my career in 1970. Salaries for judges fell well behind those available in private practice, with the result that the quality of judges declined dramatically (at least in LA, but I suspect in other parts of the country as well). At the same time, the profession became dominated by lawyers whose only loyalty is to the Almighty Buck, and whose ethics are “whatever wins”.


The inability of inferior, overworked judges to rein in unethical conduct or to distinguish between a reasoned argument and hysteric hyperbole not only took the satisfaction out of litigating for a client, it made it impossible to achieve any predictable result. When I found myself having to tell clients, ‘yes you have a great case on the law and the facts, but given the stupidity of the judge and the cupidity of the lawyers on the other side, I can’t give you more than a 50-50 chance of winning,’ I decided I had had enough. So, having saved enough that I didn’t have to work any more---even after splitting those savings with my ex—I opted for early retirement at age 55.

In the same year (2000), I watched my youngest son, Andy, graduate from Wheaton College and ultimately settle down in the Boston area with his long-time girlfriend Christy, a fellow Wheaton graduate. My older son, Lee, an ’88 UC Santa Cruz graduate, was (and still is) totally absorbed in becoming a poet and children’s book illustrator in LA. So, when my parents decided to move back East, I decided a change in scenery was appropriate to go with the change in life-style, and in October, 2002, I traded the traffic and smog of LA for bucolic Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I now live in Washington Crossing, a tiny burg made famous as the site from which General Washington launched his crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day, 1776, to attack (with great success) the British in Trenton. The town holds a reenactment each Christmas; and the “big excitement” of the season is who gets to play George and lead the troops across the ice-choked river in a rickety rowboat. I’m not volunteering!! While I had a bit of a bother relearning to use a snow shovel during our 3-foot high snowfalls this winter, I am really enjoying the tree-shaded streams, country roads (without a hint of traffic) and pastoral scenery of Bucks County; and my pool and central air take care of the summer’s heat. Ironically, for the 33 years that I lived in LA, I never had a pool and had to move to PA to get one!!

Bucks County is pretty centrally located. I’m only 25 minutes from downtown Philadelphia and 11/2 hours from New York City, and only 5 miles from I-95 that connects them. So any ‘66ers who are headed either way should feel free to drop in at 12 West Averstone Drive, Washington Crossing, PA 18977 (215-321-0680). I’ve got plenty of guest room, good local ale on tap, and the largest collection of Playboy magazines and memorabilia outside of the Playboy Mansion.”

Which brings up the question, “What are you doing now that you have dropped out of the rat race?” I will leave Steve’s fascinating answer to this question for the August issue of “Along Route ‘66”.


Dartmouth Fund

As the Fund just ended June 30, final results are not yet available, but will be reported in the August issue of “Along Route ‘66”.


College News

I have some sad news to report. It seems that the days of seeing Chuck Sherman and Steve Posniak wearing those ridiculous moose hats are not numbered. A May Student Poll of potential mascots indicated that 28% of the student body favored the moose as the new Dartmouth mascot, over such other alternatives as Mountaineers, Dragons (I’m curious why not Sphinxes), Timberwolves, Eagles, Bears (stupid---we already have Bruins in the Ivy League), and Pine Trees.

For those “traditionalists” (the non-politically correct) amongst us, you will be happy to know that 19% of students wrote in “Dartmouth Indian”, which finished in second place. How-who-wah about that!!!



Dartmouth Alumni Council

In a more serious vein, the meeting of the 186th Dartmouth Alumni Council was held from May 15-17; it was the final meeting chaired by Noel Fidel. The minutes follow:

Summary

The 186th meeting of the Dartmouth College Alumni Council focused primarily on issues of alumni governance and the difficult budgetary outlook faced by the College. A number of amendments to the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Governance were presented, particularly in the areas of trustee elections and membership in the Council by “associated” alumni (Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association, Black Alumni Association, etc.). President Wright, Trustees Peter Fahey and Nancy Kepes Jeton, and a panel of senior College administrators led budgetary discussions. Besides myself, representatives attending from the classes of 1965 and 1966 included Noel Fidel and Chuck Sherman. Former councilor Bob Lake attended, as well.

Governance and Trustee Elections

Considerable discussion ensued on whether the Council should nominate two or three alumni for the position of Alumni Trustee, to be voted on by the entire alumni body. The Joint Committee had suggested that the Nominating Committee have the option of choosing two or three; the amendment endorsed by the Council’s Executive called for just two, on the basis that “losers” get disenchanted, two losers is worse than one, and we may be using up too many good candidates too fast. I was in the minority voting against the amendment, as I felt giving the alumni body greater choice is more important than some hurt feelings on the part of losers and that defeated candidates can run again if they are re-nominated and so desire.

The other key amendment, which I voted in favor of, changed the number of representatives from “associated” alumni groups from “up to” seven to “up to” ten, with at least one representative from each of the Black Alumni, Asian Pacific Alumni, Gay and Lesbian Alumni and Native American Alumni. The number of councilors elected at large by the entire alumni body was reduced to eighteen from twenty-one.

Faculty Presentation

Carol Folt, Dean of Graduate Studies and Other Faculty, led a discussion of the extent of interdisciplinary work among different College faculties, including the graduate schools. All participating faculty members lauded Dartmouth on the lack of barriers to this type of teaching compared to other universities.

Investments and Budgeting at the College

Peter Fahey and Julie Dolan, Associate Vice-President for Fiscal Affairs, reviewed the College’s budgeting problems, a problem exacerbated by the Trustee’s decision in the mid-1990’s to take a 5% distribution from the endowment and to increase that amount each year by 5%. As a result of the three-year decline in market values, this formula would have resulted in a 6-7% distribution from the endowment for the next fiscal year. The Trustees have therefore cut back the distribution, which has led to an income shortfall. The overall goal of the College is to maintain “need blind” admissions (in line with the rest of the Ivy League) and a competitive faculty salary structure, so cutbacks are being sought in all other expense areas.

It was interesting to learn the College’s assumptions on investment returns and its model portfolio. Against a 3% rate of inflation, the College anticipates 2-3% return on fixed income investments and 7-8% returns on equities. Domestic equities represent 23% of assets, international equities 12%, a mix of hedge funds, arbitrage funds, and distressed securities 20%, private equity 18%, real property (real estate and commodities) 12%, and fixed income 15%.

Trustee Nancy Kepes Jeton ’76 reiterated the Board’s concern with ensuring the College can attract and retain top scholar/teachers and the need to improve admissions recruiting, particularly students of color. It was noted that applications for Dartmouth’s Class of 2008 were up 16%, highest in the Ivy League and 8 percentage points better than second-place Yale. She noted that outside funding of programs at Dartmouth has become an important revenue source, increasing from $80 million to $160 million over the last five years.

Key capital investment needs include a new Math building, a new Humanities building, renovations to the Hopkins Center, new dorms and dining facilities, and a new Life Science facility.

Student Presentations

Students are obviously concerned about budget cutbacks and seem to be particularly worried over library staff consolidations.

The New Campaign for Dartmouth

Since July 2002, the College has raised $225 million towards the Capital Campaign goal of $1.3 billion ($967 Million for the College and $333 million for the professional schools). The “quiet” phase will end in either the fall of 2004 or the spring of 2005, when the “public” phase begins.

Administration Dialogue

President Wright led a panel of senior administrators, including Stan Colla ’66 who served as moderator, responding to questions from councilors. Among other points, there is an effort underway to improve coordination between the Admissions Office and the Athletic Department and to maintain the strong balance between teaching and research within the context that more students want to participate in professorial research.

The President’s comments to the Alumni Council, noting accomplishments and continuing challenges, goals and priorities, are well worth reading at http:// www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2003/may/
051603.html.


Mini-Reunion Activities

The planning for the 60th Birthday party is in full gear! Please read the following letter from Al Keiller and be sure to send in your preferences and attendance plans via the attached questionnaire:

Dear Classmate,

We have been developing plans to celebrate our mutual and collective 60th birthdays during 2004, much like we celebrated our 50th in Washington DC in 1994 and our 55th in Charleston in 1999. We have decided to plan a gathering in San Francisco in the hope of attracting West Coast/Bay Area classmates, as well as classmates from other regions who might want to visit San Francisco for the first time, or would like to return to this beautiful, lively city by the Bay.

To help us in our planning, Walt Knoepfel has taken on the challenge of chair for this mini reunion, ably assisted by Allan Anderson, Roger Brett, Bob Serenbetz and Ken Zuhr (we welcome other volunteers).

We now need your input. We will outline our preliminary plans (which remain flexible) and then will ask you to respond to a few questions so that we can adjust the plan to achieve our goal of maximum participation in the context of a quality, affordable weekend. Here’s what we have in mind:

  1. Timing: The weekend of Friday, April 30-Sunday May 2, 2004 OR the weekend of Friday, May 7-Sunday May 9, which is Mother’s Day Weekend.
  2. Headquarters: A hotel in the Union Square area of San Francisco. We aim to secure a block of rooms at a rate of no more than $175 per night. We will also explore other hotels in the area and suggest alternatives at other price/quality points in addition to the hotel selected as our headquarters. We plan to maintain a hospitality suite for registration, meeting, and refreshments.
  3. Preliminary agenda:
    1. Friday noon to 5 PM -- registration at hospitality suite
    2. Friday 3-5 PM -- docent guided tour of the new Asian Art Museum (recently opened to rave reviews)
    3. Friday 6-7:30 PM -- Cocktail reception at Headquarters Hotel
    4. Friday 7:30 PM -- Dinner at local restaurants. Our plan is to provide a list of 6 or 7 restaurants prior to the weekend which exemplify San Francisco most interesting locales, and make group reservations in advance, or you can do your own research and make your own reservations.
    5. Saturday morning -- breakfast on your own. Coffee in hospitality suite.
    6. Saturday 8:30 AM to approx. 4 PM -- Bus trip to Napa Valley for visits to three wineries for tours and wine tasting as well as a picnic lunch at V. Sattui vineyard.
    7. Saturday 6:30 PM -- Cash bar/cocktail reception and dinner at a North Beach area restaurant (ultimate location dependent on the size of our group).
    8. Saturday 10 PM -- Optional stage show—Beach Blanket Babylon (a long-running, fun revue within walking distance of North Beach restaurants). Tickets for this popular show are approximately $50 per person.
    9. Sunday 10 AM --Sunday brunch and farewell gathering. We are exploring the Bank of America tower as it has a spectacular view of the City and Bay. This would be optional as we recognize that those flying to the East Coast on Sunday may have morning flights out.
  4. Other options
    1. Pre and post weekend options: the committee would provide information for classmates or groups of classmates to use in self-organizing activities such as golf resorts/courses, more extensive Napa tours/train excursion, East Bay tours and museums, baseball games, etc.
    2. For those not wishing to take the Napa Valley bus tour on Saturday, information about museums and City tours would be made available in the hospitality suite.
  5. Cost estimates: The cost for individual events cannot be refined until we have an idea of number of participants and the responses to the questions below. However, we have discussed estimated costs/targets which we share with you below so that you can react to them as you answer our questions.
    1. Hospitality suite costs, including beverages and snacks, and other general expenses--$35 per person
    2. Saturday excursion, including bus, 3 winery tours--$45 per person (lunch will be ordered and paid for individually at the V. Sattui extensive deli).
    3. Saturday reception and dinner, excluding alcoholic beverages, but including taxes and tip--$60 per person
    4. Sunday brunch--$35 per person


Based on the above preliminary information, we’ve already received comments from classmates. Jack Stebe writes, “ We have moved to Tucson and hope to be fully retired by the benchmark 60th (for me, March 25th next year). I can’t define “fully retired” yet, but we are working on it. We will probably come via RV and stay in the SF area with Nancy. We wanted to visit the wine country anyhow, so this is something we want to do!”

John Hughes says, “Nancy and I will definitely be in SF next May; going to Alumni College this August for the Arctic program.”

“My wife and I are definitely interested in attending, “ emails Jeff Futter. “We might even bring along our almost-five year old, but classmates will I’m sure be glad to hear that we’ll leave behind our 21-month old twins!! Also, we will probably stay 1-2 days extra on the front or back-ends of the trip.”

“Great of you to volunteer for this gargantuan task”, writes Halsey Bullen to Walt Knoepfel. “Foolish, perhaps, but great!!”

And finally from Bill Dowling: “We will be out of the country on those dates, but good for the committee. It sounds like great fun (except for the “60th Birthday” part; I personally don’t know anyone that old!).



--------------------------------(Cut here and send in)----------------------------------------

Now we need your input. Please respond to Walt Knoepfel: e-mail address waltknoepfel@hotmail.com or regular mail 1723 Sanchez St., San Francisco, CA 94131. Phone number 415-821-3598. Please respond by August 15 so that we can refine our planning, finalize our agenda, and lock in locations and estimated costs. This will allow us to prepare a final registration form that can go out to you early this fall.

  1. First, what is your reaction to the San Francisco location: Positive_____, Indifferent_____, Negative____? Comments:___________________________________
  2. How about the timing? Would you prefer April 30-May 2____, or May 7-May 9 (which happens to be Mothers’ Day) ____?
  3. Is a hotel cost of approximately $175 per night acceptable: Yes____, No____? Comments:___________________________________________________________
  4. Are you interested in the Friday afternoon Asian Art Museum: Yes____, No____?
  5. Are you interested in the bus tour of Napa Valley wineries (at a cost of approximately $60 per person, including lunch): Yes____, No____? Would you prefer to have picnic lunches prepared and available to you ____ or would you prefer to make your own selection and order your lunch (controlling content and cost) at V. Sattui ____.
  6. Is a group reception and dinner at a cost of approximately $60 (excluding alcoholic beverages) at a North Beach restaurant of interest to you: Yes____, No____? Comments______________________________________________________________
  7. Are you interested in the 10 PM Beach Blanket Babylon show at approximately $50 per ticket: Yes____, No____?
  8. Are you interested in a pre or post weekend activity with classmates: Yes____, No____? If so, what are you interested in:_____________________________________________
  9. Given the information above, please give us your preliminary indication of your

participation (please indicate number of folks in your party): Definitely will plan on attending____, sounds interesting but cannot commit this far in advance____, sounds interesting but would like to see final agenda and cost estimates before committing_____, not interesting due to location____(other preference________________), sounds interesting but date is a problem -- better date/timing_____________________________.

 

Name (optional)____________________________E mail (optional)_______________________