Class News

Len Baker Appointed to Yale Corporation

October 9, 2000

Len Baker was recently appointed to the Yale Corporation which is the board of trustees that runs the University.

The Yale Corporation has 16 Fellows, plus the President of the University and the Gov and Lt. Gov of Connecticut, ex Officio. Six of the 16 are elected by alumni, one each year for six year terms. The other 10 are Successor Fellows, successors to the original congregational clergymen who founded the University in 1701. Len is a Successor Fellow and was appointed by the Corporation for a 6 year term, with a second term customary.

Len wrote: "I'm looking forward to this assignment, although I think the Fellows are expected to work pretty hard for Yale. We meet six times a year in New Haven for a day and a half. Yale is in great shape. The budget is balanced. The endowment is way up (40% gains in the latest fiscal year), and the buildings are getting fixed. Rick Levin is a terrific leader who is well liked by all constituencies. Yale has the chance to undertake a number of initiatives over the next decade: the Forestry School is one, another is rebuilding science, a third is building up the School of Management. Yale College remains a focus; the rest of the colleges need to be refurbished, and Dick Brodhead has a number of exciting ideas about improving the undergraduate experience, which is already superb."

We are very fortunate to have a classmate on the Corporation. The Corporation, and Yale, are fortunate to have a person with Len's experience and talent. Our class looks forward to having many mutually beneficial dialogues with Len.