Folks –
You are invited to the next meeting of the Antioch College Alumni Chapter of Southeastern Michigan and Northern Ohio:
WHEN: Sunday, September 21, 2008, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Margo Lowenstein has graciously offered to host our meeting, with refreshments (!!!) at her home:
WHERE: 1121 Gott St, Ann Arbor
I’ve grabbed and attached some sample text (no maps) directions from Mapquest using Margo’s home address and figured routes from the north (Flint) south (Toledo) and east (Detroit). I’ve saved them in the 1997-2003 version of MS Word, so hopefully everyone can open them as needed.
WHAT:
Join Antiochians all across the country for Antioch (oops) NONSTOP Rocks, September 20-21, 2008 — a weekend dedicated to community building, planning, discussing, updating and coming-together as we move into the next phase of our struggle to save our beloved College.
Learn about alumni chapter organizing from NYC to LaJolla CA.
View the DVD prepared by the CRF.
Learn about the CRF, NLIA in YSO, Pro Tem Board, Task Force, GLCA and all the latest developments.
Contribute your ideas for our own chapter building and fundraising activities. We’ve already lined up some musicians and poets and others who are willing to contribute their talents to assist in this campaign.
WHY:
This a critical time in our struggle to reclaim and to rebuild Antioch as the autonomous liberal arts undergraduate college that we all know and love. Then again, we seem to have been in that critical stage for well over a year now! But yes, we are all needed so we must work to come together and do what Antiochians do – MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
BACKGROUND:
This a critical time in our struggle to reclaim and to rebuild Antioch as the autonomous liberal arts undergraduate college that we all know and love. Then again, we seem to have been in that critical stage for well over a year now! But yes, we are all needed so we must work to come together and do what Antiochians do – MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Since the Antioch University Board of Trustees ultimately rejected the alternative plans proposed by the Antioch College Continuation Corporation (AC3) it has proceeded to close and shutter the Yellow Springs campus. Since then the Antioch College faculty, staff and students, with the support of the townspeople and friends of Yellow Springs, and the Alumni Association and its Board of Directors, has just this week launched the NonStop Liberal Arts Institute. (For more complete information about the Institute, please go to the website: nonstopinstitute.org/). Just shortly before the 2008 Alumni Reunion, the Antioch University Board of Trustees formally unanimously decided to ask the Alumni Association and our Board to make an offer and a plan to take offer the College. A task force was quickly appointed, as follows:
“The task force consists of two representatives of the Antioch College Alumni Association (we selected Matthew Derr ‘89 and Lee Morgan ‘66), two representatives of the Antioch University Board of Trustees, and the President of the Great Lakes Colleges Association as the mediator.” (Source: antiochians.org/2008/08/08/preparation-for-a-new-fully-independent-antioch-college-aided-by-new-advisors/)
These past few months have been marked by intense negotiations while we have observed the closing and shutting down of the College buildings, during which there has been a great deal of concern expressed about the “clearing and cleaning” of the buildings, the disposition of furnishings and the preparation of the buildings for the coming cold weather. Please read about some of our frustrations by taking a look at the comments of our Alumni Association President, Nancy Crow, at the following site: antiochians.org/2008/09/08/campus-facilities-update-from-nancy-crow-president-alumni-board-of-directors/
Meanwhile, the work continues to establish the structure of the team that will initially guide the resurrection of Antioch College:
“The Antioch College Alumni Board of Directors announced that it has named the first 5 members to the College Board of Trustees Pro Tem. This initial group includes Matthew Derr ‘89, Atis Folkmanis ‘62, Frances Degen Horowitz ‘54, Lee Morgan ‘66, and Barbara Slaner Winslow ‘68.” (Source: antiochians.org/2008/08/20/first-5-members-named-to-antioch-college-board-of-trustees-pro-tem/)
There is again some light on the horizon and strong hope for reclaiming Antioch. The folks on the ground at the newly established administrative offices are fully committed to providing the support and structure for the process of rebuilding. (Please see the following site for a description of the offices and the work that is underway in Yellow Springs: antiochians.org/2008/04/10/nonstop-antioch-has-new-home-and-staff/)
“April 10, 2008– Antioch alumni working through the College Revival Fund, Inc. (CRF) announced today that they have opened new offices in Yellow Springs, Ohio for “Nonstop Antioch.” These offices are at 716 Xenia Avenue, right across the street from the Antioch College campus. The CRF is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt non-profit corporation founded by members of the Antioch College Alumni Association. Since last June, the CRF has raised over $19.5 million dollars for a continuing, independent Antioch College.
CRF Acting President Ellen Borgersen said today in a statement, “The Antioch University Board of Trustees has shown that they are unworthy to and unwilling to carry on the Antioch College educational mission. The attack on Antioch College is an attack on experiential liberal arts education, shared governance, tenured faculty, and unionized staff. It is up to the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and townspeople of Yellow Springs to carry on the historic mission of Antioch College, and Nonstop Antioch is the vehicle that will organize alumni support for that effort.”
There are pressing issues that need to be considered and the full support of all of the Antioch College Alumni is needed.
In addition to more complete reports about the structure being developed to assume control of the College and its ultimate reopening, we will be able to view a DVD about the NonStop Liberal Arts Institute, and discuss options and opportunities for our involvement. Not the least of these concerns is mounting a massive fundraising initiative, led by Risa Grimes and her staff now based at our 716 Xenia Avenue offices. I’ve attached a copy of the “College Revival Form” Pledge/Payment Form to begin that process. But we will also need everyone’s input for some ideas for fundraising activities. We’ve already lined up some musicians and poets and others who are willing to contribute their talents to assist in this campaign.
We need you to come out, join in and work with us in what we hope will be a major push over the top of the mountain leading to a renewed and revitalized autonomous Antioch College – something we haven’t had for three decades!
Can we count on you, please?!
If anyone has any questions, suggestions or concerns, please contact either one of us.
To assist with planning and refreshments, please RSVP to this email to either of your chapter co-chairs:
Tendaji W. Ganges at tganges
Terry Blackhawk at terry260.
We look forward to seeing you on September 21st at Margo’s house!
BE ASHAMED TO LET IT DIE!!!
Tendaji W. Ganges and Terry Blackhawk
Co-Chairs
