With alumni from the past 40 years represented, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College's first-ever Presidents and Vice Presidents Reunion on Friday and Saturday was a time for those alumni to return to BC to share their experiences with other former UGBC officials and the current president and vice president, Jenniffer Castillo, A&S '08, and Dan Sievers, A&S '08.
The BC Alumni Association, the Office of the Dean for Student Development (ODSD), and the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs sponsored the two-day event. It started Friday with a dinner and remarks by former Dean for Student Development and special advisor to the Alumni Association Bob Sherwood and Castillo in the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons.
"I think this event has the potential to not only benefit my term at UGBC, but also the future of UGBC and BC student life," Castillo said in an e-mail. "We are constantly addressing the same student life issues at BC, and listening to how UGBC dealt with them in the past will help us and future UGBC administrations know how to best address them in the future, so that we can ultimately benefit the student body."
While the idea for a reunion is something past leaders have considered, Castillo credited Sherwood for making the reunion a reality.
Saturday's proceedings were held in the Murray Room in Yawkey Center. Moderated by Sherwood, the morning featured a roundtable discussion and reflections with panelists and past presidents Michael Ryan, BC '69, Duane Deskins, BC '76, Jill Alper, BC '87, Richard Culliton, BC '91, and Grace Simmons, BC '05. Executive Vice President Patrick Keating continued the day with a presentation of the master plan, and, in true Superfan spirit, ended the afternoon with a viewing of the ACC championship football game against Virginia Tech.
In the roundtable discussion alumni commented on their UGBC experiences as a microphone passed among the tables. "It's amazing to me how much we have in common as leaders," said Simmons, UGBC president for the 2004-2005 school year. Alumni related on common issues like pushing for a student center, more representation for gay and lesbian students, race relations, blue safety lights, and rules regarding kegs on campus.
Former UGBC President Richard Culliton, BC '91, remembered getting involved with the UGBC through volunteering at an Elvis Costello concert in Conte Forum. Culliton coordinated a lecture series with Tom Clancy, Maya Angelou, and Cesar Chavez his junior year. "Working with administrators on issues that impacted students was very exciting and I've been fortunate to keep in touch with many of them through the years," Culliton said. "In addition to large-scale programs, we started a social awareness department in the UGBC, worked with AHANA leadership on campus climate issues and had some anti-war events in response to Desert Storm, the first Iraq war. Believe it or not, we also worked to lobby for the student center that is still in the works today."
"I'm not sure that any other group is as invested in BC as this group is," Keating said as a preface to his master plan presentation. The presentation, to be announced publicly on Wednesday when it will be formally filed with the city, was an outline of BC's 10-year plan. Keating emphasized the purchase of the 60 acres of the archdiocese's land in Brighton as an opportunity for BC to expand its planning ideas.
"The purchase opened up the strategic planning effort and allowed the institution to think more aggressively, creatively, and opportunistically about what we might do," Keating said.
As Keating presented, past UGBC officials asked questions. Some areas of concern regarded the future of BC tailgating and BC's relationship with the surrounding neighborhood. He acknowledged that while the nature of tailgating will change due to more limited parking spaces, he has met with people from Fenway Park about creative ways to tailgate.
It will be three to four years before the current tailgating environment will be impacted. As for the surrounding neighborhood, Keating noted that the number of scholarships and other things BC gives back to the neighborhood is extensive. BC's mitigation plan will unfold more publicly as the University enters into discussions with the city.
Presenting to a group of dedicated alumni changed the nature of Keating's presentation. When Keating mentioned the possibility of tearing down the Mods, a shout of "Save the Mods!" echoed from the audience. The issue of the Mods, like that of student body support for the construction of a student center, is one that alumni from any year can relate to. "It says that the pulse of the campus has remained somewhat consistent over the years," Simmons said.
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