Dear Fellow Members,

The biggest responsibilities I have as president of the University Club are to preserve its
legacy, honor its traditions, respect its members and promote the endurance of its existence in
the City of Albany. Our 114 years old clubs foundation was to establish and maintain assembly
rooms, promote social activities among the members and cultivate and maintain university spirit in
the City of Albany." I believe the 136 members we have today are committed to the founders original
vision and stand by me and the board in making sure the spirit of the club continues even as societys necessity for an institution like the University Club changes.
The University Club, like many other fraternal and service clubs faces modern era challenges. We struggle
with an aging membership and competition from Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites that
have redefined community and networking for the younger generation. We live in a time when an app on our
phone can have us eye to eye with each other rather than meeting face to face. We live in a time where information can be Googled in seconds rather than seeking out someone who might have the answer. We live in a
time when news travels so fast, it is impossible to keep up.
If not all of us, most of us appreciate the conveniences these technologies add to our daily lives. However, we
cannot let these advances bring an end to the 114 years of history and tradition that the University Club has provided to generations of members. We must find the right niche and be meaningful to current and prospective
members. To this end, we have established a working group that will have its first meeting from 3 pm to 6 pm
on Monday, October 19th. The charge of this group is to develop a plan to boost membership and increase revenue so we can sustain our club and the university spirit our founders envisioned. I invite any club members
interested in being part of the working group on the 19th to reach out to Amy Hines Kramer at
ah532b@att.com to join us.
In the extreme short term, we need to address the financial challenges that a weak July, August and September have left us to face. In addition, October and November are traditionally lean months as
well. The financial health of our club is from December to June and is tied directly into the legislative session. Our current financial forecast between now and the end of the year leaves us with
an operating deficit of nearly $21,000. As mentioned at the annual meeting in the Spring, we
knew that the possibility of a fourth quarter assessment was likely. At the September 21st
board meeting, the leadership reviewed a number of strategies to overcome the deficit. . .but
none provided us an immediate solution to our cash flow situation like a three month assessment of $75 per household in October, November and December. The board passed a
motion to start the assessment with this billing period. We realize its never exciting to see
an increase in your monthly statement but deeply appreciate your commitment to the University Club through your payments. Together we can help sustain our club while a plan is
developed to move us forward. Please dont hesitate to contact me at n8maloney@gmail.com or 518-495-2288 if you have any questions or concerns about the assessment or the club in general.
Thank you for your continued support and use of the club.
Sincerely,
Nate Maloney, President

Dont miss Journey Through the BLUES: from the Delta to Chicago and Beyond with
Andrew Wheeler from 8-10 p.m. on Friday, October 9th.
From the Delta to Chicago and beyond is an interpretive blues lecture/performance that takes you
down dirt roads, to the piney woods, moonlit nights in the delta, highways 49 & 61, an empty
freight train car, and the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago at the height of pre-World War II
blues music. Hailed as "genuine, authentic and engaging", you'll explore music steeped in Americana - the music of such legends as Blind Willie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, Elizabeth
Cotton, Tommy Johnson, Charley Patton, Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell, Tampa Red, Big Bill
Broonzy, Muddy Waters and many more. Hear and feel these legends come alive in story and song.
Wheeler is an Assistant Dean at Excelsior College, but he is probably best known for bass and
vocals with the Bent Rail Blues Band, which Metroland often ranks as one of the top Blues bands
in the area. He has been researching and playing blues & roots music for over 20 years and has
performed on stages large and small from city gigs to orchestra pits and bistros. Check him out
and hear clips of his music at http://www.bluesjourney.com.
Concert and Q&A 8:00 10:00 p.m. Stop by for drinks and/or dinner beforehand. Tickets are $10
(a portion of the proceeds will benefit the University Club Foundation). Reservations are required.
Call the club at 518-463-1151; email ellen@universityclubalbany.com; or visit the Clubs website
at www.universityclubalbany.com.
The Torch Club is an international association of local clubs in
which people enjoy the cultural interchange of knowledge. The Albany Torch Club meets on the first Monday of every month from
October through June at the University Club. The evening begins
with cash/sign cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by the speaker and
dinner and conversation. University Club members are welcome to attend.
Reservations must be made directly through the Torch Club by contacting Pat
Fishbough at sewdance81@gmail.com. See below for upcoming speakers.
Jose Cruz, Ph. D.

Giza Lopes, Ph.D.

Puerto Rico USA:

Economic Crisis,
Political Crisis

Dying With Dignity:

A Consideration

October 5, 2015
In addition to the Political Science
Department at Rockefeller College,
Professor Cruz is affiliated with the
Department of Latin American, U.S.
Latino, and Caribbean Studies
(LACS) and the College of Arts and
Sciences at the University at Albany. Under LACS, he is the Director
of the Center for Latino, Latin
American and Caribbean Studies,
and director of the New York Latino
Research and Resources Network.

November 2, 2015
Giza Lopes, PhD, is a criminal justice researcher, author, and assistant
professor at the School of Criminal
Justice, SUNY Albany, where she
teaches graduate level courses on
aging, crime and incarceration. Her
recently published book, Dying with
Dignity: A Legal Approach to Assisted Death (Praeger, April 28, 2015),
traces the debate surrounding the
legalization of "assisted suicide" in
the US and Europe.
2

Albany Roundtable
presents
Jeffrey Mirel
Wednesday, October 14
Jeffrey Mirel, is a graduate of
Georgetown Universitys School of
Business and the founder of Albany
Barn and the Executive Vice President for The Rosenblum Companies.
Albany Barn is a non-profit social
enterprise dedicated to providing a
sustainable creative arts incubator
and community arts center in Arbor
Hill a place for artists to live, work
and inspire.
Hot & cold lunch buffet begins at
noon; program commences at 12:30
p.m. $20. Reservations are required
by Monday, October 12th and may
be made by pre-paying online via
www.albanyroundtable.com, calling
Albany Colonie Chamber of Commerce at 518-431-1400 or by email
at albanyroundtable@yahoo.com.

Welcome new members!

The Membership Committee would
like to take this opportunity to welcome the following members to the
University Club family:
Fill your plate with the bounty of the
season at our Fall Dinner Buffet.
Roast Prime Rib of Beef will be on
the menu along with many other delicious options. The buffet will begin
at 6:30 p.m.
Reservations are necessary. Please
call the club at 518-463-1151 if you
plan to join us. $24.95 (tax, service
charge and beverages additional).

Free performance. Ala carte dinner

available from 5-9 p.m. Reservations are necessary. Call 463-1151.

The first Duck Dinner was held in

1908 and it has been a club favorite
ever since. In 1910, an Albany Evening Journal article notes that the
evening included sundry ducks,
high brows and impromptu glee
clubs. In 2015 there will be delicious food, good company, the infamous turkey raffle and a whole lot of
fun.
Join us Thursday, November 5th at
6:00 p.m. for drinks (sign), complimentary hors doeuvres and steamed
clams and dinner at 7 p.m. (choice of
Roast Duck or Roast Prime Rib of
Beef). $26.95 (beverages additional).
Guests welcome. Please make reservations by 11/03 and let us know
your entre choice. Call the club at
463-1151.

Clubs need members. Its a simple fact; but, attracting and keeping new
members, especially in this technology driven world that often encourages
virtual rather than actual social connection between people, can be difficult.
Attracting and maintaining a vibrant membership means being creative and
open to new ideas...and thats where you come in.
The House and Membership Committees would like to invite you to join
them at a joint meeting on Monday, October 19th from 3-6 p.m. to help
brainstorm and develop new strategies for increasing membership.
Henry Ford said, coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is a success. Please join us and help make the University Club a success.
If you are unable to attend, but have ideas please contact Membership Committee Chair David Hochfelder at dhochfelder@albany.edu or House Committee Chair Amy Hines-Kramer at ah532b@att.com. They will share your
input at the meeting.
3

Victor DeBonis
Omar Hererra
Genevieve McCauley
Vic DeBonis was a member of the
University Club in the 1980s until he
moved to Vermont. He has always
considered Albany home and plans
to use the clubs facilities for socializing and entertaining friends when
he is in the area.
Mr. DeBonis is a 1978 graduate of
the State University of New York at
Potsdam and is currently the Chief
Financial Officer for Windham Central Supervisory Union in Townshend, Vermont. He was sponsored
by for membership by Amy HinesKramer and Geoffrey Hoderath.
Omar Herrera r eceived his B.A. in
Communications and Media from
Pace University Dyson College of
Arts & Sciences in 2013. Formerly
the Trustee & Deputy Mayor of the
Village of Ossining, New York, he
was the youngest elected official in
Westchester County.
Omar is currently an Empire State
Fellow. The Empire State Fellows
Program is a full-time leadership
training program that prepares the
next generation of talented professionals for careers as New York
State policy-makers. His application
for membership was sponsored by
Colleen Ryan and Nate Maloney.
Genevieve McCauley, spouse of
University Club Board member Ken
McCauley, applied for Joint membership. Her application was sponsored by her husband Ken and by
Meredith Helgerson.

Officers: Nate Maloney, President

Amy Hines-Kramer, Vice President
Tim Varney, Treasurer
Secretary, Robert Crudden
Colleen Ryan, Past President

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Directors: Mark Brogna

Teresa Casey
Meredith Helgerson
Jeffrey Hill
David Hochfelder

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY
1 Lunch

FRIDAY
2

Lunch & Dinner

Jazz in the
Grille 8-10 pm

5 Lunch & Dinner

Club Closed

Yoga @ noon
Bowling 7 pm

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Torch Club 6 pm
11

12

Club Closed

18
Club Closed

13 Lunch
Club Closed
Columbus Day

19

Lunch & dinner

Membership Roundup 3-6 p.m.

Bowling 7 pm
Yoga @ noon

25

26

Lunch & Dinner

Club Closed

Yoga @ noon
Bowling 7 pm

Yoga @ 4:00 p.m.

20

Lunch

14

Lunch

Lunch

Yoga @ 4:00 p.m.

Club Closed

10

Club Closed

16 Lunch & Dinner

17
Private Parties
Club Closed

22

Lunch

23 Lunch & Dinner

24

Fall Harvest Buffet

Prime Rib & More
6:30 pm

28 Lunch

Lunch

Roundtable Lunch
with Jeff Mirel noon
21

SATURDAY

15

Yoga @ 4:00 p.m.

27 Lunch

9 Lunch & Dinner

Blues with
Andrew Wheeler
8-10 pm

Yoga @ 4:00 p.m.

Geoffrey Hoderath
Ken McCauley
Frank Nemeth
Chuck Seifert

29 Lunch

30 Lunch & Dinner

Club Closed

31

Club Closed