Spring Check In from Membership Chair Bill Walker

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First, thank you to those who completed the mini survey mentioned in my March message. The information that you provided gives us additional insight into the types of class activities that you would like our class to sponsor or conduct.

So, Spring has sprung, now what?? Are you planning (more) vacations, registering for courses at CAU, making plans to meet up with friends and former classmates, or something else? Whatever it is, be sure to relax and have some fun!!

With the myriad of communications that you receive from Cornell, you may wonder which are from your [Notable] Class and which are from other areas of the University. You can always identify our Class of 1974 communications – both electronic and printed – by the unique class logo at the top. So, if you see the logo, read away! The exception is those who have opted for email messages to be sent in plain text format which, by definition, contains no photos, logos or other graphics.

Regarding communications sent from various areas of the University, as far as I can determine, there is currently no university-wide communication schedule or coordination. Our class, however, has developed a preliminary communication schedule for the purpose of coordinating the distribution of all of the messages (printed and electronic) that come to you from our class. We are working toward a more comprehensive schedule that will avoid overloading your inbox with messages from us at any given time – unless, of course you don’t read your email on a regular basis!

I made reference to issues with the renewal and auto-renewal processes in my March message. As a result of my discussions with Alumni Affairs and Development on that topic, the process to address questions and resolve issues has been simplified. All questions pertaining to renewal or auto-renewal, such as your status (e.g., Is it active?) or related problems, should be directed to Kate Freyer via e-mail (kate.freyer@cornell.edu). Questions regarding class membership plans or strategy should continue to come to me.

A list of class members who are ahead of the game by already renewing their 2025-26 class dues can be found here. This list is current as of 4/30/25. If you have subscribed to the auto-renewal process, your name is not yet on this list as this process does not charge your credit card until after the new fiscal year begins on July 1. A few weeks ago, you should have received my April membership letter via postal mail. If you do not wish to use the online process to renew, you may mail in the dues card that was included with the April letter.

End of Semester Update, Hawk Babies, May 13 Wine Webinar Reminder

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This week marks the end of Spring semester classes.  The Ithaca campus definitely has an end-of-year vibe!  Notable happenings:

  • The number one-ranked men’s lacrosse team in the country: our Big Red (of course!) which beat Princeton on Sunday, in a hard-fought, back-and-forth game, to win the Ivy Tournament Championship and begin its march to the national championship.
  • The hatching of Big Red’s and Arthur’s 2025 brood of red-tailed hawk eyases (look it up!)
  • The news-but-no-clarity on the US government’s threat to pull back $1 billion in research funding from Cornell. President Kotlikoff held a recent town hall to share his thoughts about the ever-evolving situation.  Cornell also signed on to a “Call for Constructive Engagement” letter, with 600 other schools, organized by the AAC&U.

  With spring comes planting season and our classmate John Williams, owner and winemaker of Napa Valley’s iconic Frog’s Leap, tells us the vineyards are in full bloom. Join us Tuesday, May 13 at 8:00 pm ET for a free Zoom talk by John about his 45 years in the wine-making business. (This is a redux of John’s Think Like a Grapevine RED Talk at our 50th Reunion.)  Register here for this sure-to-be-entertaining talk. Note: If you are so inclined, drop by your favorite wine shop and pick up a bottle (or two) of Frog’s Leap to enjoy!

Finally, you should have recently received, via US mail, our invitation to pay your Class of 1974 dues for 2025-26.  Dues help pay for our class website, mailings, class events and more.  Thanks in advance for supporting the class by paying dues.  You can pay online here.

Hope to catch you on the wine webinar next week.

RED Talk Redux Series Webinar–Frog’s Leap Winery–Tuesday May 13th

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Classmate John Williams is the owner and winemaker of Napa Valley’s iconic Frog’s Leap Winery which he started by selling his motorcycle and making 500 cases of wine in 1981. His Think Like a Grapevine RED Talk at our 50th Reunion was so popular that he is hosting another talk for our class via Zoom.

This free, fun talk is Tuesday, May 13 at 8:00 pm ET. Please join fellow classmates and register here.

Cheers!

John Foote

MC of RED Talks Redux

PS: If you are so inclined, drop by your favorite wine shop and pick up a bottle (or two) of Frogs Leap cabernet and/or sauvignon blanc to enjoy during John’s talk. John would approve!

Red Tailed Hawks, CU Pres in NY Times, CU Fashion Show

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It’s Spring Break on campus and while the weather would suggest otherwise, there are some sure signs that Spring is here—take a look at our campus Red Tailed Hawks, Big Red and Arthur, incubating 3 new eggs.

This is also the season of increasing scrutiny of universities across the country. Four of our Ivy peers—Penn, Princeton, Columbia and Harvard—have been threatened with losing significant federal dollars and no one would be surprised if Cornell is added to that list. In the face of all this, our newly announced 15th president (see note below), Mike Kotlikoff, penned a recent New York Times op-ed titled “Universities Like the One I Run Aren’t Afraid to Let People Argue”, reflecting Cornell’s founding values.

And on a related note, the University has just adopted a revised university-wide Expressive Activity Policy. Here is an excerpt of the announcement:

“Since Cornell’s founding, free and open inquiry and expression have underpinned our mission, and these ideals continue to guide us as we work to foster an environment where a diversity of ideas is welcomed and valued. At the same time, we recognize the need for expressive activities to adhere to time, place, and manner regulations that limit disruption to our community. We must also uphold our legal obligations to provide campuses free from harassment and discrimination. By balancing these principles in this new policy, we aim to support the rights of all Cornellians to exercise their freedom of expression while ensuring the safety and well-being of all faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors.”

Here’s to Spring,

Bill Walker Clears Up Membership Questions

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Happy Spring (though for some the temperature may not quite feel like it yet!!).

For those who are not in the warmer climes, I hope that you successfully weathered the severe chills. Although with all of the snow and cold weather in the southern states recently, it is not quite clear where those warmer climes might be!!

As promised in my last message, I am providing some additional clarity regarding class membership to ensure that everyone is at the same level of understanding.

Am I a class member? I entered Cornell University as a freshman in the fall of 1970, so I am a class member, right? Yes, that qualifies you as a member of the Class of 1974. The same for some transfer students.

So, what is the purpose of membership dues? Membership dues underwrite the costs associated with activities that our class sponsors (or co-sponsors), communications that we send to you, the maintenance of our class website and some other class expenses, but not the Ithaca reunions that occur on every 5-year anniversary of our graduation. These reunions are planned and budgeted to be self-funding (i.e., the registration fees cover all of the associated costs that are incurred including any meals that are included in the registration packages). Our class did, however, subsidize the cost of the 50th Reunion to help minimize any cost inflation.

A number of you have raised questions or indicated issues with auto-renewal. I am working with Alumni Affairs and Development to address and correct those issues, and to minimize problems going forward. I will keep you apprised of any progress in that area.

So, with that cleared up, we need as many class members as possible to pay their class dues so that we can continue to expand the activities that we offer. The membership year runs concurrent with the University’s fiscal year, July 1 through June 30. If you are ready to renew for the 2025-26 membership year, you may do so at this link as we already have some activities planned and more in the works, including some that stem from your suggestions and feedback.

We will be distributing a class survey, currently planned for April, to hear more of your ideas.

Who am I? Some have inquired, so a little about me: As most of you did, I entered Cornell as a freshman in the fall of 1970, which according to the September 9, 1970 edition of the Cornell Daily Sun comprised 2650 members (1850 men and 800 women). I was one of the 250 Black students who were a part of the class, the highest number ever at that time and for decades thereafter. I completed my degree requirements (AB, Mathematics) in the College of Arts and Sciences in August of 1974. During my freshman year I lived in University Halls #4, and for the remaining years on North Campus – in Clara Dickson for sophomore year, and in Ujamaa Residential College for my junior and senior years.  See my Memory Book page for more information.

Thank you to all of those who have provided feedback to us. For those who are waiting for the right time to offer suggestions, the time is now, so to all –- Keep the feedback coming. In that vein, you can provide some suggestions on desired activities to us here.

Supporting Class of ’74 Scholarships on Giving Day

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By now, I am sure you know that today is Cornell’s Giving Day.  You have likely received a number of emails from different Cornell causes that you care about.  As a proud member of the Class of 1974, you may know that our class supports not just one, but two scholarships—our Class Scholarship and the Christopher Reeve Scholarship.

The Class of 1974 Scholarship was started in 1999 by classmates Bob and Joan Saltsman Oelschlager in celebration of our 25th Reunion.  The fund has grown over the years through gifts from hundreds of classmates.  The student recipients, selected by Cornell, receive this scholarship throughout their undergraduate years.  Our class has supported seven students since 1999.  Our current Class of 1974 Scholar is Summer Parker-Hall ’25.  Summer, who grew up in Chicago, is a senior and a starting forward on the Cornell women’s basketball team.

Some  classmates have gotten to know Summer by attending her games.  She was one of our fabulous Reunion clerks for our 50th.  She is a Communication major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and her dream is to work in sports marketing and business operations.  Her Cornell experiences, both academic and athletic, have set her up for success and she is very grateful to the Class of ’74.  Look out world—here comes Summer!  Check out some recent press about Summer and a fun mic’d up training session (if you get a sign up/log in message ignore it)–she’s fun and a leader!  She’s pictured here with classmates John Foote, Kristen Rupert and Bill Walker after the recent game at Harvard.

The Christopher Reeve Scholarship goes to a Theatre Arts student, in memory of our classmate Chris Reeve.  Begun in 2006 by several classmates, the Christopher Reeve Scholarship has played a big part in the lives of more than a dozen extraordinary and talented students.  Classmate Mary Berens recently caught up with our current Reeve Scholar Ashley Alexander ’25.  Ashley, also a senior, is from New York and is a double major in Government and Performance and Media Arts.  Her entire family is proudly planning to attend her graduation.  She is the first in her family to graduate from college and the first from her charter school in Queens to graduate from an Ivy.  Ashley would love to stay in Ithaca and work in theater after graduation.  She, too, is thankful for her scholarship.  Here is a recent photo of Mary and Ashley.

You can read more about all our past ’74 and Reeve Scholars on our Give Back page on the class website.

On this Cornell Giving Day, I hope that you will consider a donation to one or both of these class supported scholarships or to any Cornell cause that grabs your heart.  Below are quick links to help you:

The Class of 1974 Scholarship

The Christopher Reeve Scholarship

Cornell Giving Day

Thanks you for doing your greatest good and please be well!

Cornell Budgets, Look Back Link, Archives

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I was in Philadelphia last weekend for the annual Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (C ALC), attended by several hundred Cornellians, and held in conjunction with the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW) Symposium.  Former Class President Dale Lazar and I (pictured here) were particularly impressed with the talks by President Kotlikoff and Provost Kavita Bala.  We are in excellent hands with these leaders.

The President and Provost sent an email this week to all faculty, staff and administrators cautioning that Cornell is “entering a time of significant financial uncertainty.  The potential for deep cuts in federal research funding, as well as tax legislation affecting our endowment income, has been added to existing concerns.”  To ensure that the university adheres to a balanced budget, all units, colleges, schools and departments have been asked to trim budgets where possible.  In response to recently-announced reductions in NIH funding, the university is meeting with faculty and researchers with significant NIH portfolios in order to develop an appropriate response.  Cornell states “We will respond to federal developments with decisions aligned with our academic commitment and institutional values.”

On a brighter note, Cornell unofficial historian Corey Earle recently reprised his “Look Back at the Class of 1974” webinar which was first presented at our 50th Reunion.  You can watch the recording of the February webinar here.

 Speaking of our time at Cornell, if you have historical material from your Cornell days, don’t get rid of it!  Corey suggests donating it to the Cornell Archives, which are overseen by Corey’s brother Evan Earle ’02, MS ‘14 (efe4@cornell.edu).

Finally, don’t forget that Cornell Giving Day is Thursday, March 13.  Please consider donating to our class-sponsored scholarships–the Class of 1974 Scholarship and the Christopher Reeve Scholarship–or any cause that resonates with you.  (Learn more about our two class scholarships, current and former scholars and ways to give on the Give Back page on our Class website.)

And stay tuned for a Class of 1974 RED Talk webinar by Frog’s Leap founder John Williams ’74 in April.

Warm Memories of Cold Times, RED Talk Redux Reminder, CAU Summer

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It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating our 50th Reunion in the warmth of our campus and our friendships.

And now it’s February!  And I never care what that Groundhog says, it is the longest, shortest month of the year.  Living on or near the Equator for a few decades, I am not a fan of cold, snow or ice.  But then I saw this wonderful article and it brought back warm memories of cold times at Cornell.  Dashing Through the Snow, in Vintage Style shows the fun, the beauty and the challenges we all remember from our snowy years on the Hill.  This is the just the latest showcase in Glorious to View, a montage of vintage Cornell photos.  Take a look at all of them and those memories will warm you up.

Another way to warm up in this cold February is to join classmates for a webinar on Wednesday, February 12 at 8 pm ET.  Corey Earle ’07 will give an encore presentation of his “Look Back” talk that kicked off our RED Talks during our 50th Reunion.  These talks were such a big hit that we will be bringing more to you over the coming months and years.  Register here for “Look Back”.  And check our Class website for more RED Talks information.

Need another break from winter?  This July, escape the ordinary through CAU Summer.  Cornell Adult University (CAU) invites you for the summer. “Let your story unfold amid the vibrant energy of Cornell’s campus.  Each course is a chapter, each experience a discovery.  With no exams or deadlines, CAU is learning for the joy of it–because your story should be as expansive as your curiosity.”   Just click here to start your summer adventure.

Hope your new year, both calendar and lunar, is off to a good start and will be happy and healthy.  And hope to see you at the webinar.

Keep warm and be well!

Class of ’74 “Look Back” Webinar by Corey Earle Feb 12 at 8pm ET

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The [Notable] Class of 1974 is off to a great start in 2025!

One of our 50th Reunion highlights was the talk by Corey Earle ‘07, Cornell’s unofficial historian, about Cornell during our time on the Hill.  Corey covered Vietnam, protests, the draft lottery, streaking, Ed Marinaro, Walter LaFeber, Jennie Farley and more. His slides included ads for the North Forty and Triangle Book Shop, posters for campus concerts by Aretha Franklin, Sha Na Na, Jethro Tull & others, Sun articles, and photos. Corey is presenting a free webinar for our class on Wednesday, February 12th at 8:00pm EST.  He will reprise his 50th Reunion presentation and include some new topics.  Click here to register. If you have questions or suggestions for Corey, send those to John Foote ‘74.

ICYMI, as of January 1st, the new Cornell provost is Dr. Kavita Bala, previously the inaugural dean of the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, where she was also the lead dean of the Cornell AI Initiative. You can read more about her impressive background here.

When you were very young, you may recall watching the “Adventures of Superman” TV show which ran from 1952-58 in B/W and later in color. (“Look! Up in the sky!  It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Superman!”) But I always thought it interesting that when the character wasn’t a superhero, he was a newspaper reporter who “fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way!” As you know, one of our classmates got to play this part in the movie version.  Now the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which captures the superhero and the man, has its television premiere on CNN Sunday, February 2.

Finally, as the new year begins, we’d like to hear from you about what our Notable Class of 1974 might do for you in terms of programs, offerings, services etc.  We’ll be sending out a survey this spring, but in the meantime, all ideas are welcomed and encouraged.

A New Class of ’74 Voice–Meet Bill Walker

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Happy New Year!

For those who were able to attend, I hope that you enjoyed (and still vividly remember) our 50th Reunion in Ithaca with all of the attendant activities.  Events such as the RED Talks and opportunities to connect or reconnect with classmates including John Williams, founder, owner and winemaker of Frog’s Leap Winery (hopefully you also tasted some of his wines that were being poured) and other myriad choices for involvement kept us entertained all weekend.

In the event that you are wondering, yes, this is a new “voice” that you have not previously heard from on this channel.  You also may not have heard that I have accepted the request to fill the VP of Membership role, responsible for leading the membership related activities for our class.  Just like Costco has done with the price of their hot dogs, we continue to hold the annual membership dues at the same level year after year – $30 for an individual and $35 for a couple (both in the Class of ’74). More on that in another message.

Here is a list of current class dues payers.   If your name is not on the list but you think that it should be, please reply to this message and let us know and we will check the records.  And if you want to pay your dues for this year (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025) right now while you are thinking about it,  just click here.

In past years we have sponsored or co-sponsored many events for Class of ’74 members and are now in the process of developing plans for more activities involving our class including some that will encompass some of the surrounding classes (’72, ’73, ’75, etc.).  You should soon be receiving a survey that is being sent to all of our class members.  We hope that you will respond so that you can let us know what types of activities that you would like to see going forward as this will assist us in the planning process.

If you did not receive this message directly, it is likely that we do not have your current contact information.  Please send a message to me that  includes your name, preferred email address and contact information so that we can update the records.

We endeavor to keep the lines of communication open so we hope that you will stay in touch – and be on the lookout for the upcoming survey.