|
Selected text from the Association's Michaelmas
Term 2000 newsletter appears below. (In the interest of protecting our members'
privacy, some content from the printed version of the newsletter has not been
reproduced here.)
Michaelmas Term 2000
President's Letter
Dear Fellow Oxonian,
I trust you had a good summer and are sufficiently refreshed and ready for
the headlong rush towards the U.S. Elections, Thanksgiving and, most important,
the Oxford Alumni Association of New York (OAANY) Holiday Party!
The summer sun shone on us in Central Park for our conducted tour and rooftop
party in June and, despite forecasts to the contrary, on the Berkshire Hills
for our Party in mid-August. The sun even managed to show its face in Oxford
on July 15-16 when John Tepper Marlin and I represented the OAANY at the Annual
General Meeting of the Oxford Society. The Oxford Society, from which the
OAANY grew, has seen its membership and support decline in recent years. A
far-reaching vote to change the name and status of the Society was taken at
the July meeting. The Society will be renamed the Oxford University Society
and its activities will be rolled into the Alumni Office of the University.
This rational streamlining of alumni activities should benefit all of us involved
in alumni relations. The OAANY will continue to operate its own program of
events in the New York area, but we look forward to closer direct ties with
the Oxford University Society through the new arrangement.
Our Michaelmas Term events began on September 14 with a "New Matriculants"
evening in which new students leaving for Oxford from the tri-state area had
the opportunity to meet and ask questions of recent graduates and other members
of our Association. This was a new format for us and, judging by the reactions
of those who were able to attend, proved to be a most useful and fulfilling
experience for both young and old! The rest of our program is described herewith.
We will, as usual, be sending e-mail reminders to members a week or so before
each event.
Derek Benham
RICHARD N. HAASS ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The New York Athletic Club
180 Central Park South
7:00 P.M.
Wednesday, October 18, 2000
The OAANY is honored that Richard N. Haass will meet with our members to
share his unique insights into foreign affairs. Former Special Assistant to
President George Bush and Senior Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs,
National Security Council (1989-93), Dr Haass is currently Vice President
and Director of Foreign Policy Studies at The Brookings Institution. He also
holds the Sydney Stein, Jr. Chair in International Security. He has served
as Director of National Security Programs and Senior Fellow at the Council
on Foreign Relations. His many areas of expertise include U.S. foreign policy,
national security, economic sanctions, the Middle East/Persian Gulf and the
use of military force. In 1991, Dr Haass was awarded the Presidential Citizens
Medal for his contributions to the development and articulation of U.S. policy
during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Dr Haass is the author or editor of eight books on American foreign policy
- including The Reluctant Sheriff: The United States After the Cold War
- and one book on management: The Bureaucratic Entrepreneur: How to Be
Effective in Any Unruly Organization. He is a consultant to NBC News and
is a frequent contributor to foreign affairs journals and the op-ed pages
of major newspapers. Dr Haass received M.Phil and D.Phil degrees from Oxford
where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar.
We hope you are able to join us at this event focusing on important international
issues. The charge is $5 for members and $20 for Oxford graduates who are
not OAANY members. Space is limited, so please RSVP by clicking here
and sending an e-mail message to the attention of Joe Pascal by Friday, October
13. Please note the names of your guests. (No confirmation messages will be
sent unless the event is oversubscribed.)
This event will be held in the New York Athletic Club's President's Room
on the 10th Floor. Club rules require business attire (jackets and ties for
gentlemen).
YOUNG ALUMNI EVENT
The Thirsty Scholar
155 Second Avenue
6:30 P.M.
Tuesday, October 24, 2000
Another season, another neighborhood, another bar... Since the OAANY's young
alumni group was founded last September, we have met at breweries, lounges
and pubs in Midtown Manhattan, Union Square and the heart of Greenwich Village.
The next location for this roving party will be the East Village.
Oxonians under age 35, as well as all young-at-heart older alumni, are invited
to join us on Tuesday, October 24 at The Thirsty Scholar. Seemingly named
for Oxonians, this casual, split-level bar is located on Second Avenue, between
9th and 10th Streets. Charlie Douglas will be near the door until 7:00 p.m.
to greet you. Look for the gentleman wearing a colorful St Catherine's scarf.
(He will not be in the suit of armor!)
The OAANY has invited New York-area young alumni of the London School of
Economics to this informal event. Do bring your friends. To RSVP, click here
and send your e-mail message to the attention of Charlie Douglas. Let Charlie
know the number of guests you plan to bring.
DIRECTING SHAKESPEARE IN AMERICA:
A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR BARRY EDELSTEIN
Oxford University Press Offices
198 Madison Avenue
6:30 P.M.
Monday, November 13, 2000
The OAANY is very fortunate to have Barry Edelstein speak to us on directing
Shakespeare in America. Mr Edelstein is a Shakespeare specialist who has worked
on productions of more than half of the Bard's plays. This past summer he
directed Julius Caesar as part of the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in
the Park series. At the Williamstown Theatre Festival he directed As You Like
It starring Gwenyth Paltrow. Mr Edelstein teaches Shakespeare at the Juilliard
School and the Graduate Acting Program of the Tisch School of the Arts at
New York University.
Mr Edelstein is also the Artistic Director of the acclaimed off-Broadway
Classic Stage Company (CSC). Last season at the CSC, he directed Roger Rees
and Uma Thurman in the American premiere of Martin Crimp's witty update of
The Misanthrope. At the Roundabout Theatre several years ago, Mr Edelstein,
directed the award-winning revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.
Mr Edelstein received an M.Phil in English Renaissance Drama from Oxford.
He was a Rhodes Scholar. Please plan to join us for what is sure to be an
engaging evening. Come with questions.
This event will be held in the meeting room off the lobby of the Oxford
University Press Offices, which are located at 198 Madison Avenue at 35th
Street. The event is free for members. There is a $10 charge for non-members
and guests. To RSVP, send an e-mail message to Erin Burns. Please provide
the names of your guests. (No confirmation messages will be sent unless the
event is oversubscribed.)
POETRY READING BY YUSEF KOMUNYAKAA
The Harvard Club
27 W. 44th Street
8:00 P.M.
Thursday, November 16, 2000
The Poetry Group of the Harvard Club of New York invites OAANY members to
a reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa. This reading is
part of the Harvard Club's annual Greater Poets Series. Mr Komunyakaa is the
recipient of numerous other awards, including the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award,
The Dark Room Poetry Prize and the San Francisco Poetry Center Award. He is
the author of 11 books of poems. His latest book, Talking Dirty to the Gods,
has just been published. His poetry has been set to original jazz compositions.
Mr Komunyakaa's honors include a fellowship from the National Endowment for
the Arts. In 1999, he was elected a Chancellor of The Academy of American
Poets. He is professor in the Council of Humanities and Creative Writing Program
at Princeton University. There is no change for this event. Please RSVP by
clicking here and sending an e-mail
message to the attention of Nathaniel Hutner.
If you plan to attend this event, please note that the Harvard Club requires
jackets and ties for men and business attire for women.
ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY
The Princeton Club
15 West 43rd Street
6:00 - 8:00 P.M.
Thursday, November 30, 2000
By scheduling our holiday party at the end of November, we hope to be sure
to help you launch your holiday party season. Please mark the date of this
always-popular annual event in your calendar.
This year's holiday party will be held at The Princeton Club, the university
club with which the OAANY is now affiliated. OAANY members are entitled to
apply for membership in the Princeton Club. Membership fees are particularly
attractive for recent graduates. During the holiday party, we will have an
opportunity to tour the Princeton Club's excellent facilities, which include
a fitness center, squash courts, two restaurants, a lending library and overnight
accommodations. The Princeton Club sponsors its own full program of events
and has reciprocal relationships with 60 clubs around the world. OAANY members
who are interested in applying for membership in The Princeton Club before
this tour can call (212) 596-1240.
The cost for the OAANY holiday party is $20 for members and $30 for guests.
Memberships can be purchased at the door. The OAANY's holiday party is always
very well attended. Space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as you are able
to confirm your plans by sending an e-mail message to Diane C. Dunne. Please
provide the names of your guests. (No confirmation messages will br sent unless
the event is oversubscribed.)
| 
