Cornell Matters! It Matters to Me! I Hope it Does to You!

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As the immediate Past President of our Class and just one year after our 50th Reunion, I was asked to provide some reflections as we end this school year.

Very moved by President Kotlikoff’s Reunion State of the University Address and his words that “Cornell is not perfect” but how extraordinary and important it is, I joined the new Cornell Matters Campaign.

Cornell Matters–That got me thinking.  How does Cornell matter to me?  How does it matter to you?  And how can our [Notable] Class of ’74 help it matter more?

At our 50th Reunion our class gave me the most wonderful gift–a beautiful watercolor, Cornell Oak.  I look at it every day and it brings me joy as I think about my time on campus, the friends I made then and the many more since then through our work together and shared love of Cornell and our Class of ’74.

So yes, Cornell matters to me!

If Cornell matters to you, consider joining Cornell Matters.

If our Class of 1974 matters to you, consider paying class dues.  Paid or unpaid, you are forever a member of our class but a little extra cash helps our class do good things.

If your Cornell friends matter to you, check out their pages in our Cornell Class of ’74 50th Reunion Memory Book–hard copy options will be available later this year.

And, because we want to know what matters to you, stay tuned for a class survey coming this Fall.

Like the Cornell Oak, Cornell University and our [Notable] Class of 1974 have deep roots and branches that reach wide.  This matters!

Please be well!

PS: It’s not too late to make a year-end gift to Cornell.  Click here before June 30th.

Cornell is not Perfect

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….but it is extraordinary. These were the words of President Mike Kotlikoff in his State of the University address in Bailey Hall at Reunion this past weekend. I strongly encourage you to take 30 minutes and listen to Mike’s talk. (Fast forward to 19:32.) He tackled, head on, the challenges facing higher ed and Cornell in the current political environment.  He spoke passionately about the vital contributions that Cornell and other U.S. universities are making that have a positive impact on nearly every person in our country and in the world.

Reuntion 2025 – State of the University Address

Universities like Cornell are not a nice-to-have, but rather a must-have.  They should neither be taken for granted nor denigrated. Mike was candid in saying that Cornell, like its peers, can and must do a better job talking about the important work being done by institutions of higher education.  But he was absolutely unapologetic about who and what we are.

Regardless of where you are on the political spectrum, we are all Cornellians. Listen to Mike’s talk and my bet is that you will be a proud Cornellian. And if you want to help ensure Cornell will continue its legacy of being the “land grant college to the world,” sign up for Cornell Matters.

Graduation Time & Campus Photos

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At this time of year it seems the world is filled with caps and gowns and long, sometimes wise (and many times not so much) commencement speeches. On the Hill it was a very cold and wet (call that “soaked”) Cornell commencement weekend for about 6,000 graduates. President Mike Kotlikoff gave his first commencement remarks as president, about the things that make Cornell Cornell—worth a read, right now, because, even half a century (!) after our own graduation, it still speaks directly to us.

Our class can be proud of the fact that we had two exemplary graduates marching: our Class of ’74 Scholar Summer Parker-Hall ’25 (pictured below with Touchdown) and our Christopher Reeve ’74 Scholar Ashley Alexander ’25 (pictured below with Mary Berens ’74 and Paul Feeny). Both young women had a positive, life-changing experience at Cornell and are very appreciative of the support our class provided. This (your) support made a difference!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commencement marks the end of the 2024-25 academic year—a memorable one in large part for what was going on at the University and in the outside world. To capture the highlights of the year, the Cornell Daily Sun ran a Year in Photos. What’s most interesting about this retrospective is that it is the students’ sense of what made the year special. Channel your inner 20-year-old and take a look.

Finally, for those of you who missed the Class of ’74 RED Talk Redux webinar by John Williams of Frog’s Leap a few weeks ago, here’s the link.

Enjoy the start of summer!

Let’s Go Red!

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Happy Memorial Day!  If you’re looking for something fun to do tomorrow (Monday 5/26) midday, tune into ESPN and watch the Big Red men’s lax team take on the Maryland Terrapins for the national NCAA lacrosse title–1:00pm EDT on ESPN.

To make tomorrow’s game even more interesting, Cornell vs Maryland lacrosse is a storied rivalry—some consider the 1976 championship game be the greatest lacrosse game in NCAA history.

Our Big Red is the number one-ranked lacrosse team in the country and we have the best player in the country, CJ Kirst. And what is most impressive is that we are showing a bunch of big time athletic schools that true scholar-athletes can play the game at the highest level.

(Classmates Peter Kaplan and Bill Howard at yesterday’s semi-finals.)

So fire up the grill, grab your beverage of choice, put on some some red, and cheer for the Big Red!

Let’s Go Red,

PS: To learn more about or relive Cornell’s storied Lacrosse history from our time, check out We Showed Baltimore.  Let’s show them again! #LGR

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!