Comprehensive fee increases, part 2

By Benjamin Engle

Union College has three sources of revenue that support the budget: the comprehensive fee, endowment income, and gifts to the Annual Fund. The comprehensive fee is 74% of the budget while the endowment income is 14% and the Annual Fund, which is made up of gifts from alumni, contributes 3%. Bookstore, Dining Services, and other miscellaneous sources make up the remaining 9% of the budget.

At its peak, the endowment contributed 15% to the budget. However, the economic recession has played a major role in the increase in the comprehensive fee because the endowment and Annual Fund cannot contribute as much to the budget as it once did. The endowment dropped approximately $100 million from its high of $400 million in 2008 and the number of gifts to the Annual Fund has also decreased.

Like many other liberal arts schools, Union is currently attempting to determine if there is a fourth source of revenue available to the institution. Recently, Middlebury College in Vermont announced that it is investing $4 million for a 40% share in "Middlebury Interactive Languages," an online language program for students Kindergarten through 12th grade. Middlebury is hoping that the computer software will provide a fourth revenue stream to support the College's liberal arts-style of teaching.

"We wanted to do something about the fact that not enough American students are learning other languages, and it's harder for students if they don't learn language until college," Middlebury President Ronald D. Liebowitz said in an interview with a writer from the New York Times on April 13, 2010. "It is also my belief, and I think our board's belief, that finding potential new sources of revenue is not a bad thing. By doing what we're doing with this venture, we hope to take some stress off our three traditional sources of revenue- fees, endowment and donations."

While Union's administration and Planning and Priorities Committee are planning to determine if there is another way to bring in revenue, they do not want to compromise the reputation of the college.

"We don't want to do something for the sake of money," Blake said. "It has to relate to the school. We have to do things that make sense for Union."

Even though Union is looking outside of the box for new sources of revenue, the college is continuing to keep a close eye on the budget to determine whether cuts can be made.

This process has been ongoing since the 2008-2009 academic year, when each Vice President was asked to determine where they could make a 5% cost reduction to see how the cut would affect the College. While the Vice Presidents didn't make 5% cuts across the board, some departments made more cuts than others.

Moreover, even though the college is not instituting a hiring freeze, departments are undergoing a review process to determine how each can deliver services more efficiently. However, the college would like to undergo "growth by substitution," meaning that when a position opens, the college can opt not to fill every position and use the additional money for new creative projects and initiatives.

However, as Union prepares for future budgets, the institution is mindful of its competitors.

"Union is in an academic arms race," Blake said. "We are a very elite school and have a high ranking and an impressive peer list. We are keeping an eye on what other [schools] are offering since we don't want to be at a competitive disadvantage."

While Union is navigating itself through increasing costs of goods and labor as well as an economic recession, Blake believes that the situation is improving.

"The situation is not dire since we are constantly looking ahead," Blake said. "We are taking actions so problems aren't exacerbated."

Originally published in Union's Concordy on May 13, 2010.

Comprehensive fee increases for 35th consecutive year

By Benjamin Engle

This two-part article was written in response to an email from alum Geoff Pietsch '59. He paid 900 dollars for tuition during his four years at Union and questioned the justification behind consistently rising rates of the college's tuition.

The Union College comprehensive fee will increase in the 2010-2011 fiscal year for the thirty-fifth consecutive year.

Up 3.75% from the current 2009-2010 fiscal year, the comprehensive fee, which includes the cost of tuition, room, board, student activity fee, and Minerva House fee, is scheduled to be $53,329 in 2010-2011. The 3.75% increase is the lowest increase in the comprehensive fee since the 2001-2002 fiscal year.

According to the National Center on Public Policy and Higher Education, college tuition and fees across the country from 1982 to 2007 increased 439% while the median income only rose by 147%. From 1982 to 2007, Union's comprehensive fee increased $17,219, almost a five-fold increase.

While the cost of college is increasing at a greater rate than the rate of inflation, Diane Blake, Vice President for Finance and Administration, believes that college tuition cannot be based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since institutions of higher education have their market baskets of goods are different. Instead, colleges are held to the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI).

According to Commonfund, the group that calculates the HEPI, "HEPI measures the average relative level in the prices of a fixed market basket of goods and services purchased by colleges and universities through current-fund educational and general expenditures." The HEPI is comprised of faculty, administrative, clerical, and service employees' salaries and benefits as well as miscellaneous services, supplies and materials, and utilities.

Meanwhile, the CPI, which is compiled by the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a measure of the average change in prices over time in fixed basket of goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. The CPI is made up of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, and transportation fees, among other services.

According to Blake, Union's comprehensive fee increases yearly despite departmental and administrative cuts since the various costs of labor make up almost half of Union's budget.

"We are a labor-intensive institution," Blake said. "We pride ourselves on our 10:1 faculty ratio. If we didn't maintain that ratio, Union wouldn't be the education you applied for."

Union takes pride in the quality of faculty that it hires. This goal, however, is an expensive one, since most of the faculty hold Ph.Ds or the highest academic certification in their field. Also, Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants do not teach classes at Union.

"[Students] come [to Union] because of the small class size, close interaction with professors, and classes taught solely by those with PhDs," Blake said. "We don't want to lay off faculty because we want to maintain our current ratio."

Despite the fact that faculty and staff salaries and benefits make up the greatest percentage of the annual budget, Blake admits that those emoployed by the college are underpaid.

"On average, the faculty [at Union] is not paid as well as those at our peer institutions," Blake said, "but it is part of the Strategic Plan to improve the situation."

The comprehensive fee that students pay continues to increase annually because traditional revenue sources for the college have decreased over the years.

"The full price is not the cost of a Union education," Blake added.

Benjamin Engle's coverage of rising tuition at Union will be continued next week in our 5/13 edition.

Originally published in Union's Concordy on May 6, 2010.

Student Activity fee to increase

By Benjamin Engle

The Union College Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet during ReUnion weekend to approve the College's budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. However, in February 2010, for the second consecutive year, the Board of Trustees approved an increase in the comprehensive fee (tuition) to attend Union.

The comprehensive fee for the 2010-11 academic year will be $52,329, up from $50,439 in 2009-10, a difference of $1890 for an overall increase of approximately 3.7%. The Student Activity fee, which is included in the comprehensive fee, will also increase in the upcoming year.

According to Karen Chan '10,Student Forum Vice President of Finance, the Student Activity fee will increase from $336 in 2009-10 to $351 in 2010-11, an increase of $15. In 2009-10, Student Forum controlled a budget of approximately $672,000 and will increase to over $700,000 in 2010-11.

The Student Activity budget is funded through the Student Activity fee and is controlled by Student Forum, the overseeing student body of clubs and organizations on campus. Unlike Minerva House budgets, which have a flat fee and have not changed, the Student Activity fee is set to rise with tuition.

The Student Forum Finance Committee is responsible for asking club finance representatives for budget proposals and allocating money from the Student Activity budget for various clubs and events on campus.

"We like to give money for great ideas and events, but we have to make sure clubs and events are not exclusive," Chan said. "Everything is student run and organized for the student body."

As Vice President of Finance, Chan's goal has been to make the Student Forum budget process more understandable.

"My role is to make the budget process more transparent and to help make sure that events and clubs are beneficial to the community," Chan said.

During her tenure as Vice President, she has established mid-year evaluations for clubs to ensure that they are spending their money effectively and efficiently throughout the academic year.

While Chan did not want to release the specific budget analysis for the current fiscal year, most of the money allocated by Student Forum is for the social clubs, not the academic or intellectual organizations.

Even with the annual increase of the Student Activity budget, Student Forum allocates almost all the money in its budget for new clubs and events as well as to increase support for existing programs.

Of its budget during the 2009-10 academic year, Student Forum allocates the most money to SpringFest Committee and to U-Program Committee.

This year, SpringFest was allocated $90,000 and requested and was approved for an additional $20,000 for a total of $110,000 or 16.37% of the total Student Activity budget. U-Program, which offers programming numerous times each term, was allocated $100,000 in 2009-10 or 14.88% of the total Student Activity budget.

While Chan and the rest of the Student Forum Finance Committee carefully analyze the pros and cons of every club and organization on campus before allocating funding, Chan believes that Student Forum needs to be responsible when allocating student funds.

"I am pushing Student Forum to re-evaluate the Student Activity fee for 2011-2012," Chan said. "We can do many things, we can freeze [the fee] or we can have it raise with tuition during certain years."

Even though the Board of Trustees sets the comprehensive fee, neither the administration nor the Board of Trustees has told Student Forum what to do concerning their budget or the Student Activity fee. Class of 2012 Secretary/Treasurer Aaron Glosser '12 believes that Student Forum should look closely at the Student Activities fee.

"Student Forum tends to have a surplus at the end of every year. To freeze or lower the Student Activities fee will have little effect on students, and reduce the strain of college tuition for families," said Glosser. "I believe freezing the Student Activities fee is a good way to decrease the amount that tuition rises each year. Given the current economic turmoil, it is important for every department at Union to think about fiscal responsibility, including student activities."

While Glosser contends that Student Forum has a surplus at the end of each year, Chan believes that Student Activities needs the increase in revenue to meet the expectations that the student body has of the organization.

"Events such as SpringFest cost more to produce and big names are demanded," Chan said.

Additionally, Student Forum has supported a lot of new clubs and organizations on campus, such as Ski Club and Outing Club, and has them expand and plan new events.

Chan also suggested that the Student Activities fee keeps campus speakers, concerts, and club activities, such as bowling, either at no or low additional cost to students, which is part of the draw for many on campus.

Even though Student Forum tries to allocate money to groups that will help students expand their horizons and meet campus needs, they often turn down events because of cost or their overall value that they will bring to campus, such as not allocating money to bring comedian Bill Hader of Saturday Night Live and Superbad to campus.

On the other hand, Student Forum has also had to fund events and clubs that were in danger of being cut due to departmental cuts, such as the club hockey team and LobsterFest.

In previous years, LobsterFest was paid for by dining services. However, this year, LobsterFest costs between $15,000 and $20,000 and is paid for by Student Forum.

"People expect free trips, free SpringFest, but at some point we have to say no because we have to make due with what we have," Chan added.

Chan encourages students to attend Student Forum meetings and voice their opinions on campus topics. Every Student Forum meeting is open to the entire campus and are held in room 410 of the Reamer Campus Center on Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

"Student Forum needs to make students aware of the economic recession," Chan said. "We really need to think about proposals to see if an event is cost effective." While Chan believes that Student Forum needs to re-evaluate the Student Activity fee, she believes that the body is moving in a positive direction.

"Student Forum must draw attention to problems, which is not an overnight change because of campus demands and wants," Chan said. "There is more work to be done."

Originally published in Union's Concordy on 4/29/10

Keynote speaker chosen

By Benjamin Engle

Alan F. Horn '64, President and Chief Operating Officer of Warner Bros. Entertainment, will address the graduates, friends, and families of the class of 2010 as the keynote speaker at the 216th Commencement Ceremony of Union College, college officials recently announced.

Scheduled for Sunday, June 13, 2010, on Hull Plaza, approximately 500 students in the Class of 2010 will receive degrees during the ceremony.

"I'm honored to be delivering the commencement address and look forward to revisiting the campus in June," said Horn, who will receive an honorary doctor of fine arts degree.

Mr. Horn, who earned an economics degree from Union, later joined the U.S. Air Force for a five-year term, and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. While the Air Force Captain hoped to fly jets in the Air Force, he never made it to the cockpit because of his poor eyesight. Instead, he was stationed in Korea where he earned a 3rd black belt in tae kwon do.

After graduating from Harvard in 1972, Horn spent two years in brand management for the Ivory Soap Brand at Procter & Gamble.

After spending time at Procter & Gamble, Horn served as Chairman & CEO of Embassy Communications, a company owned by Andrew Perenchio and legendary produced, Norman Leer.

Prior to 1999, when Horn assumed his position at Warner Bros., he founded Castle Rock Entertainment in 1987. At Castle Rock, where he served as the company's chairman and CEO, he became known for producing successful TV series and films including 'Seinfeld', A Few Good Men, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile.

Since his successes at Castle Rock, Horn has made Warner Bros. one of Hollywood's most successful movie studios in recent years. As president and COO, Horn oversees all of the Studio's theatrical and home entertainment operations, including the Warner Bros. Picture Group and New Line Cinema.

During his time at Warner Bros., some of the most popular and profitable films of the industry have been produced, including the Harry Potter series, the most successful motion picture franchise in history, The Dark Night, Batman Begins, Ocean's 11, 12, and 13, the second and third Matrix films, and Million Dollar Baby.

More recently, under Horn's guidance, his studio has produced theatrical blockbusters including Watchmen, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Sherlock Holmes.

Horn is also a member of numerous prestigious Hollywood institutions, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Television, Arts, and Sciences.

When Horn returned to the Union campus for the first time in over 25 years for ReUnion weekend in May 2009, he gave a presentation and spoke candidly about his years at Union and experiences in the corporate world.

He also, according to the Summer 2009 edition of the Union College magazine, discussed his transition from an "ill-suited electrical engineering student" to an economics major.

Additionally, during his 2009 ReUnion visit, Horn described his time at Union as " 'great for me,' and a place where he met many friends and professors," according to the Union College magazine.

Originally published in Union's Concordy on 2/25/10

Blue House becomes Messa House

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Blue House of North College will be renamed Messa House at noon on Sat., May 29 as a part of the Reunion Weekend celebrations.

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By Benjamin Engle

Blue House, one of the seven Minerva Houses at Union College, will be renamed during ReUnion weekend to recognize a $2 million unrestricted gift to the college by Frank L. Messa '73, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Colleen Messa.

Blue House will be renamed Messa House during an official dedication ceremony on Sat., May 29, at noon. The Messas chose Blue House to rename because of their family's connection to the Minerva; their daughter Keri Messa '08 was a member of Blue House.

Messa, who retired as senior vice president for International Strategies at the Ayco Company, a local tax and financial consulting firm, earned a bachelor's degree magna cum laude in Political Science from Union in 1973 and received a J.D. degree from Albany Law School in 1976. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was a finalist for the Albert C. Ingham Prize, given to the student in social sciences with the most outstanding scholarly work.

Though Messa graduated 37 years ago, he has been an active alumnus. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 1994, serving as chairman since 2007. Messa is co-chair of the "You are Union" fundraising campaign and led the Presidential Selection Committee for Union's 18th president, Stephen Ainlay.

The gift by the Messas is just one part of the college's "You are Union" campaign, which according to the Alumni Relations website, has raised $183.1 million as of March 31. The "You are Union" campaign is to support projects outlined in the college's Strategic Plan and was recently expanded, setting a new fundraising goal of $250 million by 2012.

As part of the campaign, the college's goal is to raise $191 million by June 30.

"[The gift] is an extremely generous act of support by a loyal Union family. It says a great deal about their confidence in the college. This gift follows years of support - commitments of time, expertise, and financial resources - including the Messa hockey rink. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board and so he knows that this gift comes at a critical time," Ainlay said. "It shows his confidence in Union and the strategic direction that we are pursuing. Through this gift, the family demonstrates its belief that Union is making a difference."

According to the Feb. Board of Trustees Report by Mr. Messa, the gift will be his second major campaign gift. "The gift will further one of the important initiatives in our Strategic Plan and provide much needed capital to the college during the ongoing financial crisis."

"[The gift] comes at a time when the economic downturn has led many people to be cautious," President Ainlay added. "I hope that the Messa gift will be inspirational to others. As an unrestricted gift, it allows the college to direct much needed financial support to areas of greatest need."

In addition to this contribution, the Messa family has been generous in their donations to the College in the past. The family has provided the funds for the renovation of Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center, the renovation of Schaffer Library, the establishment of the Frank Messa '73 Endowed Scholarship, and the Steinway Piano Fund for the new Taylor Music Center.

Established in 2004, the Minerva Program is made up of seven houses and was created to expand the educational and social experiences of students, faculty, and staff. When they were originally created, each Minerva House was named for a color; however, they were renamed in honor of donors who gave significant contributions to the college.

Chronologically, the houses were renamed Wold House (John '38 and Jane Wold), Golub House (William Golub '26, from son Neil), Beuth House (Philip Beuth '54), Sorum House in 2005 (Christina Sorum, dean of faculty and vice president of Academic Affairs who died in 2005, from Paul Sorum), and Breazzano House in 2007 (David Breazzano '78).

Of the original seven Minerva Houses, Green House is the final house in the program that has not been renamed.

While there are no specific plans to rename Green House at this time, President Ainlay is optimistic that the gift by the Messa family will inspire others to donate to the College during these tough economic times.

"We continue discussions with other donors about the naming of Green House," Ainlay commented. "Our intention is to have it named as well before the end of the current Capital Campaign."

In honor of the renaming of Blue House, the Minerva will host a big party to celebrate the new name after the fireworks display on Library Field during ReUnion Weekend. Open to the entire campus, the Messa House event will have fried dough, slushies, popcorn, and other carnival-style activities.

"Having 6 of the 7 houses named is a big accomplishment," Dean Thomas McEvoy added, "and I would really like to thank the Messa family for their generous contribution."McEvoy is the director of the Minerva program.

Messa House is governed by a council that is elected at the end of each winter term. The council, which is open to all Messa House members, works to create both intellectual and social events as well as create a home-away-from-home feeling for the campus community. It meets on Thursdays at 9 p.m. in the house and is open to the entire campus community.

"We're inclusive. Over the years we've worked hard to reach out to everyone in the Union community and let them know that they are welcome. We try to keep the physical condition and social feeling of the house comfortable," Blue House Faculty Representative Shelton Schmidt said.

"While being at Union I have come to consider Blue House my home. I know that I will continue to come back and visit Messa house and feel the same way because it is a place with a lot of heart!" added outgoing Council Chair, Tamara Linde '10. "When it comes down to it, we don't Messa-round!"

Originally Published in Union's Concordy on 4/8/10

'Kosher sex' rabbi to provide religious insight

By Benjamin Engle

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, an international best-selling author and television personality, will speak at an open-to-the-public event in the Nott Memorial on Wednesday, February 10 at 7 p.m.

Often referred to as "America's Rabbi," Boteach is not like most other rabbis. He hasn't been the leader of a synagogue in several years nor is he known for his studies of the Torah.

Rather than being recognized from the front of a synagogue, Boteach is often seen and heard on numerous television and radio programs across the United States, including the show he hosts on TLC, 'Shalom in the Home'. He has appeared numerous times on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' and served as Oprah's marriage, parenting, and relationships expert on her 'Oprah and Friends' national radio network.

Additionally, Boteach is the author of 22 international bestsellers, including Kosher Sex and The Kosher Sutra. He just released The Michael Jackson Tapes, a 30-hour collection of conversations the Rabbi had with the famous pop star in 2001.

Abigail Pleeter '10, President of Union College Hillel, is the force behind Boteach's visit to campus, which is sponsored by the Minerva Programs Dinner and Discussion Series, Union College Hillel, Multifaith Council, Religious Studies, and the Office of the President.

"I had seen him countless times on the 'Today Show' and 'Oprah' and thought that he was a really dynamic speaker and his show 'Shalom in the Home' was really fantastic," Pleeter said.

Prior to his spotlight in television and as an author, Boteach, at age 22, went to Oxford and founded the L'Chaim Society, which after three years became the university's second largest club in its history.

At the University, where he served as Rabbi to the students for eleven years, Boteach created controversy among the Lubavitch leadership by inviting high-profile speakers that would attract both Jews and non-Jews alike, and by having non-Jew Cory Booker serve as the club's president.

Even though the popular Rabbi has a controversial past among the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, Pleeter believes Boteach's visit is positive for the campus.

"I feel that Union students would really benefit from and enjoy hearing him speak. I felt that he was excellent at appealing to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences," Pleeter said. "During his career as Rabbi at Oxford University, he made some really controversial decisions, such as making Corey Booker, an African-American, the President of Chabad. He has also been in the news a lot lately because of his counseling various celebrities, most notably Michael Jackson."

While the discussion topic has not been finalized, Pleeter believes Boteach will talk about how to have good relationships with people as well as his career as a rabbi, his TV show, and his counseling to celebrities.

Originally published in Union's Concordy on 2/4/10

If you give a dog a quantum physics book...

By Benjamin Engle

When Chad Orzel, an associate professor of physics, and his wife adopted Emmy from a local pound, they never knew the German Shepherd mix would become the next 'Queen of Niskayuna.'

According to Orzel's blog, Uncertain Principles, Emmy likes what most dogs enjoy: treats, walks, chasing bunnies, and the food Orzel drops, or doesn't drop, at his computer. But the Queen of Niskayuna differed from most other German Shepherd mixes in that she soon began to take an interest in quantum physics.

Started in 2002, at the end of his first year at Union, Orzel writes in his blog as a way to blow off steam by writing about things he finds interesting or amusing.

"I write about cool new developments in physics, older bits of physics that I think are interesting, life in the lab, life as a college professor, books, movies, and whatever catches my interest," said Orzel. "I'm always a little surprised at how many people are willing to read what I post, but I enjoy it."

Five years later, on May 17, 2007, Orzel decided to write in his blog a conversation he had with Emmy about which universes he dropped steak in and the universes in which she ate those 'imaginary' pieces. However, as he wrote it, he never knew 50,000 people would read it. Of those 50,000 people who came across his blog entry, which was entitled, "Many Worlds, Many Treats," one was an agent who thought that his entry could be expanded into a book. After writing a proposal with his agent, Scribner soon bought it.

"The book happened more or less by accident. I've always carried on elaborate conversations with the dog at home, because it makes my wife laugh," Orzel said. "Inevitably, these ended up including some physics references, because that's what I do."

After many conversations with Emmy and three years of writing, editing, and publishing, Orzel's How to Teach Physics to Your Dog was released in December 2009.

What makes Orzel's book unique is not that he is teaching physics to his dog, but rather that the book is understandable to both those with backgrounds in physics and those without any knowledge of the subject.

"It's aimed at people with no real background in science. I do make reference to a few ideas that people have hopefully heard about-things like momentum and energy-but I try to define everything as it comes up, so even if you've never had a physics class, it should make sense," Orzel added.

Available at major retailers, including Barnes and Noble, Borders, and amazon.com, as well as at the Union College bookstore, Orzel's book has been received positively by readers and reviewers alike.

Orzel's favorite review comment so far, however, has not come from a newspaper reviewer or science critic, but rather from a mother on Amazon who wrote that she bought it for her 11-year-old son.

"The whole ruse of explaining physics to a dog was hilarious to him and really made concrete some of the things that the author was trying to explain," the mother on Amazon wrote. "I had my son explaining to me, laughing, how a dog could walk through a tree if he went slowly enough (with all the physics behind that crazy statement) and then hilariously illustrating what would happen if the dog didn't go quite slow enough. (He'd bonk his head)."

Orzel believes people should read the book for the same reason he wrote it, because "quantum physics is just about the coolest thing ever."

"The things that quantum physics predicts is utterly bizarre-objects in two places at the same time, particles that appear out of nothing and disappear again-but they're absolutely real, and confirmed again and again by experiments," Orzel explained. "The universe that we live in is a much stranger and more amazing place than most people realize."

According to Orzel, one goal in writing the book was to challenge the idea that quantum physics can only be seen with billion-dollar accelerators. In fact, quantum rules have consequences for human's daily lives, including computer and Internet usage.

"And even the sunlight that we're finally getting today is quantum in origin-were it not for the quantum phenomenon called 'tunneling,' it would be impossible for the Sun to fuse hydrogen into helium, and generate the light that makes life on Earth possible," Orzel added.

Writing his book about physics has taught him a lot about the philosophical basis of quantum mechanics and how to become a better teacher.

"They say you never really understand a subject until you teach it to someone else, and that goes double for dogs," Orzel said. "I had a vague idea of how things like the Copenhagen Interpretation and the Many-Worlds Interpretation worked, but getting to understand them enough to be able to explain it to the dog took a lot of work."

Orzel, whose research interests are in the general field of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) physics, specifically the laser cooling and trapping of atoms, hopes that readers of his book learn about "some of the cool things about quantum physics."

"I hope that the book helps give people some appreciation of the astonishing things that we learn from modern physics," Orzel added.

Originally published in Union's Concordy on 1/28/10.

Israeli speaker sparks campus debate

By Benjamin Engle

Today, Thursday, January 14, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be giving a lecture in Memorial Chapel at Union College. Olmert is the first head of state to visit Union, according to the Schenectady Gazette, since former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson's visit in 1967.

The event, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will only be open to the campus community, plus one guest per Union College ID cardholder. The doors will open at 5:45 p.m.

According to a campus-wide email sent on January 8 by Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Stephen Leavitt, Campus Safety personnel will be checking IDs at the entrance and those without college ID will be required to show a driver's license or passport, as well as be accompanied by someone with a Union ID card.

Olmert, who is sponsored by Union's Speakers Forum club, is visiting the campus despite being a controversial figure around the world. His detractors allege that the Prime Minister and his government committed war crimes against the Palestinian people.?Meanwhile, his supporters are equally passionate in their assertion that his actions and those of his government were taken in the defense of their country.

"We thought this opportunity was too amazing to pass up," said Will Friedman, '10, President of Speakers Forum. "Unlike other world leaders, Olmert does not require to see his questions in advance. He has been a very controversial leader and I thought this could be a very good opportunity for students and faculty to ask him about some of his actions while in office.

Olmert, the twelfth Prime Minister of the State of Israel, became the acting Prime Minister on January 5, 2006, but stepped down as Prime Minister and leader of the Kadima Party in 2008 under pressure over numerous corruption investigations.

While indicted for three counts of corruption, Olmert has pled not guilty at the Jerusalem District Court to charges of illegally accepting funds from an American supporter and double-billing Jewish groups for trips abroad. He has also been blamed for inappropriately handling the 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon and attacks in the Gaza Strip.

As a result of Olmert's controversial history, many students and faculty on campus are against the former Prime Minister's visit.

Presented to Speakers Forum on September 29th by Friedman, an offer to Olmert was verbally agreed to on October 8th.

According to Dean Leavitt, two faculty members, Professors Motahar and Loeb, first approached Leavitt to discuss the terms of Olmert's talk. The meeting, which took place November 23rd, resulted in the discussion of the conditions on which the former Prime Minister was coming to campus. The two professors suggested that Friedman consult with Speakers Forum to consider bringing in speakers with contrary points of view.

"Some people who oppose Prime Minister Olmert have reached out to me regarding their hope that Speakers Forum would follow this event by inviting a Palestinian speaker," Friedman said. "I have not discussed any specifics about that just yet with my club, but I plan on bringing that up at the next meeting."

However, after Leavitt's meeting with Motahar, Loeb, and Friedman, Leavitt received a letter from nine faculty members opposing Olmert's visit to Union. The group, who according to Leavitt, had issues with bringing in someone who was morally offensive to them, met with Leavitt on December, 11th.

"The group outlined their concerns and I listened to them," Leavitt stated. "I was sympathetic to the fact that they would be genuinely hurt if he came to campus."

Leavitt understood that the group had a real moral issue with Olmert's visit and that they would feel violated by the college.

Computer Science Professor Valerie Barr, a faculty member who has a moral issue with the visit, was part of the group who contacted Leavitt, as well as Union College President Stephen Ainlay to express her objections.

"I am against Ehud Olmert coming to Union. I believe in free speech and free exchange of ideas, and I am not opposed to Union inviting a speaker who would present a Zionist perspective. However, I think Olmert is a very bad choice for the college," Barr stated.

While Barr "was raised with unquestioning support for Israel and all its actions," she would rather see Union be in the news for inviting a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, such as former United States President Jimmy Carter rather than Olmert.

In addition to complaints by professors, students, such as Omar Hassib '11, have been critical of Union's administration for allowing Olmert's visit to campus.

"Olmert's visit is huge for Union College. To the layman mind, one would think that the visit would be ok, however, there is the underlying issue of the man himself and his decisions while in office," Hassib said. "By paying him, on top of inviting him, Union is now supporting him and his defense fund."

Hassib believes that the event was scheduled on January 14 because protests would be limited since other nearby campuses are not yet in session and the potential for poor weather conditions. However, according to Friedman, the date was not chosen for any particular reason other than the fact that Memorial Chapel was available and the date worked with Olmert's travel schedule.

As the Concordiensis went to press, a petition urging the Union Administration that the event be cancelled began to circulate through an email.

"We reject the argument that Mr. Olmert's visit is simply that of a 'controversial' individual. We reject the logic that validates such a position, and hold it to be irrational and inconsistent with the intellectual climate we hope to create," the petition stated. "Mr. Olmert's appearance at Union does not contribute to the free exchange of ideas."

Despite the moral controversy emerging on campus, Leavitt realized the problem of security at the event would be an issue in having Olmert give his lecture at Union.

"I learned about Olmert's history of speeches at other schools and the significant security concerns that the other schools dealt with," Leavitt said.

During the former Prime Minister's time in the United States, he has given lectures at various colleges and universities including the University of Chicago, University of Arkansas, University of Kentucky, and Tulane University. Each visit has brought numerous protesters to each respective campus.

After Leavitt's meeting with the professors opposing the former Prime Minister's visit, Leavitt discussed the security concerns with Chris Hayen, Director of Campus Safety on December 16. As a result of Hayen's conversations with the FBI and Secret Service, Leavitt made the decision to cancel Olmert's visit.

"Olmert's people wouldn't tell [Hayen] the necessary security measures until 2 days before the event, which made him uncomfortable," Leavitt said.

Although President Ainlay was traveling during Leavitt's conversations with Campus Safety, according to Leavitt, he was kept briefed on the issue.

"The President was concerned about security and wanted the campus to be safe," Leavitt said.

On December 18, Leavitt broke the news that the event was cancelled to the committee of administrators, faculty, and students who were planning the event. Because Leavitt had not signed a contract with Olmert's agent, the College's attorney told Leavitt that it was legal to cancel the invitation.

Stephen Berk, the Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust and Jewish Studies, a member of the organizing committee, was upset at the decision of Leavitt to cancel.

"It is always important when high ranking officials of an important country that is closely tied with the United States and involved in one of the world's greatest conflicts comes to speak, people can hear the views of himself and his country," Berk said.

Berk believes that free speech is important and if it can't be on a university campus, it can't be observed anywhere.

"Union has a long record of hosting controversial speakers, and I hope that continues in the present," Berk added.

According to the Union College Encyclopedia, many invitations have been given by the College's International Relations Club to controversial speakers, including German-American Bund leader Fritz Kuhn, a well-known Nazi agitator, in 1937; Owen Lattimore, a scholar whom Senator McCarthy called "the top Soviet espionage agent in the United States," in 1950; American communist Herbert Aptheker in 1964; and Arab League spokesman Clovis Maksoud in 1984.

However, after the decision to cancel the visit was made, President Ainlay called Leavitt to make sure that this was the correct action to take. After speaking to campus safety officials at other universities where Olmert had spoken, Hayen compiled a safety report. Based on the report, Leavitt determined that the logistics of bringing Olmert to campus were possible to handle and notified President Ainlay of this knowledge.

The final decision to not cancel the event, according to Leavitt, was decided by himself and President Ainlay.

Hayen believes the Campus Safety Department is prepared for the Prime Minister's visit. Leavitt says that the campus is prepared for demonstrators and that there will be a special area set up for that purpose across from the venue.

"I believe we have done a thorough job and will provide a safe environment on behalf of the Speakers Forum for this student-sponsored event," Hayen said. "Our goals will be to preserve the continuity of essential college functions, continue the goal of Union College in providing for a liberal education that is best attained as one learns about other cultures and one's own, and provide a secure venue for positive programming that strives toward a better understanding about the situation in Israel."

Due of the sensitive nature of the event, Hayen did not want to release specific security information. However, a campus-wide email by Leavitt stated that metal detectors will be posted at the entrance of Memorial Chapel. Speakers Forum will not be paying for security measures for the event.

In advance of the Prime Minster's visit, on Tuesday, Hillel hosted a conversation on Israel with Professor Berk and on Wednesday, Campus Action hosted "Day of Dialogue: Ehud Olmert and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict," a panel discussion made up of Professor Berk, Professor Feffer, and Professor Tadros.

According to Campus Action President, [Campus Action President Name Redacted] '11, the organization is not anti-Israel or pro-Palestine, but exists to present education to the campus. Outside of the club, however, [Campus Action President Name Redacted] predicts demonstrations will take place.

"Campus Action does not support any disruptive actions during the speech," [Campus Action President Name Redacted] said. "I do predict there will be individuals who will do this. There will be demonstrations outside, but they have the right to present their thoughts."

[Campus Action President Name Redacted], who believed that it was not Campus Action's mission to take sides and therefore will not distribute information at the event, believes that people outside of the group will distribute pamphlets to help facilitate discussion.

"By not organizing everyone into a group such as Campus Action, they are free to act on their own beliefs and not obligated to adhere to a collective message," added [Campus Action President Name Redacted].

While the event will take place, Leavitt, who will be attending the lecture, admits that he did not handle the situation well.

"I would apologize to those hurt," Leavitt said. "Feelings will be hurt by bringing in controversial speakers."

Going forward, Leavitt plans to create a set of procedures to decide who comes to campus to talk through issues such as morals and security.

"There is a strong emphasis at Union to foster free speech, it is everything the whole academy is based on" Leavitt commented. "People are free to protest, but people also have the right to speak. It is a slippery slope when you just start canceling things."

Friedman, despite the controversial decision to invite Olmert to campus, stands by his decision 100%, "If Speakers Forum did not bring controversial speakers to campus, then I would not be doing my job."

As of going to press, the details of the Question-and-Answer portion of the lecture had not been finalized.

"I am truly sorry that people are upset with my club for deciding to invite Prime Minister Olmert to Union," Friedman added. "That being said, I encourage everyone who is upset to come listen to Olmert's speech and then submit a question challenging him on some of his actions throughout his term in Israel."

Originally published in Union College's Concordy on 1/14/10. Original article archived at Concordy.com & Union College Schaffer Library.

Note: The Campus Action President's name was redacted upon personal 2014 request.