April 22, 2001

Attending: Drs. James M. Caldwell, Susan C. Covey, John J. Crozier, L. David Cruse, Gerald Frank, Eric J. Friedrich, Louis R. Iacoponi, A. M. Iatesta, Margaret P. Johnston, William F. Johnston, Harry Kaplan, David A. Koch, Thomas J. Landry, Thomas L. Lewis, Michael E. Margaretten, Marie A. Marrone-Moriarty, John Ochsenreither, Alan B. Ostroff, Lawrence A. Ragone, Robert A. Rosenberg, Charles S. Smith, Robert N. Spivack, James B. Sullivan, Harold Wiener, Eugene A. Winakor, Melvin D. Wolfberg, and Jonas J. Zucker, Mr. Tucker Van Dyck, Ms. Lynne C. Corboy and Donna W. Dagnon.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:45 a.m.

Treasurer's Report

The treasurer’s report was accepted as presented.

Alumni Association President's Report

Dr. Thomas Lewis was asked to address the group. He reported that PCO has purchased the 3.8 acre property adjacent to the College. If zoning and deed changes can be made and state funding secured, the College would like to build a Student /Community Center. The center would include a full gymnasium, an aerobic area and a racquetball court. The large gym would be designed to convert easily to a large lecture hall or event facility.

Dr. Lewis also reported that the College is working with a design firm to develop the PCO history display for the third floor lobby. The display will highlight the five presidents of the College, the various campuses and accomplishments of PCO. The display will be installed in the fall of 2001.

Dr. Lewis then described the new satellite clinic in Strawberry Mansion. The new clinic, located in an underserved area of Philadelphia, now has four exam rooms and provides an additional clinical experience for PCO students.

Alumni Association President, Dr. Larry Ragone, then spoke to the group about the PCO history display. Dr. Ragone proposed that the Alumni Association make a significant contribution to the $80,000 cost of the project. The group agreed that this was a project of interest to the alumni and one that was appropriate for alumni to support, either through the Association or as individuals. The most recent significant contribution that the Alumni Association made to the College was a series of gifts to the New Horizons Campaign totaling $35,000.

Dr. Ragone proposed a motion that the Alumni Association allocate $30,000 to fund the history display. The motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.

Committee Reports

Awards Committee: The Committee was pleased to be able to recommend Dr. Neil W. Draisin, class of ’71, as this year’s recipient of the Albert Fitch Memorial Alumnus of the Year Award.

This coming year, the Awards Committee will be making a renewed effort to increase the pool of nominations, both by publicizing the award to our alumni and by contacting the PA and NJ state optometric associations.

The Committee will also be discussing the possibility of a Young Alumnus Award and what criteria, if any, should be the basis of the current award.

By Laws Committee: Dr. John Crozier reported to the group on proposed changes to the Alumni Association bylaws. These changes primarily integrate job descriptions of officers and directors into the bylaws as well as describe how elections shall be held. Copies of the bylaws with the proposed changes were distributed. Dr. Crozier recommended that the bylaws be amended as shown.

Finance Committee:

No requests for funds, no report.

Nominating Committee:

The slate will be presented under Election of Officers.

Reunion/Special Events Committee: The primary activity of this committee over the past year has been to help with the planning of the Alumni Reunion. 160 alumni and their guests attended this year’s reunion dinner dance. This compares favorably to last year’s attendance of 153.

Next year’s reunion will also be held at the Philadelphia Marriott West. The committee will be meeting over the summer to work on other details.

This committee also monitors other special events for PCO alumni. Over the past year, alumni receptions were held at the North Carolina State Optometric Association meeting in November, the AAO meeting in December and at SECO in February. PCO will also be hosting an alumni reception at the AOA meeting in Boston in June.

The College also sponsored two regional alumni dinners in Florida in February. 50 alumni and their guests attended the Boca Raton dinner and 17 alumni and guests attended the Sarasota dinner. Dr. Lewis and Lynne Corboy hosted these dinners.

Student Relations Committee: Over the course of the last year, members of this committee have participated in a number of activities intended to introduce students to the Alumni Association. Last May, Dr. Ragone and Donna Dagnon attended the awards dinner the night before graduation and handed out a pen as a gift of the Association and a brochure about the Alumni Association to each student. We plan to do that again next month for the class of 2001. Each August, the Association sponsors an orientation party for incoming students. Several Alumni attended this year. In November, Dr. Ochsenreither represented the Alumni Association at the Bennett Center program, Options in Optometry. At this program, optometrists from a variety of practice settings discussed the issues relevant to these different modes of practice.

The Alumni Association also sponsored attendance at the reunion dinner dance for students who are leaders in student government. Six students were able to join us last night.

Election of Officers

Two additional nominations were accepted from the floor: Alan Ostroff and William Johnston. The amended slate of officers was accepted.

Old Business

There was no old business

New Business

A motion was introduced that the bylaws be adopted as corrected and presented. The motion was passed with a unanimous show of hands.

Good and Welfare

Dr. Ragone welcomed Dr. Louis Iacoponi as the New Alumni Association President. Dr. Iacoponi presented Dr. Ragone with a plaque in recognition of his two years of service as president of the Association.

The Association also presented certificates of appreciation to directors leaving the alumni Board: Dr. Jim Caldwell, Dr. Andrew Gurwood and Dr. Gerold Wassel.

In honor of her many years of service to the College and the Alumni Association, Donna Dagnon was made an Honorary Alumna of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Robert A. Rosenberg, OD, ’61
Secretary