President's Letter |
The goal of your Bowles Hall Alumni Association is to restore the “Bowles Hall Experience” in a restored Bowles Hall; to breathe life back into a noble dream of a rich residential experience, Education Through Fellowship, for undergraduate men at UC Berkeley. This dream was conceived by Mary McNear Bowles in 1926, and defined by Mrs. Bowles, UC President Dr. Robert Gordon Sproul and Dr. George Kelham (renowned University Architect). However, beginning in the 1980s, that dream began to be disassembled by the very institution that it had served so well. Over the last twenty-five years returning residency in the Hall became determined by lottery, the Dining Commons was closed, resident self-government (a cornerstone of the designers of the “Bowles Hall Experience”—relating to social and judicial affairs) was assumed by the Housing Office. In the fall of 2005, residency was limited to freshmen only. Routine maintenance has been “deferred” for several years. The very institution that Bowles Hall was designed to serve—UC Berkeley, has orchestrated this destruction of Mrs. Bowles’ fulfilled dream! Today, the Haas School of Business is well advanced in its efforts to convert Bowles Hall into its proposed Executive Education facility. We are told that Haas’ plan is to reopen the Dining Commons, preserve the living room and the main staircase, and demolish the remainder of the rooms of the Hall, replacing them with 70 executive hotel rooms. In addition, Haas proposes to build two new structures. To the west of Hall (below Room 101), a classroom and administrative office building will be built. In the upper parking lot and extending towards the Greek Theatre, an additional hotel facility of 80 hotel rooms, each with attached bath, will be built. Estimates are that this will be a $60M-$80M project. The Housing Office will actually “sell” the Hall to the School of Business, receiving a transfer of funds! Nothing of the traditional use of Bowles Hall for the benefit of undergraduate students will remain. All of this flies directly against the written gift instructions by Mary Bowles for an undergraduate men’s residence. As we have advanced our case for restoring the Bowles Hall Experience, in a restored Bowles Hall, we have been asked by UCB administration, and even a few of our own, why? We, the members of the Bowles Hall Alumni Association, aspire to reestablish the special residential experience for undergraduates of all classes from freshmen through seniors. The key elements of this experience include older men coaching newcomers, the sense of community of a small group environment in a large university, dining together on site, responsible and accountable for self-government (especially as relates to social and judicial issues), a diversity of perspectives (geographic, ethnic, political and economic origins, and academic majors), pride in self and group, and respect for authority, traditions, benefactors and commitments. This environment fostered our transition to responsible adulthood and participative citizenship. We also believe that pride in one’s home and neighborhood requires a home and neighborhood that is worthy of individual and collective pride. Today’s Bowles Hall clearly shows the ravages of more than fifteen years of “deferred maintenance,” creating a condition that is not worthy of the young men who live there. It has become a blighted neighborhood. We aspire to change that, and bring it to the glory of its youth, in which we will all take pride. We are not on an ego trip. We are not a “bunch of Old Blues, looking for a place to party after football games.” We are not party to or advocating retaliation against the Housing Office, and we are not anti-Big Athletics, Big Technology or Big Science. Quite simply, we are sharply focused on restoring the Bowles Hall Experience, in a restored Bowles Hall. The need rises because the model of the 1970s, which is implemented at UCB, has failed, as we have seen. The next six months are critical in our quest to restore the Bowles Hall Experience, in a restored Bowles Hall. Job #1 is to divert the Haas Business School to an alternate site for its Executive Education Center. In parallel, we will be strengthening our relationships with the UCB administration. What can you do? 1) If you have relevant experience with these issues, volunteer to participate. 2) Encourage your Bowles alumni friends to support BHAA with their membership. Volunteer to join the Membership Team, and help find your classmates. 3) Generously support BHAA financially—look for an announcement of the establishment of the Bowles Hall Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax-deductible entity in the near term. 4) Stay connected with BHAA and each other alumni groups. Thanks for the opportunity to work with so many of you, and for your support. Bob Sayles ‘52 Comment on this Page Last Modified 5/22/07 5:39 PM | Hide Tools |