50 Years of SUNYCUAD

A 'Singleness of Purpose'

By Harry Charlton

A major factor in SUNYCUAD's success from the beginning was the encouragement and enlightened leadership in the State capital.

From the earliest days of President William S. Carison to the current tenure of Chancellor Bob King, SUNY CEOs understood the value of strong advancement programs, ranging from the public relations-centered efforts of the 1950s to today's broad-based, technology-conscious thrusts. State University's CEOs were originally called presidents. Samuel B. Gould was the system's last president and its first chancellor.

It was the echelon level just below the top which actively organized and amalgamated the then-PR Council into a cohesive group. Dan Button, later a U.S. Congressman, and Mike Scelsi were instrumental in the earliest years. Quarterbacking the effort from the University's first headquarters in the Capitol, Dan called the first PR Council meeting 50years ago.

When Mr. Button became President Carison's assistant in October 1955, Jerome G. Kovalcik was appointed SUNY's public relations officer. Jerry had been a faculty member of Champlain College and later public relations officer at Forestry.

Kovalcik was the point person in 1957 for campus efforts to pass Amendment I ' the successful campaign to obtain voter approval for a $250 million bond issue, a gigantic sum in that time, to expand SUNY. The PR Council began twice annual meetings, one in Albany and the second on a campus.

Alfred Professor Warren Bouck was the Council's first president and Scelsi, at Harpur College, held the reins for the next four years, the longest presidency in consecutive terms.

It was a fortunate day for SUNY when J. Lawrence Murray came aboard, first as Secretary of the University and later as Executive Vice President and for a time acting chief administrator. A former newsman, Murray was instrumental helping set the campus budgetary line for "assistant to the president for public relations," although the working title varied on each campus. Murray was soon bring the views of campus PR professionals back to Central Admin's highest levels. And a highlight of PR Council sessions was his "inside look" at SUNY budget prospects, political trends and effective marketing for the University's amazing emergence.

When Murray needed a "public relations officer" to direct the dissemination effort, now emanating from 7 Thurlow Terrace, he picked the Albany Times-Union's Capitol correspondent Hugh J. Tuohey. Soon Hugh was expanding a one-man-band operation to address other needs of a burgeoning system, including catalog publications and alumni relations. With a core of campus professionals, the Confederation of Alumni Associations came into being.

As new missions were identified, such assistant or associate vice chancellors as Richard Gillman and much later Patrick Hunt coordinated Albany's advancement efforts. Gillman, hired by Chancellor Gould, recalled that his first major writing assignment was the release for Gould's resignation.

When Ernest L. Boyer became chancellor, he installed Clifton C. Thorne, SUNY Albany vice president for student affairs, as SUNY vice chancellor for university relations and development ' a good choice for the late 60s and early 70s when student protests and sit-ins cropped up every where.

Although they weren't long-term at Systems, communications specialists Bruce Detlefsen and Regis Ebner made campus impact. Ebner's knowledge of the whole advancement spectrum and candid style made him an instant favorite with many campus counterparts, some of those friendships lasting today. Detlefsen, a one-time Associated Press higher education writer and former Latin teacher, left to become Commissioner of Education Ewald Nyquist's assistant.

Ebner was active in professional organizations, as were SUNY Buffalo advancement chief Westley Rowland and Jim Van Houten. They were featured speakers and panelists at CASE regional and national sessions.

In the 70s Herbert B. Gordon was working in an area far removed from news, publications and development with the title of Director of Property Acquisition. In a major career change within SUNY, Herb became Director of Governmental Relations. He was SUNY's only registered lobbyist.

The open-handed years of the Rockefeller era were becoming only a rosy history. Campuses interacted with the Legislature as best they could, with some presidents placing great emphasis on the area and others less.

Herb realized that there was already a well-functioning group with representation from SUNY units statewide, cutting across institutional lines and curricula: SUNYCUAD. Beginning with a modest "Legislation Relations Workshop," the foundation for today's SUNY Day was laid. In the years which followed, the Day brought hundreds of campus reps, faculty and students to Albany to work for a University-wide agenda and hear from the most influential Legislative and Executive branch leaders, their staffs, ways and means experts and veteran lobbyists from other state-wide organizations.

In a subsequent reorganization, Herb's title was expanded to Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations AND University Affairs.

Clifton R. Wharton brought more than management and organizational genius to the SUNY chancellorship. He welcomed aboard two cabinet level execs who became enthusiastic SUNYCUAD supporters.

Both Robert Perrin and Elliot Ballard had been important members of Wharton's administration at Michigan State. Vice Chancellor Perrin was a quiet innovator who initiated a SUNY-wide video and a prestige printed piece. Sensitive to a modest Council budget, Bob found a way to contribute to conference programs with wherewithal for an excellent speaker.

Certainly SUNY's tallest vice chancellor, Bob was both laconic and Lincolnesque. Returning from a trip to Capitol Hill, he was asked by a staff member, "How are things at the Seat of Government?" "Patched," was his instantaneous retort.

When Perrin moved on to TIAA-CREF, Chancellor Wharton asked "Al" Ballard to serve as acting VC for university affairs and development for six months. Al loved the assignment but it lasted two whole years, overlap-ping into the Johnstone chancellorship. Al was able to attend a SUNYCUAD conference at Lake Placid. A great photo exists of him, Cornell's Dave Stewart and others at the historic John Brown Farm.

As Larry Murray had brought Hugh Tuohey aboard, Tuohey recruited Bill Carr from Alfred and Harry Charlton from Oswego as assistant public relations officers. The staff also included current member of Assembly Bob Prentiss. Carr became Murray's assistant and later Chancellor Boyer's before joining the Education Department for what became a distinguished career as Secretary to the Board of Regents.

In what he later called "the most providential assignment ever" Harry became Systems liaison with SUNYCUAD in 1977 as Geneseo's Art Hatton became Council president. With 11 years at Oswego and another nine at Central interacting daily with campus PROs, he welcomed the chance to promote the annual conference, SUNY Day and regional workshops. With Hatton's help and a long-suffering Graphics and Printshop, the "Around SUNYCUAD" newsletter was born.

PR Council, SUNY/CURC, SUNYCUAD: The Early Years
An early "general statement" suggested that when the University was chartered in 1948, it was a "collection of disparate units" ' accurate enough considering the differences in size, scope and mission of its campuses. And the members of the early PR Council, although united in purpose, were disparate themselves.

Many of the first campus advancement practitioners were assigned the PR/PI function as "collateral duty." Alfred's Warren Bouck, the first Council president, was from the academic side. A popular early member was Plattsburgh Dean Fred Tuttle. He had a book of punchlines, enabling him to recall whole jokes. On one such occasion, Oneonta's George Engleman declared "And the voice of the Tuttle is heard throughout the land." At Broome Tech, later Broome CC, Dick "Fuzzy" Baldwin, a record-setting basketball coach, had the external relations job and co-hosted a nearly Council conference with other Southern Tier units.

But many of the first campus image builders had experience on daily newspapers or radio stations. They came to their new professions with portfolios full of by-lines, features and photos. Nassau CC's Sam Sesskin joined the campus community from the editorial desk of the New York Daily Mirror.

Looking at the SUNYCUAD roster today, one is struck by the heavy plurality of women, a reversal from the early Council days. But women were important contributors from the early years when Downstate's Evelyn Goodman and Fashion Institute's Nancy Yedlin were active. Monroe's Kay Weston was an early director and later Council secretary.

The Council helped foster warm friendships, such as the ag-tech connection between Canton's Camille Howland and Cobleskill's Jean Webb Williams.

It's hard to deny the pivotal role of women to campus missions when there are at least four campuses where spouses were also colleagues: Tom and Jean Malinoski at Fredonia, Mark and Alexis Bilker on Long Island, Ron and Sarah Watts at Brockport and Randy and Janet Schultz at Niagara County.

From the first, informal swapping of ideas and experiences were as valuable as formal sessions. A look at some of the early conference topics amazes one with the similarity to many of today's urgencies.

Promoting excellence in austere times, locating "lost" alumni, striving for success in development in an area which had been almost the sole province of private colleges, handling "hot potatoes," promoting presidents as chief image builders and/or spokespeople, controversial speakers. Harry Charlton's first presentation centered on the not-too-welcome appearance of American Nazi Party head George Lincoln Rockwell in Oswego.

The time-honored "ice breaker" after the initial Council program on the first evening offered sharing of expertise, short cuts, how to come to grips with the bureaucracy ' invaluable advice for newcomers and veterans alike. Whether the menu called for commiseration or congratulation, Council members found there is nothing like peer advice.

The group got around. The twice-a-year format was dropped and the annual conference changed from a September to June, primarily to accommodate alumni relations people who found autumn their busiest season.

Since New Paltz and Plattsburgh foundations had established their own off-campus conference centers, New Paltz's lodge-like center in the Catskills and Plattsburgh's Valcour Conference Center made great conference sites at reasonable rates. Once when New York City-area campuses were hosts, the banquet took place at the Overseas Press Club.

Although not without a few wrinkles, Maritime hosted one annual gathering aboard its training ship, the Empire State. But when the ship had docked, perhaps because of the tide, it was tied up with a built-in list. In each cabin it was an uphill trudge to the "head" and unless care was taken, the trip back found conferees unceremoniously tossed toward their bunks. But it was a great conference and most delegates stuck it out. Others "jumped ship" in favor of an area motel.

Because conference planners have always taken advantage of the natural beauty in their own environs, SUNYCUADers don't have to be convinced that "New York State has everything." Among the dozens of local color opportunities Council members enjoyed were a Niagara Falls trip, canoeing in the Catskills, a Lake Placid cruise, softball and harness racing at Saratoga, the famous meatloaf dinner at the Holland Patent American Legion post, a reception in the lounge atop the Mt. Van Hovenburg ski jump, a dinner session at an Irish pub in Syracuse's Tipperary Hill and many more.

While the Council prided itself in cutting across unit and specialization lines, groups of members sometimes had their own laundry lists. The Alumni Confederation, an organization for development officers and earlier, a Two-Year College Subcouncil existed. But all eventually decided to also continue under the SUNYCUAD umbrella.

A very staunch supporter not only of his own campus but all community colleges was Broome's Marvin Behr. At one session a colleague from a different part of the state remarked that Mary was getting quite gray. Mary smiled from under his spectacles and disagreed. "It's just a pigment of your imagination," he retorted.

Recognition to many Council members came not only through its own awards program/competition but later through the Chancellor's Awards series. But honors from campus communities were also forthcoming for many.

Our roster included two mayors, Canton's Stanton Smith and Oneonta's Jim Georgeson. New Paltz's Leland Heize and Geneseo's Art Hatton were members of their village boards. Don Garrant was a county legislator in Plattsburgh and later its chair. Don is now a member of the College Council. Orange County's Jack McMahon served first as a member and then chairman of the OCCC Board of Trustees.

As the annual conference drew near each year, veteran Council members cherished the opportunity to see old friends. In the 60s a highlight of every conference was Sam Sesskin's limerick workshop, which usually took place after the formal program on the first evening.

A brave host, often Orange's Jack McMahon, would convene the limerick afficiandos in his room. Sam would read some of his own efforts but mostly from a weighty volume he brought. With pseudo-serious intonation, he would often read two versions of the same doggerel. Following an English version with a translation from, e.g., the German, Sam would advise, "Notice the subtle Teutonic overtones in he translated version."

He also spun tales of his days as a reporter on the Daily Mirror. Once when the Eastern potentate Ib'n Saud was making headlines, the other reporters noticed a striking resemblance to Sam with his bushy eyebrows and generous moustache. From the men's room came a white towel and a turban was fashioned for Sam. A picture was snapped and for a while, he enjoyed a new identity--Ib'n Sam!

In the late 70s a SUNYCUAD newsletter began to be published from the Central Administration PR Office. Council President Art Hatton suggested its name ' simply "Around SUNYCUAD." Photos and features about the advancement trade and some professional-calibre cartoons from Oneonta's Dan Ticknor and human interest grist about CUADers poured in.

While promoting the important outreach dates on the Council calendar 'the conference and SUNY Day, "Around" reproduced gems from campus publications and pointed with pride at CASE and other honors won by campus practitioners. It attempted a nice folksy side as well.

A SUNY Albany colleague called the editor to thank him for his concern but wondered if it had been necessary to "tell the world" about his gall bladder operation. Headlines were different, too. A page one, one-column headline about honors earned by Monroe's Jerry Ryan presented a "small count" problem. It read "For Ryan" on one line and "Out Loud" on the second.

Always on the lookout for good photos, AS/C chose a nice shot of a community college production of "Arsenic and Old Lace." Right next to it was a dandy spot for a story about SUNY Health Science Centers and private medical colleges' concerns about a serious shortage of cadavers. The year 1993 saw SUNYCUAD celebrate its 40th anniversary in this very hall where we sit tonight, ushering in one of its most interesting and defining decades. While the Board held to its mission, there was more than a little pressure brought to bear on our group by a rotating leadership in Central administration. That pressure to change eased considerably when Bob King assumed the Chancellor's post.

Here was a Chancellor that knew the value of synergies that can be drawn when you give the advancement function the fuel to run at full throttle. Executive Vice Chancellor Dick Miller and then-Board President John Mazzetti sealed the deal with a groundbreaking "memo of under-standing" between SUNYCUAD and System. This "Magna Carta" spells out the importance of what we do as an organization as well as assures the mutual support and respect that is so important.

Our numbers help tell a success story. While there may have been one person per campus when we began, we now number close to 800strong. The conferences that struggled to draw 75 learners, now attract nearly 300 professionals.

While there is not a genetic connection, participation in SUNYCUAD appears to be inherited by proximity. The current board bears this out...Pete Koryzno is following Norb Haley at Cortland, Dan Hurley and Roxanne Johnston are following their mentor Art Hatton at Geneseo, and Rose Robinson keeps Don Garrant's Plattsburgh memory alive.

A Lasting Impression
We haven't used the honorific "the late" in these recollections. The subjects fall into three categories: practitioners of long service still active in SUNY or other careers, retirees, and those looking down on us from the big Advancement Office in the Sky. A popular notion of immortality is that our dearest friends live on in the hearts and memories of us, the survivors. These wonderful colleagues certainly live in ours.

When I returned to campus from my second Council meeting in1958, my secretary told me one of our phys ed faculty members, Carl Willgoose, had dropped in to discuss an article. He walked in and asked where I had been so I told him briefly about the meeting and organization. "Wow," he jibed. "Your back and shoulders must be sore from all that backslapping; I'll bet your face is tired from smiling. I can see it now: 'HiBill,' 'Well done,' 'You look swell.'

I overlooked the obvious chain yanking but at the time I was chagrined by what looked like a difficult road ahead for our profession. While we promoted our institutions and higher education, it appeared our own area of endeavor was largely misunderstood.

Forty-five years later the rancor is gone. Instead, there is an unmistakable sense of gratitude for the camaraderie and open-mindedness which SUNYCUAD represents. While there were no backs pounded or heavy hugs, the lasting impression is one of singleness of purpose and genuine affection. The term is overused, but we could call it "bonding."

So congratulations, SUNYCUAD, and take a bow. And while you're at it, give yourself a pat on the back.