人妻少妇专区

In Review

It was elbow-to-elbow in the Meliora Grand Ballroom last April as President and CEO Joel Seligman remarked, 鈥淭his is an amazing turnout for the right reasons.鈥�

The occasion was the retirement of Suzanne Jagel O鈥橞rien 鈥�59 after 55 years at the University鈥攁nd nearly 60 years since she first arrived on campus as a freshman from Queens, New York. Rising to speak, O鈥橞rien responded, 鈥淚 hope I don鈥檛 disappear in a puddle of tears.鈥�

From her first job at the University, as a secretary, O鈥橞rien advanced to become founding director of the College Center for Advising Services and associate dean of the College, where she played pivotal roles in two of the institution鈥檚 most distinctive features: the Rochester Curriculum and the Take Five Scholars Program.

Her career path was not as easy as it may have looked, according to Beth J枚rgensen, a professor of Spanish, who worked closely with O鈥橞rien as chair of the College鈥檚 Board on Academic Honesty. 鈥淪uzanne came up through this university as a non-faculty member, as a non-PhD, as a woman, when that was not an easy way to make your gifts, your contributions, really valued,鈥� J枚rgensen told the gathering.

O鈥橞rien served alongside faculty members on the College curriculum committee for nearly her entire tenure as CCAS director. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a front seat from which to view the academic changes that have taken place,鈥� she said. She called the Rochester Curriculum 鈥渢he most revolutionary鈥� change she鈥檇 participated in, and added, wryly, that it positions the College 鈥渟till ahead of most everyone else, trapped as they are in their narrow, prescriptive curricula.鈥� She noted that she was especially proud of having served on the committee that recommended the establishment of the Frederick Douglass Institute for African and African-American Studies.

O鈥橞rien鈥檚 hands-on role in building and mentoring a staff of professional advisors, as well as her practically Talmudic mastery of the complex rules of the College, made her something of a legend on the River 人妻少妇专区. Summing up that legacy was Richard Feldman, professor of philosophy and dean of the College.

鈥淚鈥檓 pretty much of a soft touch, willing to bend almost any rule as a result of a passionate appeal from a student,鈥� Feldman admitted. 鈥淪uzanne repeatedly reminds me to think of all the other students who might have made similar requests if they had only thought to appeal. She is unwavering in her commitment to fairness and equity, adamant that we stick to our principles.

鈥淏ut at the same time, she鈥檚 routinely able to find some hitherto-unknown鈥攖o me, at least鈥攔ule to invoke in order to deal in a fair and principled way with students who have genuine needs. She has an unmatched combination of integrity and compassion.

鈥淭o a rare leader who embodies the spirit of Meliora in the most profound way,鈥� he concluded in a final toast, 鈥渢hank you for your extraordinary service.鈥� 鈥擪aren McCally 鈥�02 (PhD)锘匡豢