Elected officials salute Sesquicentennial

ochester Mayor William Johnson, Jr., and Monroe County Executive Jack Doyle have declared Sunday, November 5, as University of Rochester Day, the date in 1850 when the first students attended college classes.

New York Gov. George Pataki also has sent a letter of congratulations to the University community acknowledging the success of the institution on its 150th anniversary. The governor wrote that the University "instills students not only with academic excellence, but also enriches their lives with solid values, a sense of civic duty, and leadership skills, which are essential to achieving success in life."

The joint proclamation from the mayor and county executive commended the University for, among other achievements, "developing programs of research and instruction that are internationally renown" and for "the admission of women in 1900, before women had obtained the right to vote." Lois Giess, president of the City Council and a 1963 graduate of the University, and Dennis Pelletier, president of the county Legislature, also signed the proclamation.

State Sen. Jim Alesi also recognized the founding of the University and its accomplishments with a proclamation. In his salute, he made special mention of this year as the 75th anniversary of the Medical Center.

Sandra Frankel, town supervisor in Brighton where the South Campus is located, recognized the University as an important contributor to excellence in the Brighton school district. In a proclamation, she wrote, "This Sesquicentennial celebration is a fitting tribute to the women and men who have served the school with distinction and also to the school's graduates, who have made their mark in our community and across the world."

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