October 2, 2006
A look inside Meliora Weekend
eliora Weekend returns for its sixth year, promising a fresh look at many of today’s important issues. Among the lineup for the three-day event from October 6 to 8 are commentator and analyst Fareed Zakaria, Harvard law professor Lani Guinier, news correspondent Lynn Sherr, and other alumni guests and speakers. Combining Reunion, Family Weekend, Homecoming, and Regatta, the annual gathering offers a chance for all members of the University community to reflect on emerging political, economic, and social trends. The weekend also features entertainment, sporting events, and a series of performances that spotlight University student groups and ensembles.
“Meliora Weekend is about celebrating Rochester’s people and our collective impact on the world,” says Jim Thompson, senior vice president and chief advancement officer. “It is an amazing experience when alumni, students, parents, families, friends, faculty, and staff all come together. Many Universities have homecoming celebrations, but like the University, Meliora Weekend is in a class of its own.”
The “Future of Feminism” is one of several programs that takes aim at social issues such as gender equality and diversity. Author and 20/20 correspondent Sherr will moderate a discussion with young professional women and will be the keynote speaker at a preceding luncheon program on Friday that caps the Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership’s yearlong work on assessing how far women have come since the days of suffragist Susan B. Anthony.
Many Universities have homecoming celebrations, but like the University, Meliora Weekend is in a class of its own.
—Jim Thompson
Senior vice president and chief advancement officer
Guinier, one of the nation’s most sought-after speakers on issues of race, gender, and democratic decision making, will open the Frederick Douglass Lecture Series with a talk about “Law, Social Change, and Social Movements” on Friday afternoon. Guinier is the first black women to earn tenure at Harvard Law School. In the program, she will respond to questions from Martha Biondi, an associate professor of African-American studies and history at Northwestern University.
In a related program, President Seligman, Interim Dean of the College Richard Feldman, and Francis Price ’74, ’75S (MBA), a University trustee and chair of the Multicultural Alumni Advisory Council, will provide updates on many diversity initiatives on and off campus. The presentation and discussion echoes Seligman’s pledge earlier this year to make diversity a fundamental value of the University and “an academic imperative.”
Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International and host of the PBS show Foreign Exchange, has just returned from a month-long reporting trip to China. He will offer his insights on global politics and the spread of democracy in a Saturday talk titled “Future of Freedom,” which is also the title of Zakaria’s latest book examining the relationship between free elections and the protection of civil liberties.
Gerald Gamm, chair and associate professor of political science, describes Zakaria as one of the top two or three commentators in the world on international affairs and the challenges facing emerging democracies as well as the challenges the United States faces in dealing with terrorist groups and hostile foreign governments. Gamm says Zakaria’s analysis suggests that the spread of elected governments does not guarantee the proliferation of free societies.
“In the United States and other free Western nations, it is often taken for granted that democracy and liberty always exist together, that free and fair elections will yield governments that protect the rights of citizens to get educated, to challenge the government, to worship in the way they choose, and to live their lives with dignity and autonomy. . . . In his latest book, Fareed looks at a range of democracies that have emerged in the second half of the 20th century and observes how free elections sometimes bring into power repressive governments,” says Gamm.
“This is the challenge that faces many governments today—in the Middle East, in Latin America, and elsewhere. Fareed’s talk will hopefully get people thinking and talking about this complex issue that certainly has significance for American foreign policy.” For alumni, the weekend is a chance to catch up with friends, share memories, and reconnect with campus life. In addition to reunions and other special events, there will be a Medallion Ceremony for the Class of 1956, an alumni breakfast with President Seligman and the College deans, and an all-varsity alumni tailgate party before the Homecoming football game on Saturday.
“Alumni love Meliora Weekend,” says Mary Jo Ferr, director of alumni relations. “This year, we expect nearly 2,000 graduates and their guests to attend class reunions, fraternity and sorority celebrations, the Yellowjackets 50th anniversary concert, along with multicultural, young alumni, and department gatherings and much more. Hundreds of alumni volunteers help plan these activities and call their friends, and they are the secret to our success.”
Alumni will also take the stage to discuss and share insights on important topics, including Nobel Prize winner Steven Chu ’70, who is leading the Presidential Symposium on Great Issues of the 21st Century: Energy Sustainability. A panel of experts will discuss how to satisfy current energy demands without creating an environmental catastrophe.
Accomplished finance and money managers—all University alumni—will tackle the vagaries of Wall Street. The panelists include Dan Cantor ’81, managing director of CK Advisors in New York; Mike Jones ’76, CEO of Clover Capital Management in Rochester; Joan Lavis ’83S (MBA), managing director of UBS in Stamford, Conn.; and Brian Roseboro ’81, managing director of Promontory Financial Group in New York. He recently served as assistant secretary for financial markets for the U.S. Treasury Department.
Simon School Dean Mark Zupan, who is moderating the panel, says those who attend can expect “to learn from some experienced and highly successful alumni about the strategic thinking processes that they employ to guide their own investment decision making. Having an all-alumni panel highlights how well a University and Simon School education can position individuals for successful careers in the world of finance.”
The return of “Miller’s Court” with Harvard Law Professor Arthur Miller ’56 will feature a close look at critical First Amendment issues swirling in and outside Washington, D.C. Around the table will be distinguished alumni and friends representing the media, law, and government.
Drew Carey and the Improv All-Stars bring their unique brand of ad-lib humor to the Palestra for two performances on Friday night. Other entertainment highlights include Friday Night Fever, where Rochester a cappella groups sing new hits and old favorites. On Saturday, Dance3 showcases student groups whose styles range from ballet to jazz to hip hop, and Rochester Revue, one of the weekend’s most popular events, features performances by a wide range of cultural groups. More than 200 musicians take the stage Saturday evening during a joint concert with the Symphony Orchestra, the Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs, and Chamber Singers.
Meliora Weekend closes Sunday with crew teams competing on the Genesee River in the renamed Head of the Genesee Invitational Regatta in Genesee Valley Park. More than 1,000 college athletes will arrive from the Northeast and Canada for the event, which is free to the public. For a full schedule of events or to register, visit www.rochester.edu/melioraweekend.
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