Southeastern Michigan and Northern Ohio – Sunday 9/21

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

Chicago – Sept 20th Rock Nonstop at The Spot!

Hi Everyone!

This weekend Saturday, September 20th we are gathering at

The Spot
4437 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL

Starting at 9pm with open bar reception from 10pm-11pm.  Please bring a non-perishable food item for The Spot’s canned food drive and just mention “Antioch” to cut the line and waive the cover.

Please join us on The Spot’s patio show our solidarity with the national Nonstop Rocks weekend to support Nonstop Antioch and the Nonstop Liberal Arts Institute.  We will catch up with each other and the state of the Nonstop Antioch movement.

If you haven’t been involved with the Chicago Chapter, this is the perfect start! Join us for a fun, social evening among friends and get the latest lowdown from the front lines.

How can you help?  Spread the word!  Then?  Attend!    Below is the link to the The Nonstop at The Spot Facebook event page, and attached is the invitation.

Hope to see you there!

Beth Richards ‘04
Outreach/ Recruitment Coordinator
Chicago Area Alumni Chapter

Sept 20th Facebook Event Page

www.new.facebook.com/events.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=40032253520

Chicago Antiochians Facebook Group

www.new.facebook.com/events.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=38213289792

Austin Chapter – Friday October 10th

Friday October 10th the Austin chapter will hold its fundraiser at the home of alums Tim Eubanks and Harley Gambill.  We will provide an update on Non Stop, have time for folks to craft fundraising appeals to their friends and family.  Wine and cake will also be available for sale to benefit Non Stop.  At the event folks will be encouraged to go online and make their donation.

For more information contact Tim Eubanks at teubanks

Campus Facilities Update from Nancy Crow, President, Alumni Board of Directors

UPDATE: I have attempted repeatedly to contact Tom Faecke, the University’s CFO. I am strongly urging him in my role as a Trustee that he agree to the reasonable and entirely sensible plan of alumni representatives walking through the campus and taking an inventory of what currently exists on the Antioch College campus. I will remind him that we can easily remove caches of books and papers that we deem valuable, making sure that there is no fire hazard, while still securing our history and legacy.

Noreen Dresser, one of the co-chairs of the Facilities committee, was recently in Yellow Springs for a couple of days to review the current situation on the ground. She has prepared a most enlightening a report, with constructive suggestions on moving forward in collaboration with the Village of Yellow Springs. As many of you know, Noreen has many years experience with facilities and building management, and is quite passionate about making sure the buildings on our historic campus are secure, undamaged, and ready for rehab as soon as we have secured an  agreement for the transfer of the campus to the College Board Pro Tem. After the Alumni Association Executive Committee and our Facilities Committee have an opportunity to digest the report, we will share her findings and suggestions for next steps with the community.

Intrepid alumni on the ground in Yellow Springs recently discovered that the University’s clean-up crew has been throwing out books and pamphlets. Many thanks to Gerry Bello ’97 and Tim Noble ’02 for making
this discovery, and to Gerry for calling me. As I said to him then, the idea of books being tossed is like a knife in my heart. These books are emphatically *not* subpar items, such as broken furniture or mold-covered mattresses, that would have to be discarded no matter what.  These books and papers, many of them irreplaceable, are a catalogued and erstwhile organized treasure trove of our shared history, and as such, are priceless. They are also part of the  legacy for future generations of Antiochians, some of whom are preparing to start classes right now with the Nonstop Liberal Arts Institute. No Antioch alum can condone this action; it must stop.

The Alumni Board’s Facilities Committee had asked Milt Thompson for the chance to walk through campus and take an inventory.   Milt’s boss, Tom Faecke, has not authorized Milt to pursue this sensible, easily-achieved plan. We recognize that Mr. Faecke is working on a limited budget and is carrying out the task he was assigned of cleaning out and securing buildings, but we strongly urge him to permit the Alumni Board’s
authorized representatives to remove caches of paper and memorabilia rather than pitch books and records, regardless of their historic value.

The Alumni Board facilities committee offers to work with the University to halt this needless destruction, and to agree to the common-sense solution of having representatives of the alumni take inventory. Yes, we can avoid misunderstandings and still protect the campus against fire by letting authorized alumni representatives walk through the campus and take inventory. The University Board of Trustees, on which I sit, in its June 7th resolution to start the planning for separation of the College from the University, acknowledged that the future of Antioch College rests on the shoulders of its alumni. We cannot build a future without the incredible work and materials of alumni of past generations.

We are still ashamed to let it die!

–Nancy Crow, ’70
President, Antioch College Alumni Association

Faculty Legal Updates

Hi Folks,

The Faculty lawsuit has been moving forward steadily, though quietly. I’ve taken the baton from Peter Townsend in coordinating communication, and thought that we’re way past due in providing an update on the various pieces of the legal puzzle that have been unfolding during the past few months.

a) Some may know that Eric Bates, one of the ACCC negotiators, was deposed June 26th.  Due to the confidentiality agreements between the ACCC and the University in their negotiations, the text of the deposition has not yet been released.  University attorneys are still reviewing the text of the deposition, and it should be released soon.  We’ll post it as soon as it’s made available.

b) The Greene County judge has not yet ruled on the University’s motion to dismiss the Faculty lawsuit.  There is no legal deadline for him to do so, and his ruling could come tomorrow or months from now.

c) We’re moving ahead with depositions, and have scheduled two Trustees to be deposed in early September.  Other Trustees and the Chancellor are in the cue.

d) Faculty counsel sent a request to University counsel for electronic documents on July 11.  Most importantly, the request asked the University to produce all e-mails to and from the Chancellor starting in January of ‘07.  We have received a written response, and should be receiving the documents shortly.  At that point we will have to review what has been released, to examine critical absences, and may have to seek the court’s help in compelling production of relevant electronic documents, including, if necessary, forensic retrieval.

On behalf of the faculty I’d like to thank all of you who have supported us in this legal action.  The process is long and painstaking, and of course very expensive, but I’m convinced that the lawsuit (a) has been a primary force in keeping the Board and University at the negotiating table, and (b) has played a very important role in excavating the Board and University processes that led to the closure of the College.  I hope you will continue to show your generosity in this effort to get at the truth and to bring about an autonomous, viable and thriving Antioch College.  Contributions for the Faculty Legal Fund can be directed to the College Revival Fund folks.

For the Faculty,

Bob Devine