Newton Rotary Meeting Tuesday Feb 18 2014

Posted by Marie Presti

on Feb 18, 2014

Mary Kern, our President called the meeting to order at 12:29 pm.
Bert Martinson led us in the pledge of allegiance
Mary Kern gave us a rotary Invocation
Susanne McInerney led us in singing America the Beautiful

Sue Peghiny stepped in as Sergeant of Arms and introduced our guests:

Alex Taggard, potential member

Zaira Meneses, celebrity judge for Newton Has Talent and potential member (!), she is a world renowned classical guitarist and lives in Newton

Stefan Sowa, guest of Susanne McInerney and her intern

Michael Alexander, President of Laselle College and our speaker today.

Alex Taggerd, Embroid Me, prospective member

Announcements:
Newton Has Talent Fundraiser: Tom Keery said Deadline for entries is Feb 20. We will probably extend the deadline. People will procrastinate. We have procured a Spotlight sponsor: Honda Village due to Marie's efforts and a Marquee Sponsor: Bernardi, due to Sue's efforts
Nixon Insurance $500 due to Tom's efforts
Village Cafe: $500 due to Marie's efforts
$250 Ad sponsors include: Just Next Door, Ligris & Associates, Santander
Billboards out on the street. Thank Paul for coming with Tom and putting the billboards out there.

Sue: Rotary donated a book to the public library on behalf of Michael Alexander, our speaker. "I got schooled".
Mary announced we are having a Board meeting Feb 28 at noon at YMCA.
District Conference is May 16-18. Mary was asking for a show of hands of who would consider going Friday afternoon to the conference in lieu of a meeting. Only about 4-5 people raised their hand.

Indira: Our club announced a Paul Harris award given to Ed Casavant. Ed wasn't able to join us last week so we honored him today.

We also gave Peggy Lapore her pin since she is a multiple Paul Harris Award is Peggy Lapore. Peggy again said she hopes all of us will consider becoming Paul Harris fellows and donate our $1K to Rotary International.

There was some discussion at our meeting yesterday about the raffle and what to do if a visitor picks the winning ticket. Michael Alexander picked it and at one point we thought we'd be having him pull from the deck of cards in order to win. But he suggested that visitors should just win 50% of the pot without having to start again. A group of members voted on this at the meeting and for the meeting it was decided that to be the case. This is particularly important with a Student of the month coming up with guests. So although it will be discussed at next week's board meeting, for the time being, here is the decision made:

Rotary Club of Newton Weekly Raffle:

Tickets - 1 for $ 2

3 for $ 5

1. Should a guest hold the winning ticket - They win half the proceeds collected on the day of the drawing. They receive this without having to pick a card from the deck.

2. Should a Club Member win - They must pick a card from the deck and should they draw the ACE of Spades, they receive 50% of the proceeds to date since the last drawing of the ACE of Spades.

Raffle: Michael's number was picked and he won 50% of the pot which was $35 (pot was $70).

Happy Dollars:
Susanne McInerney, son's baby. It's a girl.
Paul Kerrissey for Z., skied in NH with family.
Tom Keery for being in Barbados was 82 degrees
Ed Casavant was happy to be back
Tony Bibbo was happy that Michael from Lasell was here. His wife went there.
Mary Kern was happy that her Alma Mata, Syracuse Orangemen were still #1
Jim Means was happy that he is going to Puerto Rico with his family next week
Paul happy for Z is world renowned classical guitarist, Waterville Valley
Marie Presti gave her happy dollar check from her happy birthday last week and gave new dollars for the guests and for snowtubing with her family in Gunstock this past weekend.
Peggy Lapore was happy for Michael from Lasell
Dick Bowen was happy for Michael too
Sue Peghiny was happy that she saw a hawk right out her window, for the guests, and for going to the Sheraton at Bluegrass festival

Zaira spoke for a few minutes saying how wonderful it was that we were doing this fundraiser with talent. She is from Mexico and there wasn't a lot of encouragement early on for a women with talent to show it off in Mexico. She thinks having young students with talent is a great way to encourage someone who has something to show it off and try it out. She will help us to recruit more entries as well as sponsorships.

Michael Alexander, President of Lasell College, gave happy dollars (his wife flying out before snow, book donated for him, hawk, etc.). He donated his entire winnings back to Rotary. Thank you Michael!

About Lasell College: An innovator in education for over 150 years, Lasell College today is a comprehensive coeducational college offering professionally oriented bachelor's and master's degree programs. Our 50-acre campus is located in suburban Newton, Massachusetts - within eight miles of downtown Boston and at the heart of the Route 128 high-tech corridor.

We are known for helping students make the connection between classroom lessons and the real life through hands-on activities such as internships, practicum, service learning, and meaningful projects.

Michael Alexander is the ninth presiden tof Lasell, and has had successful corporate careers, first in media and entertainment adn then in technology, deferring an early desire to enter higher education leadership. His full biography can be seen at http://www.lasell.edu/discover-lasell/president-and-leadership/michael-b-alexander-biography.html.

Michael Alexander's talk: Update on Lasell
Talk about issue in the news. Obama talks about young people needing a college education. Cost of attending college is a barrier.

1) Family Income has been falling for last 17 years. Shrinkage in the middle class.
2) 80% go to public institutions. Cut college budgets more than average cut overall. 6% of budget from state of NH. used to be a lot higher. Recruit more foreign students and out of state students. net cost between public and private has been shrinking. Actual average net cost can come down for private schools. Private has more low income students now. More students going to private than public. MA is only state doing that.

We are labor intensive industry. 60% are salaries/labor. They go up higher than 2-3%. What can you do?
1) collaborate with other institutions. partnerships. Just built a collaborative police force for Mount Ida, Lasell, and Lasell Village. Share athletic with Brandeis. Indoor track and boat house.
2) Figure out how to take advantage of using online media. Mooks, change way teach in classroom. Instead of lecturing, watch lectures at home.

Most students want the traditional teaching method. Connected learning. Practice field of study. such as Fashion... If History major, interpret and present in groups more so.
undergraduate 17-23 year olds. 80% live on campus. grown 40% since he's been there.
4 grad degree. 400 students. 1. management 2. communication 3. sport management 4. education

submitting paperwork to get approved for two new graduate programs: an MBA and a criminal justice degree.
online or hybrid models being explored.
Lasell Village still an integral part of the college.

Loans: default rates are low. $180M profit. Elizabeth Warren is asking questions. Lower rate to fed fund rates? why should government be making money from student loans?

debt? too much? economic value is huge. bachelors degree is worth over $1M per person. student should pay some portion. problem is if you borrow more than that. $40K for engineer is ok. $40K for a teacher is not great. Stafford are approved and controlled by college.

scholarships? $123M of aid (grants) from Lasell. Avg grant was $15-$16K. 97% get some kind of financial aid.

meeting adjourned at 1:40 pm.

Rotary Yours,

Marie Presti