Class of '64 55th Anniversary Reunion

March 5-7, 2019
College Station, TX

Printable Registration Form

HOWDY
HOWDY, Class of ’64 Ags!

Our time to join the Sul Ross Group (SRG) is approaching and this is the invitation to all of our Classmates to attend our induction ceremony March 5-7. Many of our Classmates have been working on this effort for months by making hundreds of phone calls, sending email and text messages, sending notes and “talking-it-up” at various gatherings of Aggies. To all who have participated in this effort, we say THANK YOU for the interest, time and effort you invested in this important event for Class of ’64 members. We also appreciate the significant work and help provided by the staff of The Association of Former Students and the present SRG officers who coached us, based upon their previous experiences, on how to achieve the best turnout of our classmates for this event. We have followed their suggestions, and with the assistance of our many ’64 brothers who made the contacts we already have over 200 Classmates who have reserved hotel rooms for this event. And, notably, that occurred before the official invitation was even sent!

During the 5-7 March Sul Ross Group Reunion and Induction, we will join another association within the Aggie family called Sul Ross Group Ags. This organization provides legacy leaders, advisors and mentors to Texas A&M and The Association, as was recently displayed by the disturbing events involving the Elephant Walk and Sully statue. Classmates, SRG is very important to everything Texas A&M stands for and your membership and involvement in SRG is your pathway to continued participation in efforts to ensure our traditions are maintained. We started together in 1960 as “fish” on campus, and we need to continue our efforts to support our beloved Texas A&M in every way possible, and we can do that individually and through our involvement in SRG. We will become “fish” in SRG on 6 March, and we should do that together just as we did in 1960!

Forward this application NOW, invite your family members to attend and witness your induction into SRG, renew your ties with your Aggie buddies, become acquainted with the SRG elder Ags who still come from Classes as far back as the ’40s, get a good update on Texas A&M and get an update on the Six Core Values of Texas A&M – Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, Selfless Service!

Please remember that just because you made hotel reservations does not mean you have signed up for the Reunion. You must complete the registration form (or register online) and submit to the Class Programs office. Contact any of us if you have questions.

Gig’em!!!
John Gabbert
George Nelson
Ken Stanton
Stan Wylie

ACCOMMODATIONS
A block of rooms is available on a first-come, first-served basis, for the Sul Ross Group Reunion. Make your reservations by calling the College Station Hilton directly at (979) 693-7500. Be sure to reference the Group Code: ROSS19. To stay at another hotel in the area, please call the Accommodations Hotline at (979) 260-9898 to check on hotel availability in the area. You may also go to the Bryan-College Station Accommodations website to book a room. Call and make your reservation today as many of the hotels fill up fast! 

*The Hilton allocated 78% of all their inventory to the Reunion, but the block at the Hilton is almost sold out! Space is limited so act now. Once the block is full, please check with the Convention & Visitor’s Bureau or with one of the hotels listed in close proximity to the Hilton which are Hyatt Place, Hawthorne Suites, Comfort Suites, Homewood Suites, Residence Inn, and Holiday Inn Express to make your reservation. Call today! The Bryan/College Station Convention & Visitor’s Bureau can be reached at (979) 260-9898 or https://www.experiencebcs.com/.

College Station Hilton — Reunion Headquarters hotel
801 University Drive East — (979) 693-7500

Group Name: Sul Ross Reunion
Code: ROSS19
$157/night, plus tax
Deadline: February 11, 2019
Check-in time: 4 p.m. 
Check-out time: Noon

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE SUL ROSS GROUP BOARD PRESIDENT
Howdy, SRG Ags!

What a great year this has been. I requested in my last newsletter that the Aggie Football Team return to “Bear Bryant Toughness.”  That seven overtime victory over LSU, our first win over LSU since we entered the SEC, followed by the annihilation of North Carolina State  after a three year drought of being outscored in bowl games, can best be summed up by shouting, “It’s a great time to be an Aggie.”

Little did I anticipate when I penned the last newsletter and stated that we should be proud to be the legacy of that first Sul Ross Group Reunion, that we would need to defend Sully’s honor. Your Leadership Team in concert with Dr. Daniel Pugh, Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) have developed a working relationship to prevent another event that attempts to minimize Sully.

Some of you heard (through the Batt, Eagle, listened to local BCS tv, or heard from a former student) about the Class of 2019 Elephant Walk (EW) changes made by the Class Councils EW committee.  According to Dr. Pugh, the reason for not stopping and reading the Silver Taps roll call at the statue was both related to facts and falsehoods attributed to President Ross, including having been a Confederate General (fact) and slaveholder (false). Their attempt to change the “current tradition” of stopping and reading the roll call at Sully’s statue was met with a ground swell of support for Sully by students, President Young, Chancellor Sharp ’72, the Sul Ross Group and the Student Senate passed a resolution of support. All students need to understand the role Lawrence Sullivan Ross played in saving Texas A&M and establishing the foundation for Texas A&M to become the great university we have today. Fortunately during the walk, a strong group of Seniors diverted the walk to stop at Sully’s statue, and they did read the names of deceased 2019 Classmates before continuing Elephant Walk.

SRG officers had two meetings in December with Dr. Daniel Pugh, Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA), and his staff, Dr. Woods and Mrs. Gravelle. These meetings have resulted in Dr. Pugh providing the following commitment:

1. Upon our return from winter break, the leadership of the division of student affairs will be engaging in a “values congruence” conversation with the numerous department directors within the division. There are six Core Values at Texas A&M and it is important that we are collectively aligned with the institution.  This is reflective in our stated student affairs mission and in the preamble to the commitments we define in our strategic plan.
2. The Division of Student Affairs is committed to the student leadership principle of “student led, student run,” perhaps one of the most revered “principles” that has been at the root of why Aggies are such capable leaders as they matriculate and graduate.  “Student led, student run” does not preclude purposeful and intentional mentorship, advising, and consultation, but it does mean that current students, not just the Corps, continue to serve as the keepers of the spirit and the guardians of tradition.
3. Our role as advisors, mentors, and,consultants requires us to be knowledgeable with respect to the historical foundations associated with the various areas assigned in our duties.  I will be working through each director to identify those tradition/advisor combinations and requiring the appropriate training/education.  To accomplish, we will need to rely on legacy groups such as the SRG, Former yell leaders, constituent networks, and others to provide both oral and written history.  Additionally, when changes are made to these tradition/advisor combinations, we will not assume tradition history knowledge with the new advisor, but will again rely on our legacy groups.
4. Through our advisors, we will annually seek to connect our legacy groups with student tradition leaders to assist their understanding of tradition history as they seek tradition relevancy to the current students.  This honors the “student led, student run” principle by ensuring their connection with former students while respecting their decision making authority within the boundaries of legal and risk mitigation.  For ease of communication there will be a single point of contact between the SRG and the VPSA, The Association’s  Josh Reinbolt ’99 for the SRG and Mrs. Christine Gravelle for the VPSA.

Dr. Pugh also shared the good news about the fall Corps academics, all four classes posted an average GPA greater that 3.00 for the sixth straight semester.  Good recruiting factoid!

The Sul Ross Group Board of Directors has planned the Sul Ross Group Reunion for March 5-7, 2019. The program is being developed to maximize the opportunity to socialize with old friends and colleagues, make new friends, relax, and to hear an outstanding group of speakers who will update us on all activities and growth areas at Texas A&M. The induction of the Class of 1964 will be a featured event with Porter S. Garner III ’79, The Association of Former Students President & CEO, conducting the induction ceremony.

• Our speakers for the major group events will include:
• Col Mike Fossum ’80, CEO Texas A&M Galveston
• Lt. Col. David Fujimoto ’17, Director of Strategic Engagement, The Association
• Dr. Carrie Byington ’85, Dean of the College of Medicine
• BG Joe Ramirez ’79 - Commandant of the Corps of Cadets
• Amy Sharp ’19, Student Body President
• Adam Buckley ’19, Corps Commander

A second reminder for the Class of 1959.  You will have a special 60th reunion Monday, March 4, at the Clayton W. Williams, Jr. Alumni Center. 

Registration information will be arriving shortly.  Please make plans to attend the Reunion and reserve your room today as March 5 is just around the corner.  The objective of the SRG Reunion is to update your Texas A&M knowledge, provide the opportunity to renew old friendships, and say howdy to your sophomore buddies.

Gig ’em,

Harvey J. Haas ’59
President Sul Ross Group

REUNION CHECK IN & REGISTRATION
After securing your room reservation, please complete and return the enclosed Reunion Registration Form by mail to The Association of Former Students, PO Box 10005, College Station, TX 77842, ATTN: Sul Ross Group Reunion; FAX 979-845-9263; or you can register online by clicking here.

If you have any questions, please contact the Former Student Programs office at The Association of Former Students at (800) 633-7514. Your nametags, an updated schedule of events and a list of pre-registered participants will be waiting for you at the Reunion Check-in Desk, which will open at the College Station Hilton at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5. Walk-up Registration will be accepted based on availability. To ensure your admission, register before the Feb 19 late fee deadline. All registrations received after the deadline will incur a $10 late fee. Registration will close Tuesday, February 26, at 5 p.m.

TRANSPORTATION
Bus transportation will be provided on for the event on Wednesday, March 6. Buses will begin shuttle service at the Hilton's west entrance starting at 9 a.m. for the Ladies’ Coffee at the Board of Regents Quarters, and luncheon at the MSC after the Mens Business Meeting. After the luncheon, a campus tour will be made available, and a shuttle service will return guests to the Hilton for those attending the later tours. If you prefer to drive yourself to campus you can pay to park at the Koldus Parking Garage next to the MSC. For more information on campus parking please click here.

8 MORE FOR THE CORPS
Good news!  We have NOW raised enough money to fund the sixth scholarship in our second 8 More for the Corps campaign.  When the paperwork is completed, six scholarships of the second phase will have been fully funded.  The total number of scholarships funded by the Sul Ross Group is 26 (24 Sul Ross Scholarship and 2 Corps 21 Scholarships).  Thank you to everyone who has donated to this cause.  

The Texas A&M Foundation ran the report from January 2013 to December 2018. The total collected with initial balance ($47,290 + $284,756.09) is $332,046.09.  All the money except for cash balance has been allocated toward the first or second “8 More for the Corps” project. 

$35,608.80 is the CURRENT available cash balance, and that means approximately $46,000 more is needed to complete the remaining two scholarships. We need approximately $19,296.54 to fund the next scholarship. Your Sul Ross Group Board has decided to name the next Sul Ross Group Scholarship in honor of Olive DeLucia. Individuals can make a donation in Olive’s memory.  Checks in memory of Olive DeLucia should be payable to the Texas A&M Foundation and note account # 0557039, T. L. Smith Sul Ross Group Heritage Endowment.  Olive did a lot for us old Ags over the past 50 years, so we can think of no better way to recognize her legacy than to name the next scholarship after her. Please consider donating to the cause. To donate to this fundraising effort for Corps students, fill out the pledge card here. Be sure to reference “T.L. Smith Sul Ross Group Heritage Endowment Income” on all checks or online donations.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT
The Nominating Committee, following the customs and practices previously established, proposes the following slate of officers, assistant directors and ex-officio officers for the 2019-20 year to be voted upon during the Men’s Business Meeting on March 6, 2019.

President -  Tom Wisdom ’60
1st Vice President -  Tom Reid ’61
2nd Vice President -  Joe Ashy ’62
Director -  Jerry Bradshaw ’60
Director -  Joe Powell ’61
Director -  Harry Brand ’62
Immediate Past President - Harvey Haas ’59
Corps Liaison* -  BG Joe Ramirez '79 
Association of Former Students Liaison* -  Porter S. Garner III ’79
*Ex-Officio Member of the Board

CANCELLATION POLICY
The Association of Former Students has a fairly flexible cancellation policy. If you cannot attend your Reunion, or an event for which you have registered, please contact the Former Student Programs office (800) 633-7514 no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26, 2018. Your payment will be refunded with the exception of the registration fee. Registration changes after the February 26 deadline cannot be refunded as food orders will have been guaranteed.

CENTURY CLUB DONATION
Your participation in the annual fund has a significant impact on the education experience of our students and provides the resources needed to support programs and activities for students and former students. We appreciate that you choose to participate and support Aggies and Texas A&M. Make a difference by donating now.

Levels of annual giving include:
Active - $50-$99
Bronze - $100-$249
Silver - $250-$499
Gold - $500-$999 
Diamond - $1,000+
Endowed - $25,000+