The Associates of The Cooper Union for
the Advancement of Science and Art
CUAA Council Meeting
July 24, 2013
Who are the Associates of Cooper Union?
• Charter/Deed of Trust calls for the Trustees to
organize a society called The Associates of
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of
Science and Art, “ the objects and purposes
of which shall be the encouragement of
science, arts, manufacture & commerce,”
with a primary purpose of public
improvement.
Who are the Associates of Cooper Union?
(cont.)
• Inspired by the Royal Society
of the Arts in London,
Associates’ membership
would be broad including
graduates of the institution,
members of the trustees,
professional societies, public
servants, NYC school
teachers, members of the
press and others.
Structure of the Associates of Cooper
Union
BoT would prescribe the conditions and terms of the Society of the
Associates, and the Associates would in turn create their own rules and
elect a Governing Council of at least 24 Members.
Council of the
Associates-
Alumni
Professional/Trade
Orgs
Press
Civil Servants
NYC
Teachers
Others
What privileges do the Associates have?
• Access to a room to hold their meetings
• Receive an annual account from BoT
rendered under oath of their receipts and
expenses.
• Provide recommendations to the BoT
• Fill vacancy in BoT by election
• Remove a Trustee w/ vote of Majority of
Council
Sounds Great! How come I’ve never
heard of them?
“The Associates never materialized, chiefly
because none of the other trustees were
able to figure out who Mr. Cooper wanted
the Associates to be or what they were
expected to do.”
- Geoffrey T. Hellman,
New Yorker August 21, 1937
So What Happened?
“Through no one’s fault the ‘Associates’ never
did get organized. The second report of the
trustees in 1861 voiced the hope that they
soon would be and published the prospective
rules in full; in 1864 a pamphlet was printed
on the subject and scientists were urged to
take the lead in setting up the organization;
in 1865 Peter gave the American
Geographical Society, of which he was one of
the oldest members, rooms in the Union as
temporary headquarters. But that was all
that ever came of the ‘Associates,’ despite
Hewitt’s efforts to get the Lyceum of Natural
History and other scientific groups to meet at
Cooper Union.”
-Edward Mack, Peter Cooper: Citizen of New
York, 1949
Timeline
•
1859: Charter and Deed of Trust call for Associates
•
1860: 1st Annual Trustees Report declares intention of formation and list of initial
invitees
•
1861: 2nd Annual Trustees Report drafts Rules and Regulations
•
1868: Annual Report suggests creation of Associates would help in fundraising for
polytechnical school
•
1897: Annual Report calls for creation to help diffuse knowledge and bridge gap
between wage earners and employers.
•
1972: Despite never having been formed, all the language in the original charter
and deed of trust concerning the establishment of the Society of Associates and its
Council have been retained in the amended Charter.
•
2013-2014: Call to Establish the Associates of Cooper Union
What could the Establishment of the
Associates do for Cooper Union today?
• Broaden Cooper Union’s
engagement with and impact on the
wider community,
• Aid in fundraising and expand donor
base outside Cooper Community
•
Enhance the governance by
providing a mechanism for dialogue
between Community and BoT and
provide check & balance on the
activities of the BoT.
• Complete an unfulfilled mandate in
the Cooper Union’s Charter.
For more info:
• Charter of Cooper Union and Early Annual Reports:
http://library.cooper.edu/
• Summary of The Associates of Cooper Union:
http://www.friendsofcooperunion.org/associates/
Discussion and Next Steps
Motion to
draft a
proposal to
Alumni
Trustees
Student
Trustee
Workgroup
Forms
Alumni
Trustees
present
Proposal to
BoT
Workgroup
explores and
recommends
formation of
Associates by
12/1/13
BoT votes to
Establishes
Society of
Associates as
called for in
the Charter
BoT votes to
Establish
Associates
Associates
create Rules
for
Governance
and elect 24
member
Council
Associates
create Rules
of
Governance
and elect 24
member
Council