Yale University

Class News

1964 Class Council meets for seven hours via Zoom

February 19, 2022

For the second year in a row, the 1964 Class Council met for its annual meeting via Zoom. It took place on Saturday, February 19, 2022, and was attended by 31 of the 36 Council members. The meeting lasted for seven hours.

Class Secretary Tony Lavely opened the meeting at 9:15am and took the group through an ambitious agenda of topics including special guests from the Yale School of the Environment at the end of the business meeting. Sam Francis ran the screen-sharing feature and presented over twenty exhibits. Here is a summary of meeting topics:

  • Three new Council members were welcomed: Tom Barnard, Jerry Flannelly, and Ted Wagner.

  • Chip Brennan presented the 2021-22 Treasurer’s Report which showed the Treasury in good shape.

  • Chris Getman led us in a review of Urban Resources Initiative with a video of our 2021 summer intern. Class support for a summer intern in 2022 was renewed. See the news story here.

  • Jon McBride led us in a review of Squash Haven, including a video of their success in 2021. Also shown was a video of a Squash Haven graduate who went to Columbia and is now an investment banker. Class support for this program in 2022 was renewed. See the news story here.

  • Ward Wickwire, our Yale Alumni Fund Chair of Agents, reviewed results in 2021-22, which showed we have achieved 85% of our goal with five months to go in the fiscal year. See details.

  • Bill Morse, our Class Delegate to the Yale Alumni Association, highlighted video programs from the Fall 2021 YAA Assembly.

  • Chris Getman showed the status of Mory’s Memorial Bricks, in which 255 departed classmates have been remembered.

  • The success of Regional Zoom “luncheons” in New Haven (Don Edwards), Boston (Jerry Flannelly), and Northern California (Tony Lavely for Owen O’Donnell) were reported by their respective organizers. Bob Buchanan announced that the DC Area is implementing a Zoom luncheon program in 2022.

  • Robert Whitby reported on the very successful Zoom minireunion last October: “Yale’s Academic Canon.”

  • Ward Wickwire reported on the theme Zoom event scheduled for April 28, 2022: “China: Confrontation or Collaboration?”

  • Joe Wishcamper reported on the plans for more theme Zoom events and asked for topics of interest to classmates.

  • Edward Massey reported on the “1964 Yale Authors Book Club” series and asked for recommendations for future Book Clubs.

  • Howard Gillette discussed plans for a Zoom theme event on affirmative action in late 2022 or early 2023.

  • Ted Jones reported that the Yale Golf Course is still not open to non-Connecticut residents. Consideration is being given to a 1964 golf outing on Cape Cod this summer.

  • The Council named John Evans and Ted Wagner as co-chairs for our 60th Class Reunion in 2024. See the story.

  • Chris Getman and Terry Holcombe presented a special citation to Marie Coady, a longtime employee at Mory’s (see the citation here).

  • Sam Francis presented an update on Class Statistics (here) and an overview of the Class website.

  • Tony Lee introduced our special guest from the Yale School of the Environment, Anthony Leiserowitz, the Director of the Yale Program on Climate Communication. See his talk here.

  • Tony Lavely introduced a panel of five students from the Yale School of the Environment to tell us about their work at the School. See the panel discussion here.

The Class Council meeting adjourned at 4:15pm. Special appreciation to Jennifer Julier at YAA for hosting the meeting.

After the meeting, feedback from Council members was very positive:

Tom Barnard: If Leiserowitz is saying that the scientific consensus is that we already have the means (technological, economic, political) to solve the global climate change problem, I am surprised, but hope he is correct. Tony, your final question to the student panel (“Are you optimistic about solving global climate change?”) brought forth their most candid and interesting answers.

Sam Callaway: The talk and student panel were the best since I joined the council.

Mac Deford: It’s not easy to make zoom meetings enjoyable — but this one was interesting and well worth it.

Bruce Driver: The YSE kids who appeared in the afternoon were great. They all seemed really bright and aware.

Tony Lee: Thanks to Tony Leiserowitz for the clear and convincing talk and slides. Thanks to Tony Lavely for setting this up for the Class Council members. And a distant thanks to Gus Speth. Without him none of this would have happened.  My two cents. We have everything we need to start a massive program of solar, wind and other renewables. The US presently has about 10% in renewables. With all hands on deck, we can increase that percentage to 70% or 80% before it starts getting more complicated with battery storage, etc. After all, the sun doesn’t shine at night or on cloudy days. And the wind doesn’t always blow. The recent NOAA report on sea levels rising faster than previously expected is very serious. We are not, however, able to stop the melting of glaciers or the rising sea levels.”

Howard Gillette: Good job, Tony, in every respect. The student panel was terrific, but everything else went well too. 

Bill Morse: Tony Leiserowitz’s presentation of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication was exceptional. The School of Environment students were an inspiration.

Mike Price: Tony: Thanks for a good meeting and interesting panel discussion.  I thought it was a very good panel discussion and was surprised that there is still reason for hope about climate change.