Tag Archives: Trustees

FEATURED
Report: Running For Board of Trustees Sort Of Like Running for the WSA, But For Old People

Reveal yourself, Trustee-Candidates-Who-Didn’t-Make-It-Onto-The-Ballot. We know you’re out there.

Andrew Bleeker ’07 was one of 40 nominees for the Board of Trustees—and is now one of six candidates on the ballot for the Board of Trustees.

You know what it’s like to run for the WSA (it’s okay, we were all freshmen once), but do you know what it’s like to run for the Board of Trustees, Wesleyan’s most elite secret society?

According to a recent post on WesConnect, six alumni are in the process of finding out, each vying for a chance to spend sunny weekends in September, November, and May perched up in the Daniel Family Commons sipping Dom Pérignon, Making Important Decisions About Relle Important Stuff, and occasionally asking Public Safety to kick out uninvited student activists. (Or maybe they’re just running for the opportunity to kick it with West Wing star and Wesleyan trustee Bradley Whitford ’81.) The candidates on the ballot, as they present themselves on WesConnect, include:

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FEATURED
The Trustees Are Coming, The Trustees Are Coming

Here’s how to contact them to talk about your feelings or whatever.

Pictured: Joshua S. Boger ’73, chairman of Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees.

Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees will be arriving on campus tomorrow for their annual three-day Buffy marathon Senior Week meeting, which traditionally takes place in the days leading up to Reunion & Commencement. Got a concern that you’d like the Board to address? Want to talk to them about your feelings? Just curious who is on that committee that makes all those decisions about campus in the first place? You can access a full list of the names, class years (nearly all are alumni), home states, and job titles of the Board members here, but unfortunately no contact information is provided, which is kind of weird when you really think about it. We’ve taken the liberty of amassing the Board members’ names and email addresses so you can contact them with thoughts or requests in advance of their meeting, which begins tomorrow:

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FEATURED
Video: Precision Dance Flash Mobs Board of Trustees

For the second time this year, a determined group of Wesleyan students has disturbed a Board of Trustees gathering. And for the second time, President Roth ’78 has written about it on his blog. This instance wasn’t an activist effort to draw attention to lack of student input in trustee affairs (and I’m guessing it won’t result in any SJB charges). It was a flash mob by Precision Dance Troupe. As the University’s official YouTube channel explains:

On March 1, Wesleyan University announced at a dinner for trustees a $400M campaign to support access, inquiry, and impact. Wesleyan’s Precision Dance Troupe surprised the audience with music and dance. This Is Why.

Here’s the video footage. Watch closely at 1:56, when Bradley Whitford ’81 recites the entire Decathlon scene from Billy Madison on the spot. Just kidding, that doesn’t happen.

MoCon Update: Roth to the Rescue?

Well, not quite. But he is delaying its demolition, in a hard-won victory for vocal alumni, including Matthew Weiner ’87. From a blog post today after meeting with Trustees (Roth’s words, my bold):

A topic that came up in various venues throughout the weekend concerned the future of McConaughy Hall. I knew the building well as a student, living just across from its front doors as a frosh. I remember with real fondness its grand staircase and wonderful light, and I also think back to some great parties and concerts I attended there. The building has been empty since I began my presidency, and since that time I’ve been trying to find an alternative use for it. The structure turns out to be terribly inefficient, and in great disrepair. Still, I had hopes that we might transform it (as we have done with Davenport and Fayerweather, and will do with Squash) for some community use.

I haven’t found an alternative use for MoCon. But given all the strong feeling, which I share, about trying to find alternative uses, I’ve delayed signing contracts for its demolition. The building has been here for almost 50 years, and I don’t take this decision lightly. But I also will not spend significant university funds every year without having a real function for the building. So, I am reviewing options (with appropriate professional guidance) one more time. I appreciate the input I’ve gotten, and I will be writing again soon on this subject.