Wed 9 May 2007
Fellow EphBlogger Jeff Zeeman ‘97 is too modest to mention his leadership role in the class of 1997 reunion blog. The class of 1982 has an impressive reunion website. I especially like their old school Facebook reproduction. The class of 1987 has a blog with 4 entries. I don’t see sites for other classes. Pointers welcome.
The Alumni Society is, allegedly, rolling out a new set of web tools for helping classes with reunion and other activities. If history is any guide, this will be a failure, like virtually everything the Alumni Society has done on-line in the last decade. Sorry! See here for a great Ken Thomas ‘93 rant on the topic.
Now, I should be nicer and more encouraging. I have many friends who work in the alumni office, skilled and competent people who have the best interests of Williams at heart. But the office (or just its leadership?) has proved incapable of understanding what works and what does not on these crazy internet thingies. Again and again and again, I have tried to help out, make constructive suggestions, point the way. I wish that they would take the ideas behind, say, EphCOI and run with them. I have tried to get them to host a Winter Study seminar like our CGCL. I would be happy if they would maintain an Eph Blogroll and Eph Planet.
Unfortunately, I have been turned down (nicely but firmly) every single time. The Alumni Office, like the College itself, is too insular, bureaucratic and technologically backward to do anything that alumni find interesting or useful (with the possible exception of simple tools like the directory or record of alum giving).
And so, we will just have to build a shining conversation in the (virtual) Purple Valley. We will need to demonstrate how reunions (and everything else associated with alumni activities) should be supported on the web. Impressed with what EphBlog has accomplished in the last 4 years?
You ain’t seen nothing yet.
2007-05-09 23:13:35
What do you and the EphBlogBoard have in mind?
2007-05-10 11:06:26
One of the earliest alumni web sites, I’m happy to say, was created by the
august Class of 1975–http://www.williams75.org — relatively impressive considering it was put up before the advent of blogs and wikis and the average classmate age is, shall we say, not “twenty something.”
It includes features such as Facebook Then and Now, class trivia questions, and
classmate publications. In short, the class is not only a leader in Alumni Fund giving (at this point, over $4 million) but also in its online presence.
By the way, class web sites are listed by the college at
http://www.williams.edu/alumni/communities/class_info/
2007-05-10 12:05:59
The Always Amazing Class of 1975!
Special kudos to Guy, who is too modest to say he’s the genius behind our very fun website.
2007-05-10 13:04:47
It is likely that David Kane is getting turned down because he is personally disliked for his commentary and abrasive personality, despite having good intentions. Someone else who is more pleasant and personable will have to take on the project in order to get community support.
2007-05-10 13:14:42
“commentary and abrasive personality”
“Commentary” — perhaps. “Abrasive personality” — unfair.
2007-05-10 18:23:47
Maybe abrasive is unfair but I’ve twice heard him described by people as “manipulative sociopath” upon meeting him and others said they felt uncomfortable by how he presented himself. It would be better if someone more accustomed to interpersonal communication met with administration for anything official. He is good at running an amusing blog where personality flaws establish an entertaining voice but others should handle meetings with administrators.
2007-05-10 19:14:58
What meetings are we talking about? SALT talks? Who is representing the administration? Deputy Secretaries of State?
2007-05-10 21:14:25
“pleasant and personable”
I have found David to be both pleasant and personable, and, although I may not always agree with his opinion, I wouldn’t at all consider him to be a “manipulative sociopath.” Were these “people” you refer to formed of a Play-Doh-like substance such that they were in great danger of being so manipulated?
2007-05-10 21:15:11
That was my opinion at 9:14 pm.
2007-05-11 09:23:30
Perhaps he was never “caned” properly.