Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
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Robert Lynch
Marist College
Poughkeepsie, New York
Transcribed by Wai Yen Oo
For the Marist College Archives and Special Collections




Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
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Transcript: Robert Lynch

Interviewee:
Robert Lynch

Interviewer:
Gus Nolan

Interview date:
27 October 2009

Location:
Marist Archives and Special Collections Reading Room

Topic:
Marist College History

Subject Headings:
Lynch, Robert



Marist College Administration



Marist College Alumni



Marist College History



Marist College (Poughkeepsie, New York)



Marist College – Social Aspects


Summary:
Robert “Bob” Lynch talks about his early years, his background and his upbringing. He
talks about his time as a student at Marist College in the 70s and his career after he graduated and the
return to Marist. He discusses the social aspect of the college as a student and later as a student mentor
and then as part of the Student Activities administration. He reflects on the changes on the campus over
the years and how he perceives it to move forward in the future.








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00:08
Gus Nolan:
Today is Tuesday, October 27
th
2009. The interview this morning is with Bob
Lynch. He is the Director of College Activities. Good morning, Bob.
00:21
Robert Lynch:
Good Morning Gus, how are you?
00:23
GN:
It's good to see you.
00:24
RL:
Thank you.
00:24
GN:
And I have this chance to have this little interview. Bob, I sent you an overview of
the things we want to talk about today so maybe you could start with something about just your
background, personal, where you grow up and so on?
00:38
RL:
I was actually born in Brooklyn. My mom and dad certainly were very much involved
with things like the Brooklyn Navy Yard. That’s where my dad worked and my mom was
somewhat working with the IBM corporation at that time. And then we all, we eventually move
out of Brooklyn to Long Island in Plain View Long Island New York. That's where I grew up. I
mean I want to St. Pius, the Tenth Catholic School in Plain View.
01:10
GN:
That’s a grade school?
01:11
RL:
It was my grade school. I actually started there from my first grade all the way up to
eighth grade. And then in high school, I went to Holy Family High School out in South
Huntington. So I was actually the second graduating class from one of the dioceses of high
schools at that time. And then during my high school years obviously, it comes that point when
you start looking at colleges. And my dad and I start to look at some colleges. The college I was
interested at the time was Manhattan in Riverdale. That’s where my dad actually grows up in
Riverdale. And we went to Manhattan, I certainly liked it. I applied for it. You know, let's look at
some other colleges and sure enough Marist came up for discussion. Now I had never been at
Marist, never actually came to see the institution at all. I applied to Marist. I got in. I was very
fortunate to get in, and it was a great moment when I first came up to the campus to see that we


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were coming into a newly paved parking lot which was the Champagnat parking lot. When we
walked up to the outer campus, sure enough, I noticed that the upper campus was also being
renovated with brand-new lighting and the like. And I said you know what this is a college that
certainly is interesting to me, never been here before. And here I am looking at this brand-new
facilities. I thought was a very cool experience so I actually came up for science. I wanted to
become a biologist. I was thinking of medical school and the like. I was very young at that time.
And sure enough through this experience, I began to learn more about not just science but who I
was becoming who I was and I found all sudden through my experiences with some of my great
faculty members that I actually worked with people like Dr. Hooper,

Joe Bettencourt, Bill
Perrotte. My passing every now and then with Richard LaPietra, Larry Menapace. And we
certainly had, I certainly was exposed to, I think some of the best teachers ever in my life.
03:43
GN:
Did you not know anyone before coming here?
03:45
RL:
Did not know anybody here. The only person that I really know was Brian Donnelly.
And Brian and I went to high school together and he had indicated that he was already accepted
at Marist. And he said that I should take a look at Marist and when I went to my guidance
counselor, I remember them saying very clearly, “Marist is going to be a school on the move. It's
really coming together.” So that's how I got up here.
04:11
GN:
I know some people have said looking for a school they went to Christ the King and
they went to the pastor. And they're looking for a college the word was, “Go to Marist. They'll
take anybody.” That was just a few years before you. But by 70 or 71, this would be then.
04:31
RL:
Yeah it was in ‘71, June ‘71 when I came up. That was the start of my career here at
Marist. I do remember going to an orientation in the science department. That's what I remember
meeting all these people I've just mentioned to you and I was in the basement of Donnelley hall.
And they were giving us some idea of what the course responsibilities and the curriculum was



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going to be all about. They also indicated some suggestion that this is college now. This is not
high school and that the importance of really, you know cracking the books and the like. So it
was a very intense two hours. I remember that and I found it to be very eye-opening. And we
ended up going over to the Rathskeller for our lunch. Now again was my entire class here that
day. Oh, I don't think so, but I do remember the Rathskeller being pretty jammed with a lot of us
so I'm assuming that was probably the science department and may be one of the other
departments.
05:36
GN:
Were we co-ed at that time?
05:40
RL:
We were co-ed, yes, we were. It was my class. I guess what I can remember brought
in more women than men. We were … I think at that point we were trying to equate obviously
the sexes the fifty-fifty deal at that point. But I do remember us being more male-dominated
during my years but I do remember lots and lots of women being accepted to the college during
my four years as undergraduate.
06:09
GN:
Let's back up a little bit in high school, were you involved in various activities? Were
there any school sports, theater, choir that you got involved in?
06:19
RL:
I was very much involved in the music program at my high school. We sang in
chorus. I played in bands and stuff of that nature. Doing a lot of guitar work and stuff at the time.
I was also involved the intermural program there. I did attempt to at one point try for the track
team at one point but I said
you know what
the distance became an issue for me because I was
living in Nassau County and my whole family was in Suffolk. So I don't want to put the burden
on dad and mom at the time to transport me there and back. I thought it was a little too difficult. I
just simply said, “Well, I'll stay every now and then.” But it was good it was a good experience.
07:00
GN:
Did you ever have a job?
07:02
RL:
Oh yeah.


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07:04
GN:
You worked, in summers, through school?
07:05
RL:
Yeah. Actually when I was a very young person, probably breaking labor laws or
whatever but I worked... I helped out a good friend of mine Billy with his paper route at one
point. I worked in a Chinese restaurant for many, many years.
07:27
GN:
That's a piece I never heard. Glad you bring that up. It might explain something later
on.
07:35
RL:
I hope so.
07:36
GN:
Do you have any hobbies? Stamp collecting? (laughter) Toy soldiers.
07:41
RL:
(laughter) Well there are, I do have a lot of hobbies I mean obviously one of them is
photography. Everyone asked me those great questions. “Bob, I don't believe there's any film in
the camera.” “Bob, I never see your work.” “Bob, you know where were all these photos stored
and the like?” And my answer usually is very clear. It’s that I guarantee that was filming the
camera and I'm guaranteeing that there is an archive of a lot of the photos that I have taken. So I
do want to reassure everybody and I will also eventually work on some type of a project which
would be what I would be calling the Big Book. And the big book will hopefully be reflective of
the years that I was here in my undergraduate times as well as the times I've worked here. I do
have some unique pictures that probably a lot of archives might not have. An example of that
was I can remember going over to the lower… now it’s the Sheahan McCann lot. I can
remember going over there with my camera and taking pictures of them building the McCann
Center. I think I only took at best two days of that work, but I do remember the big ditch which
ultimately becomes the pool so somewhere along the line there. Louis Greenspan building that
facility. I'm sure I have some photos of at least the shell of and the McCann Center. Yeah.


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09:12
GN:
That would be something to put in the archives when that book is created. I know
John would be interested. Let's move to college. You were here for those four years. Was it four
years actually or did you extend it?
09:25
RL:
No I did not. I was not on the extended plan as some of my other colleagues here at
the institution might have been on. No, I was actually here for four years. Came in, in obviously
September of ‘71. And I graduated in May of ‘75.
09:39
GN:
Were they the Vietnam years too?
09:41
RL:
Yeah. Those were the tough years especially our freshman and sophomore years. A
lot of us were, I believe we were 1H at the time. That was a student deferment. Our concern was
at any moment the other shoe could drop so to speak, and we could be off in another country. I
do remember an episode up in Champagnat Hall on the third floor, we had a big gigantic
television. Biggest at that time probably at that probably … It was nineteen inch. But I do
remember a person, we were all there a lot of the men, the male freshman were there, and we're
watching this guy taking out numbers out of a bingo contraption. There he is calling out numbers
and calling up birthdates and stuff. And we thought it was a game show, I mean. It was just
awful. But the reality was is that grown big gigantic guys bigger than me were basically teary-
eyed and returning back to their rooms indicating very clearly that
oh my God what I'm going to
do
. And sure enough, it was the draft.
10:45
GN:
More happy things. How about classes, courses that you took, professors, the best
class you were in would be?
10:52
RL:
I mean my best my best classes were probably a combination of classes obviously
Gus. I mean there were some science classes I just enjoyed. I really loved invertebrate zoology
was one. I certainly enjoyed histology with Joe Betancourt. Bill Perrotte was my other teacher
for the invertebrate zoology. And we certainly had one. I had some really eye-opening


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experiences in the science area, and then my other areas were kind of my liberal arts, areas. It
was my theatre classes. I also found some of … Tom Casey had a class was at the American
character, American studies. I did take a course with him and that again was eye-opening and I
will indicate one of my toughest classes was Ed Waters’. And Ed not only did he want to read,
but he wanted us to write. And I wasn't very proficient at writing at that time, but what he told
me. He says,
Bob
- He might have said -
Lynch you need help, get someone to help you.
And sure
enough, it was his class that actually opened my eyes that I was not a very good writer and that I
really needed to build the skills on this. And you know I end up getting I think it was a B or B+
if I remember right and I said wow. And it was because I think he woke me up and said, Boy
you've been to become a better writer because you're not a good writer and That was a rewarding
experience but obviously. My theater classes were very exciting.
12:30
GN:
Would that course have been a composition course?

12:34
RL:
No it's more of the reading course on American Lit. I remember the book was
gigantically thick and we had an opportunity to write not just about the stories but how to reflect
upon us and the like. As you know Ed was very strict on stuff on things like that.
12:54
GN:
Meticulous on typing. Any mistake you had to do it over.
12:57
RL:
On meticulous, I mean the whole idea of referencing and the like. I mean I learned
more about writing in that one particular class than any of my other classes.
13:07
GN:
So that's a difficult one and the enjoyable ones were mostly science.
13:12
RL:
I enjoyed science and theater and I also… when I returned to Marist to do some of my
teaching classes, I enjoyed Jan Stiver’s class. Jan Stivers as I always said was the teacher's
teacher. We were student teachers at that time. And the things that she taught us the way her
methods, just incredible. And it seemed to gel, you know she made it very clear what we were
supposed to do and how prepared we needed to be for class and I always enjoyed Jen's classes.


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13:45
GN:
Just by accident I met her husband this morning. Dan at Vassar and he is working
hard. He said he has to. I kidded him because he has to dress his wife for it the perfection that
she appears in all the time. What about activities at Marist? Did you involve yourself in?
14:05
RL:
Well I that was one of my downfalls I got very active at Marist.
14:09
GN:
Did you ever find the Brown Derby is that?
14:12
RL:
That was one of our great stories. Yes, we went there. We actually … It was actually
my class because we didn't have cars on campus. Because I mean the times really couldn't call
for it. We really didn't have much transportation. We certainly did rely on the upperclassman for
a lot of that. So not only did we go to the Brown Derby on occasion but the Pick and Shovel was
a great place and obviously first Frivolous Sal’s Last Chance Saloon. We believe it or not Vinnie
Clover was one of my classmates. And Larry obviously was Vinnie's old brother. And it was
Vinnie who introduced us to a beautiful phenomenal place to be. It was like being at Beef Steak
Charlie's in the middle of a great musical show. And it brought very, very intense evening for us.
I mean I can remember pitcher beers at such little money and Vinnie certainly took good care of
us but Laurie also took care of us and Roger Fay, Mike Ceroty and all those guys who were
obviously in this wonderful band. Really made an impact on our social life. So we always had
something to do on Friday nights. And then the other piece of it was the pick and shovel where
we saw the greats Stitching Murray band and other bands. Then obviously the one… the bar that
we brought back to life was Frank's because we could walk over there and walk back. It was just
across the road. And Frank obviously knew we had a great night when you could have a Beer
Frank and a beer. But that's kind of our party life but you know the other part of it was all the
clubs and origination that were here at the time. remember eighteen was the age for consumption
of alcohol and the like. We didn't necessary function and focus much on that as much as it was
the activity itself. So I can remember the Gaelic society having dinner dances. The international


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we called the Italian society that time would have great pizzas. I can remember us as students
going into the kitchen and making pizzas and sauce and it was the place to be. So it was a
wonderful experience because our social life was centralized on campus. There really wasn't
much off campus other than set establishments that we just talked about. But it was a great time.
16:38
GN:
Was there drinking on campus? Was the Rathskeller?
16:40
RL:
Yeah, the Rathskeller was open at the time. It's pretty remarkable when you tell
students, oh well. You used big a six-pack of beer from that Rathskeller. What you talking about,
get buying beer? Well yeah, that was some of it, but you know want. I'll tell you honestly, the
Rathskeller became a place where a lot of us perform. So when we did coffee houses and the like
I played down there a number of times with the great Phil Zack, Erick Erickson. I played in a
theater with Stichen Murry, Eric. We had a great time, so like we were all like kind of the
entertainment. I mean that's what we were doing. I mean we didn't bring in major, major gigantic
concerts because we didn't probably have the money for at the time.
17:25
GN:
I was going to ask that now. Who had that your job at that time? Tom Wade?
17:30
RL:
No Actually Tom was the dean of students. Tom and I have a great relationship in my
freshman year. And I'll get back to that, but Joe Brosnan was our director at that time. I
remember Joe’s secretary was Ursula Freer. I remember having a great relationship with Joe. I
mean not as much as. Everybody knew Joe Brosnan was and that was the whole thing. And Jack
Simeone was in there, Jack was I think the president of the college union board. Matter of fact I
found recently historically that the ACUI, the associated college unions International. One of its
primary in its infancy was actually held here in Poughkeepsie in New York. ACUI stands for
associate college union International and with the business at hand is to work, how do you
function in students and or college unions and how do you make them like either the dining room


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or your living room where students can go in recreate, study, find out more about themselves and
the social nature.
18:43
GN:
I want to get back to that later. After you graduate there is a time when you
technically leave Marist at graduation. And you went to teach at St Mary is that right?
18:57
RL:
Not immediately. Actually, after I left here. My classes, most of our students at that
time my colleagues, my students. What we did was we wanted to do service. A lot of us wanted
to do service, so I ended up going over to Mother Cabrini’s Home across the river. And I was
there for about two years. And I worked with young adolescent children between the ages of as
young as five, four all the way up to sixteen and seventeen years of age.
19:31
GN:
These are not the pins?
19:32
RL:
These are pins, some of these kids were pins, and these were some highly emotionally
disturbed kids. And yet some of the kids were just placed there because there's no place for them
to go. Mother Cabrini’s philosophy was over in like no child should be left on the street. They
need to have comfort, they need to have shelter, food, and education.
19:51
GN:
How big of an operation was that student-wise?
19:54
RL:
It was, you know, I would say. We probably had less than less than a hundred,
seventy-five kids. And like I mean up above was the girls' cottages and then down below in the
other residence dorms as we call them then where the young kids ...
20:16
GN:
When did you get back to Marist?
20:20
RL:
I actually come back to Marist … Actually, I never left Marist because of the little
people's program. We continued with the little people's program even after I graduated.
20:32
GN:
Though the summers.
20:33
RL:
That was through the summers and I was working at that point with Ron Pietro. And
Tom Wade. And that's where Tom comes into play. And Tom was instrumental in keeping


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helping us keep the program alive. And again we were a camp that really was way ahead of its
time in the long run. There weren't many camps and recreations programs around for the kids in
Dutchess County. We were kind of the first program on campus that can do that, in parallel to
that we had started our basketball camp programs with Ron Pietro and the like. So we had some
sports camps and the little people's camps. Because at that point there was the buildings were not
necessarily being used as much I mean there wasn't any major corporate stuff until a little bit
later on when I think IBM starts coming in to start using our facilities.
21:24
GN:
Do those students, was it eight to five? Were they here all day?
21:29
RL:
The kids that we took in were from four to eleven. We made some exceptions to the
older kids because that sense of age of twelve or thirteen there wasn’t a really much programs for
those kids. So we did. We grabbed as many kids as we could. In the Marist way, we took kids
who couldn't afford it, and it was, and I do remember a unique experience where we had actually
taken some children from Vietnam. It was a very moving time for us because if you remember at
that point, Poughkeepsie had adopted some families and we ended up taking care of the kids
during the summer.

22:07
GN:
OK. There is one story about that Vietnam that I have followed somewhat. One of
them has moved down to Raleigh, North Carolina. And now owned a Chinese restaurant, a
Chinese takeaway and it's a little kid. Oh, I forget his name. He graduated, went to college and
was a great soccer player. It was in his narrow of the bones to do that but just that you mention
that stirs that memory.
22:40
RL:
And actually I think Brother Richard Rancourt for some strange reason.
22:48
GN:
He came here and ran that program.
22:50
RL:
He had a lot to do with, and I remember us actually, I think at that point we go to him,
or he comes to us, and we just grab, we just took the kids. That's the way. That's the way Marist


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was. Yeah, I think. I don't say it continues to be that way but there was always a space for kids
could actually come to grow. And I think that's what our institution addresses that a lot to what
we're doing today.
23:18
GN:
Actually the timeframe that you mention is just about the time my friend, Dan Kirk
passes away 1984, 82-84 that time frame. And Rancourt is back on campus running that
program.
23:34
RL:
And it's. When I become a mentor in’78, ‘79. First of all, I come back as an assistant
residence director. And I'm working with Tony Drakeford in Champagnat. Gerry Kelly just
became the housing director. And Jerry Cox was just named the Dean of Students. So I was
working under their administration at the time. And then Father Richard LaMorte eventually
comes to me because I, at that point, was applying for I want to teach at St. Mary’s in
Poughkeepsie, and that’s where that comes to life. And I was teaching fifth graders that first year
and Richard comes to me and says Bob do you think you might be able to take on a part-time
position as a freshman mentor. He explained what the mentor was. I said I'd love to do that and
helped me out immensely with my housing and stuff but it was that experience that brings me
back into the residence areas. It’s now becoming a person a mentor’s a person’s as a guide
helping our kids. You know to navigate through those tough times when they are freshmen. The
whole idea of separation from home, now you working on a collegial level, your study skills
your reading skills all that stuff that I had learned way back when now comes to light and say
like, I've already experienced this guys, and this is the stuff you need to be confident needless to
say, a computer was certainly just touching, just getting to the surface is that point.
25:04
GN:
That. I mean that's what I was interested in. What does a mentor do? They are
available really theough the day.


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25:12
RL:
Right actually throughout the day. It's not that different from when the Brothers were
here. Certainly, we did not ask them to keep their doors open in study time or anything like that.
But the idea was that as a mentor we would certainly walk through our two floors, and you know
address you know just remind kids hey, we're hearing in case you need us or anything like that.
And sure enough, believe it or not, it was that open door where they'd invite you, and they would
just tell how their day went or that I'm having trouble with this or that. What was quite unique at
that time was that we were putting together our safety net system at that point. Not only were
students experience a freshman mentor but the faculty advisor program had been upgraded
immensely. We had that particular specialization within some of the curriculum areas here… I
think students were highly reactive not to mention the new technology that was just coming in. I
felt think it was probably the best time for those kids to you know get caught into that net to save
them so to speak. So that you realize that the mentor program was an answer to our great demise
of a lot of our kids because of that freedom piece and not doing well in school and the like. So
we got asked to come in and you've got to realize it was a great move on the college part.
26:35
GN:
How many were you doing that?
26:36
RL:
At that point, there were four of us. There were four of us. You could ask who they
were. I am sure.
26:44
GN:
No, I'm trying to get. Would you follow up to make sure you saw somebody every
week at least?
26:52
RL:
Right. It was a counsel not a counseling concept but it was the importance of follow
up and follow through. So if a student was having trouble, I mean some of the stories, I mean a
student was having trouble with a faculty member could not understand the way that the that the
faculty member was actually presenting the material and stuff. You know we talked to the


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
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faculty member, that faculty member certainly adjusted the way they taught and kids said thank
you very much. It was things like that that we were helping each other out and in many respects.
27:25
GN:
And you did this in Champ, Sheahan, and Leo?
27:28
RL:
I actually did it in Leo. I was actually went to fifth-floor Leo. I understand it was a
Richard LaPietra’s old apartment if I remember right. And yeah, I was, in the end suite and
students would come into my place. I mean when it was Christmas time they all came in because
I happen to have a color television at the time so they could see Rudolph, the Red-nosed
Reindeer. I remember that.
28:55
GN:
When do you move from mentor into this college activities?
28:59
RL:
Well. I was teaching still for it. I teach at St Mary's for I guess it was a total of eight
years. And I was still mentoring probably up to ‘84 maybe ‘85 somewhere in there in that round.
And what happens is I leave the mentoring position to move off campus. And what I'm doing I'm
still teaching at St Mary's. But now I've become the assistant director of intermural and I start
working down at the McCann Center. I never really stopped working for the McCann Center
even during my mentor days because there were times when I was supervising basketball games
working at special events. When the students would go to other areas and stuff I mean they
would be tapping the mentor specifically me at times to go on these trips, so they always had
adult supervision. So I actually become it's in the late 80's, ‘86, ;87 I think it's 87, August 87. I
become the assistant director of college activities. My supervisor was Betty Yeaglin.
29:13
GN:
Now in that period were there times, you mentioned the council before intercollegiate
academic activities or whatever, have you had an occasion to go to seminars and conferences
about running college activities?
29:33
RL:
I attend professional conferences yes, I do. I mean as far as the ACUI that I
mentioned to you before as far as the administration of student unions and the like. But I've also


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
16



been to the N.A.C.A. Conferences. This is the National Association of Campus Activities. It's
just not a talent-buying situation it's actually educational sessions, and we address the issues of
things like SGA, Student Government Associations. We'll address issues like helicopter parents
and the likes. I mean there's an always this educational piece that goes on. I now make sure that
my assistant directors attend as many of these professional conferences as possible. As a matter
of fact I've now increased it to the A.C.P.A. for my assistants because ultimately some of them
have their masters’ in higher education some of them might be looking at their doctorates so that
exposure is good for them. So we do that. Not to mention our on-campus teleconferencing and
webinars that we've been having also increases the ability to see what's hot in the field. So I
mean that's where I gain my knowledge, obviously through my reading.
30:50
GN:
When did student government come in to play such a part at Marist? Was it here
when you were here as a student?
30:56
RL:
Yeah actually. When student government I can remember as a matter of fact, Jim
Elliot was our president at the time of my class. It was not as structured as it is now. It used to be
kind of like the Council of student leaders where you'd have all these presidents and members
together.
31:16
GN:
Of various clubs.
31:17
RL:
Of various clubs and originations. A conclave of these students would then make
some decisions as far as hearing the student voice and addressing it to administration. It's not
until Matt Thompson back in the 90's… and late 80's, early 90's that proceeds to suggest a three-
tiered government. So we would deal with the executive/senate, a legislative branch and then a
judicial branch. So we mimic the American government system beginning in 89-90. There was a
whole referendum, a constitution was drawn up, and ultimately, we are now to present day using
that system.


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
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31:59
GN:
Now at that time is Jerry Cox, one of the spearheads of that?
32:05
RL:
As you know Jerry was an amalgamist, and that's what I would call him. Jerry took a
lot of the fragmented groups and a lot of times he would try to communicate the problem… We
have the greatest strength when you make these groups more concentric. So, for example, a
perfect example that was in 1976 in that realm were the theater guild, children's theater, and
experimental theater becomes one entity known now as MCCTA. And to present day that's how
we function. Most recently to added to that conclave is the Marist Theatre program which is
actually run more by the on the academic side of the house. OK so yet M.C.C.T.A still has its
own vibrancy. The academic theater program now plays a larger role for them as modeling like
what a good theater production’s all about, what you need to do, what type of work, you got to
put together from start to finish.
33:10
GN:
Is there still a children's theater per say?
33:12
RL:
Yes there is a children's theater. Last year, I think with Jerry's absence just prior to,
there was a lot of reaching out to where are we going to go, what are we going to do, that type of
thing and I saw this that wonderful concentric groups just seem to be dwindling and falling apart.
And I had suggested you know we need to have a greater guidance on this. People like Matt
Andrews comes in. Eileen Curly, Dr. Curly and we work with it even though Jerry is still with us
in many respects. Jerry's retiring now. Okay and that I think that had an impact on the group
because Jerry wasn't around. And I think that loss hurt us a lot. And like children's theater last
year, for example, was not supported. They were not doing a good job with it. So with this new
rejuvenation of this group and we're going through a second-year transition with MCCTA that
they've now put children’s theater back in the mix. They’re going to be doing Robin Hood, I
believe, in the spring of 2010.

34:26
GN:
How about the clubs and the budgetary aspects of that?


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
18



34:32
RL:
I've seen the budgets. Very interesting. Obviously, the activities fee met a lot of the
college's expenditures for the clubs and originations, Student Government Association. At one-
point, CUB the college union board, now known as a student programming council, monies were
certainly generated.
34:53
GN:
Does that go directly to you or does Tony Campilli take his share of his?
34:58
RL:
This is money that has tax to it, in other words, you can’t spend it that way. It’s
money that has to be spent in the activities area. So this is the monies that actually support things
like the intermural program. It supports their tickets into the games. It will support all the club
activities, all of the social activities, Student Government Association. So what happens is this
money is used certainly sparingly but very directly towards the success of these programs. I will
admit since I was here in my younger days the number of clubs has probably expanded by four
times, at least four times. It's kind of upon… Dennis’s arrival that things really do change and
you get the sense of an explosion. To this day that we still have an explosion we have well over
seventy-five clubs right now organizations, which is outstanding. And every single one of those
clubs has to receive this activities fee money.
35:59
GN:
Now is there a major treasurer for this within the student government?
35:00
RL:
In the student government, there's this someone called the C.F.O. And they are
responsible to have the financial board come together. And the students will submit budgets just
like in real life and the budgets are reviewed. There are rules and regulations that hopefully the
students are followed and they yay or nay budgets, and then those budgets are given back to the
students. And student group if they have want to aggrieve something whatever. Tthey go to
reallocation and then the financial board will meet with those groups to kind of say like the
reason why you did not get the money or maybe we need more information about why we should
be giving this money and the like. So it works. It does work.


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
19



36:47
GN:
Is there a big change in your life when you become now … in ’94. The director or
we've been talking about this?
36:54
RL:
Well. And here’s where Jerry comes. Jerry's obviously played major part of my life
here at the college, and … I have a very great respect for Jerry. And Jerry saves me a number of
times. But in ‘94 Jerry recognizes that Bob I want to name you the director. And I want you to
it's because of the time that I think in the commitment. There is a delicate balance for a lot of us
here at the college who it's. It's the faithfulness and the dedication I think of a lot of us I mean I
refer to members of the core faculty. The faculty that I had as student who are still with us here,
still, have that affiliation that love of this institution, its dedication. It was their way of life. And I
witnessed that the time I got here to present day.
37:50
GN:
Bettencourt doesn’t go home either.
37:50
RL:
My point exactly is that there is a dedication here that I was actually seeking when I
was a freshman. I wanted to be connected to something that was bigger. And I'm recognizing
that even more and more today than ever before and it was because of people like Joe
Bettencourt, Bill Perrotte, George Hooper, Jerry Cox. I can name so many other people. I mean it
was incredible.
38:19
GN:
When I was trying to put now this into moving from… becoming the director. Now,
who did you replace?
38:29
RL:
I actually replaced Sansola, Steve Sansola becomes the Assistant Dean. And he
moves downstairs with Jerry and Deb DiCaprio so they're down there. And I'm now the director.
Betty had retired, and you have to realize when Betty retired Steve Sansola becomes a director. I
became the assistant director. Actually, it's interesting because one of my titles somewhere in
that lane was called the coordinator of student activities. The famous word, coordinator, we
always had these great nomenclature for well you can't be assistant, but we can make you a


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
20



coordinator. How’s that sound? Things like that but ultimately, I become the director. And I've
been there since.
39:14
GN:
OK And then when Jerry leaves, he's replaced by?
39:24
RL:
By Deb.
39:25
GN:
By Deb and Sansola goes in as assistant to her.
39:30
RL:
Right. And he actually is now called the Associate Dean when Deb becomes the vice
president for student affairs. Steve was bumped up to an associate dean. And then we looked for
a new assistant dean, which is now Pat Cordner.
39:47
GN:
And who works with you in the office?
39:50
RL:
I've had the pleasure of working with quite a few assistant directors.
39:54
GN:
You fired them readily though.
39:56
RL:
Oh no actually what's so unique about one that comes to mind immediately. Rich
Walcott leaves us. He gets married and the likely but ultimately ends up being a student union
director of a major university and college. And I felt like Dennis Murray there just for a brief
moment where you know Tony Cenara does his thing, John Lahey got his thing, Mark Van
Heyden got his. I might take a little credit there Gus but yeah but it's kind of rewarding to me to
know that what their experience here got them so enthralled that look I want to become a union
director somewhere, and that's great credit to Marist. It really is a great credit to Marist.
40:43
GN:
Good, when you became director than this…were there new goals set up for you, and
ideals about here’s where want to go?
40:58
RL:
Well how we did our job? My challenge was to take Betty's, what I learned from
Betty, and what I learned from Steve. And I needed to come up with a new formula. In ’94, we
worked very closely with the Student Programming Council, and Student Programming Council
becomes a viable activities programming board and what we start to do is we start bringing in the


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
21



bigger shows then. We brought in bigger concerts. We brought in major lecturers. I felt that this
was kind of going in respects to where the college was going in other words, they had spent so
much money on some smaller venue stuff with not maybe the impact of what we wanted. So
bringing people like Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King, Senator George Mitchell. I mean these
were people at the time. I felt that they were people that held up their end of the bargain sort of
business as far as meaning the mission of the college and delivery. I mean we certainly went
after that so our field house becomes now a major lecture hall and our property outside can
become the concert venues and stuff. So it was my job in ‘94 that I needed to increase the level
of our programming.
42:33
GN:
Where did you get the connection power to be able to bring George here?
42:39
RL:
I'm very well connected with many what we call associates in the N.A.C.A,
Association for Campus Activities. We know people like in California, West Coast to East
Coast. And We are able to bid on acts so to speak, but we are like in the pipeline when it comes
to looking at lectures and concerts and the like, so we have the ability to actually bid on some of
those things. I kind of already know where the next step has to be. As I am the director and I've
given some of those responsibilities to my assistant director, I think my next plight is space. How
can we get other space? Now as obviously the college has made its master plan, and we're kind
of in there and. I'm not one to push the issue but the reality is our athletic programs are growing
by leaps and bounds will have less time or less ability to go into the field house as an example.
And so perfect example…
43:45
GN:
Which is going to expand anyway.
43:46
RL:
Which is going to expand because they need, they need that space. No one's going to
deny that space. But the reality is as I have also have to look at the academic side of the house. I
also know that faculty need offices. Faculty need classrooms. We are very appreciative of the


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
22



new Hancock's center, and I hope that we can we will be able to utilize that building to see how
technology effects liberal arts education I think that's a great thing. But there's the other piece.
The other pieces I've got clubs and organizations. I've got major activities that now have to be
curtailed a little bit because we don't have the space to do it in. So it's the Marist way doing as
much as we make do with what you got and we certainly do take advantage of that. The new
riverfront property has certainly added to space for programming. We just had our family
weekend program down their parents raved about it. You know. The kids raved about it. We
have concerts down there we even have our famous River Festival down there in place of the old
River Day.
44:52
GN:
Is there a movement to give students more freedom or less freedom in terms of their
choices and where they would like to go? I mean time change so radically from the thirty years
of your days here, to where we are now.
45:12
RL:
Well you know teaching. Let's go just for the teaching methods piece. Teaching
methods of seventy's and eighty's has immensely changed in ninety's and now present day. I
mean obviously, the influx of the computer has changed education. I mean it's changed this
institution and you know, we recognize that and we saw the importance of relationships. So as
soon as we put a computer into our curriculum, that was probably one of the best steps that we
could have done at that time. I am seeing students. They're becoming more and more
independent and I'm seeing more of the academic space being used as more of conclaves of
meetings and stuff and we have a lot more kids doing praxis. We have a lot more kids doing
capping, a lot more kids doing projects. These are legitimate steps towards master degrees and
some of the stuff that our kids have done are on the level of masters’ degrees. We've had kids
going competition against graduate students and they did better than they did. So you know there
is something unique going on with students here at Marist and I'm convinced that it's the nature


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
23



of the student that's coming in here that thirst for learning. And I think the exceptional academic
model that we're using is helping the kids meet those needs. I mean last night, a faculty member
from the chemistry department was in my building. And here we have in the Afron lecture in the
theater, I'm walking out and there's one of our teachers having a review session in chemistry.
OK, yeah. And I'm saying that's what a student center supposed to be. That's what academia
supposed to be. So here the unsung heroes are faculty giving up their time at night to do review
sessions with our kids. That’s Marist.
47:15
GN:
Then the kids get scholarships to medical school.
47:18
RL:
You've got it. And they're going to medical school, and you know what, most recently
with our alums coming to campus. And there was a reflection piece that got back to me where
everybody wanted to know how their teachers were doing. How was George Hooper doing?
How was Richard LaPietra doing? How was Dr. B doing? So you know in essence what I'm
saying is that this impact of being here at Marist for four years, you never forget who faculty
members or your friends. I mean that's the uniqueness about the Marist experience I think.
47:53
GN:
Let's move on in the same way you're talking about the students coming in now
compared to when you were here?
48:01
RL:
I'm sure everybody at this microphone said the following that no way could I have
gotten into Marist. So I'm sure everyone saying that.
48:09
GN:
And the teachers are saying the same thing. No way I would never be able to teach
here.
48:14
RL:
But they're probably all correct. I mean I'm embarrassed at times when a student can
come up to me and say, “Oh that's easy.” And I'm having the toughest time trying to figure out
the computer. They'll come in zip-zip. That's all you had to do. I said incredible. But you know
what I'm also finding. You know I can state to you that these might be smarter kids. They might


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
24



be very technically savvy. But you know what developmentally they're still the same as we were.
Quest who am I … where I am I going? What I'm going to do in my life? I mean that stuff is still
here. And that gives us the rewarding experience of trying to help them find out who they are
and what they want to do.
48:56
GN:
You can’t hurry up and grow up.
48:57
RL:
No. And you don't want them to. You do you want them to make mistakes. And you
want to do your best to help them along with, you know, that new sense of freedom. But also
that. And I've also learned this the reflection of the mission of Marist and how that plays a role in
our kids' lives. And it's really good to hear it every now and then, why we are here? I want you to
remember you know that quest for higher values. Here's one of those discussions we should have
about quest for higher values or you know your community service piece. Maybe you're doing a
little too much of that. Or you do it just right. You know. So it helps us do a lot of that.
49:34
GN:
On the values thing. Speak about your view of the student here in terms of those
sacred things like…country, family, church. Are they with the phone in their hand, they can call
home at any time?
49:55
RL:
Certainly the new generation. I guess we'll call it the digit generation whatever. But
you know there is a unique… We're experiencing in student affairs as much as all the college
university is across the country. The over-bearings of their parents. Okay, I think that has some
reflection upon our students like I am going to ask my mom or I'm going to ask my dad about
this. When we were here, we had to think for ourselves here. We had to do, we had to make it. I
mean there was just so much else going on in society at the time and we were dealing with all
that. But I think you will find a lot of the kids, very faithful. I’m finding them to be certainly
faithful. Experimental. They like to experiment. They like to experience different things. You
know as far as their spiritual development which I'm also very interested in at times. When I


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
25



certainly attend here a lot with Father Richard, Richard LaMorte is an exceptional homilist. In
that in many respects when our kids hear that. I see those kids come back. So I mean that's a
great experience so I do find that but you know. We didn't necessarily give up on that stuff. It's
just I guess it wasn't as important to us but I am now witnessing in their juniors and seniors, how
important it's become when was the last time you had a senior class come up to and say can we
have a mass. So that comes up every now and then Gus, yeah not all time. But my point is I do
think they are community-centered. We are very social campus. And a lot of the kids certainly,
pick up on that. And as well as you know as well as that we are constantly working with those
kids who have that social problem where they can't really necessarily get involved in
interconnected. So it is our mission as an administrator here that we try to get those kids
connected in somehow, some way. We have a lot more ways of doing that then when I was here.
Absolutely.
52:06
GN:
Well I mean the source that you hear terms of campus ministry for instance you know
the kids are getting involved in meals on wheels and the homeless and you know, trying to reach
out to do these kinds of things.
52:17
RL:
Yeah sure. I mean the Giving Tree is a perfect example of how our kids are
outpouring thought might end up on the parents' credit card so to speak. But the point is that our
kids take that and they really envelop it. It's not just the Meals on wheels. It's not just the giving
tree. I see other kids helping other students. That kid who maybe doesn't fit in, I've witnessed
that a number of times on campus. So that's a good thing. I'm not saying we're great at that by
any means but it is certainly an area. We just have a kid now working with hoodies for the
homeless. What's that all about? Well, it's kids. Donating sweatpants and sweatshirts and they're
going to bring boxes around. I'm heavily involved or I should say we have a student group that's
now heavily with books with literacy issues. I'm inviting these kids. They're taking all these


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
26



books and sending them off to other countries as well as to our local libraries and the like. So
again. There is a very strong community service commitment. If I may just say though certainly,
the Praxis program in these capping classes that we are experiencing. It's not theory any more
Gus. Oh no, it's the actual practicum of completing the entire project.
53:37
GN:
One of the startling examples they came to me is the Vienna girl. You know who's
gonna to play basketball but to do missionary work at the same time.
53:48
RL:
She had a very strong spirit. Yeah. It was quite evident not just the way she played
ball but the way she related to other people. No doubt.
54:00
GN:
We're moved around a long here. Let’s come to this last and hardest part. You're
rather in the unique position to look back over the develop of Marist you were here when Linus
was here?
54:11
RL:
When Richard was here yeah. And my great story with Richard is how he just comes
up to me day and go Hi Bob and how you doing. I never met Richard. I never met him. And I
don't know how he got to know that maybe to be Jerry whatever but I was so honored that day
when he just called my name out. And I say here's the president of the college, who knows me?
But that was Richard's way. He knew ever people, but Richard was our president at the time.
Sure.
54:39
GN:
Yeah. And that was one of the virtues that he had an insight is to give you the
freedom to be able to do so much. I mean I've talked to the football guys who’ve come through
here. Who played on rock and stuff out there you know.
54:56
RL:
With the car headlights.
55:00
GN:
I had Ron Levine in here. And you can't believe some of the inside stories that took
place in those years.


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
27



55:09
RL:
Well you know it's interesting but the inside stories. Even the way as you know I've
heard the stories of how Marist was actually built and… they are phenomenal stories. And I
mean I've actually spoken to the bricklayers. I've spoken to that some of those Brothers who
carried the beams across the street. I mean all those stories. And I'm hearing it. I'm hearing it
firsthand from these guys, I'm going what an incredible story. I wish I had a microphone and tape
recorder to have you do this right now.
55:37
GN:
One of the greatest tellers of that stories never carried a beam. That’s LaPietra. He
would tell these stories and he never worked on these project at all but. And I had the chance to
talk.
55:51
RL:
But if I may I reflect upon my photography for example. And you know who one of
my mentors the person who inspired me to do what I did? It was Brother Nilus Donnelly?
56:02
GN:
I am going to say do you remember Nilus Donnelly?
56:05
RL:
Not only do I remember Nilus, Nilus at one point showed me some of his work. And
he instilled in me the importance of the historical perspectives of the institution. He was the
reason why I took photos from the destruction of Fontaine to the building of James Cannavino
library. It was he who inspired me to do that. To this day as I'm here with a camera. I am now
taking photos of the new Hancock Center took pictures of the new Fontaine building. You know
my point was that you know he inspired me to do that so I would became an Architectural
Photographer. I don't know but he had the eye. I mean his work was just phenomenal.
56:49
GN:
Well you certainly have the historical. If you have them from the McCann center on
down to the Hancock.
56:54
RL:
And I’ve… I try to do my best to maintain those records so that you know ultimately
John will end up with those and he’ll have them in the archives.


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
28



57:04
GN:
An impossible task. But how would you, from your perspective how do we get from
where we were to where we are? You know. (laughter)
57:18
RL:
Sheer guts?
57:20
GN:
But there's categories of it. Yeah you got Linus, I mean you got

Paul Ambrose, Linus.
57:25
RL:
And I met the builders.
57:28
GN:
Yeah. And. You know the administrative part of it then you talked about the teachers
before. So there’s outstanding teachers. Some not like George Somner and Don Drennan.
57:38
RL:
Oh George, and I got along. I never took him as teacher.
57:42
GN:
That's why you got along. Unless you were a female, you might have gotten along a
little easier.
57:48
RL:
I don’t know. I can remember George having a few words with us when we had little
people, children’s theater coming out in the hall, He would happen to be teaching in two forty-
nine at the time well he had some choice words for us. OK, Guys let’s just go right back in the
theatre.
58:01
GN:
This is institution coming up OK. Then even staff people that I don't even know I
mean. I know a good number them. But how we got here.
58:15
RL:
You know in my freshman year, I'll just mention some people that I met that I have
not mentioned yet to you. I mean obviously. Nilus was somebody who I meet later on in my
freshman year but how about Brother Tarcisius. Tarci and that's where I meet Neal, Neal Hogan.
I mean I remember Tarsci being in the in the gym in the printing shop. As a matter fact to one
point that same printing machine was used over in Donnelly at one point which Neil could clean
and take care one two three because Tarski told him. I remember Tarski with a cigar. We had a
time when we had to get something done we had to you know no one did it, and so I ended up
where’s the program. So I walked over I said Brother Tarcis could you help me out? Bob No


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
29



problem. Just got a boom and off we're going, need a hundred more come back. So that was the
need. That's what I mean people like Tarski, I can remember people in this dining service. I can
remember members in our physical plant, staff housing and housing staff. Patrick Forsythe, Pat
Forsythe was a Brother in Champagnat. And he was my residence director when I was a
freshman I will never forget Pat Forsythe I think he was a great human being funny as heck. I
mean he was just…
59:35
GN:
He was in Florida. How could he be good? (laughter)
59:38
RL:
But he you know ultimately, I mean I can remember people like, meeting people like
Roe. I met a lot of the Brothers who are my age now, actually running the Marist Brothers who
are very important my life. Bob Clark, Steve Slitty, Steve Signhem, Henry Hammer, Patrick
McNamara mean all these people. From there, Frank Kelly's also involved in that. Now it’s their
constituents that I've met through you know the brothers here. So you know, where were we? I
mean what were we doing at the time? We were hanging on by the skin of our teeth. I'll tell you
the quick story if we didn't have seven hundred seven people on campus in residence. We would
have had to close one of the residence halls. I remember that. Hence the culinary comes into be,
the best move the College ever made, Gus, especially during the dessert courses. We had lemon
meringue pie, Boston cream pie. It was a great moment. My point is that we recognized and we
weren't I guess we kind of were reacting at that point. But somewhere along during my
undergraduate years, I think it was. We ain’t reacting anymore. We're taking the bull by the
horns and we're moving. And I think that obviously with the selection of Dennis. As the
president I mean there was obviously great scope. Great mission and great vision. I am blown
away from what we had this little small tiny institution to a robust beautiful, beautiful facility.
01:01:08
GN:
Roger Norton speaks the same way. His first years here. What the hell are we
doing you know here in this place here?


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
30



01:01:15
RL:
Exactly. I remember Evelyn Fisher having total rule of the campus. And I loved
Evelyn. I loved her work. But you know, but the point was that we were exposed to great people
and those people I could speak to you very clearly about them right now. Maybe in ten years, I
won't be able to hence the reason why I am being recorded. But they were great people.
01:01:39
GN:
It’s a range of them. It's administrators. It's Tony Campilli who get a lot about you
know. He talks about balancing.
01:01:48
RL:
Balancing the books.
01:01:49
GN:
To make us get through to another year. And he had… we had to talk about his
vacuum clean up all the dollar, and penny’s around you know if you didn't spend it. It right back
to the general fund you don’t have it next year. I remember one of the Chaplain, one of the
priests. Forget his name. Oh anyway I'm having that problem now myself. He got Alzheimer's
some time I think he passed away. He was here for ten years.
01:02:20
RL:
We had Leo Gallant. Father Leo Gallant was here when I was here.
01:02:22
GN:
Yeah no and following him.
01:02:25
RL:
Ben D’Allesandro
01:02:26
GN:
No. And following him.
01:02:29
RL:
Was LaMorte I thought.
01:02:30
GN:
No, he was ten years. He was a Christian brother for a while and his sister used to
come up visit .
01:02:41
RL:
Ben, Father Ben. A moment on tape here.
01:02:49
GN:
He told me once. He would give anything to Tony Campilli cause he’s a thief. He
stole all the chaplain money that wasn’t used you know and no matter what category shows a
(vacuum noise) vacuum went around. But that's the way it had to be.


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
31



01:03:07
RL:
Well yeah, I mean that's the way it had to be in you're absolutely right I remember
getting a kudos one day from Tony Campilli at a meeting of all these high echelon people is this.
And it's Bob Lynch's Program little people summer worship that's one of the reasons why we
have that program so we can get the money from that program. We’re all like I don’t really get a
lot of money from that, it’s great public relations. But he, Tony would be able to recognize that.
But I understand the money thing, I do clearly understand the money thing. I don't think, we're
certainly not in the shape we were. I mean today. It's a much different operation, much different
operation.
01:03:74
GN:
We can afford a lot more because again the expansion. And all the tide have drift,
all the ships are gonna up we have a lot more.
01:03:53
RL:
And tuition-driven institution and you know that after we're long gone so to speak
I know that this institution will have a phenomenal endowment. They're going to have
phenomenal endowment if they're not already working on it as we speak. We have great things
going for us.
01:04:11
GN:
Let's just talk about that then. You know what’s your view about where will we be
ten years from now? Related to that, what do we have to do? If you had a chance to talk to the
board what would you say to the board of directors about maintaining Marist or enhancing it?
01:04:35
RL:
Well I think one of the things I see coming because of the academic piece that I'm
somewhat witnessing with the students. Is it possible that Marist potentially could become more
of a research institution? In other words your first two years you know you get your
fundamentals and the like. You know that again the methods will certainly teach. Our kids are
going to be coming here with potentially four years of college knowledge already as a freshman.
I mean as that all accelerates. They're going need something bigger. They're going to need
something to grasp onto. I think through the guidance piece that our faculty can certainly give


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some of our people I can see our kids doing some phenomenal research projects. That's one thing
I mean as far as the reason why we're here. I mean it is certainly academic excellence but also
our kids once they go out. I would also warn the board never take out the humanistic piece, never
take out the humanistic piece. We're not going to be robots. We have to make ethical decisions.
We have to be able to speak publicly and address our concerns. I mean that's the type of student
we want graduating from here. Also, I think some of us might consider it a small mission but it's
actually a very big mission. It's a very big mission part of all of our lives. Especially the people
who have been dedicated to Marist for many years. We live this mission every single day. I
never want them to lose that piece of it. I mean that's worth more than any money that could get
you here. It's that commitment to just being a human being on this great earth. I mean I won't
discuss the physical concept of this institution. Because our kids might not have to come here. I
want them to come here. I want them to be in the residence halls. I want to experience four years
not being at home and developing your own life skills.
01:06:40
GN:
Distant learning is not for them.
01:06:42
RL:
No, it's not. And I know distance learning. It’s good. It really does benefit some
people, it's a revenue stream that's great but I still want our kids to come here on this hallowed
ground. I'll say that this is hallowed ground to me. They can experience who they are within four
years. And I'll tell you the alums who come back and I would say this to the board as well. They
come back and if these kids keep saying to you as the board "The best four years my life." We're
going to survive.
01:07:13
GN:
Marist seems to draw like into like. I mean kids who come here pretty much like
the kids who were here. I mean there is a kind of. You know there is a certain quality to them
that that's hard to define.
01:07:28
RL:
Rough. Bronx kids.


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01:07:32
GN:
But kind. I mean they will hold the door for you.
01:07:34
RL:
But they're also they're very, very courteous kids. I do see our community change
though with the number of students that we're getting from other states, from other cultural
backgrounds and stuff. Again this should be celebrated on our campus. And I'm hoping that we
recognize it for what it is and to take advantage of that and create our own because once they do
that here. They'll do that in other communities. We know that. I would also suggest to the board
one of the thing never ever forget, never ever forget the history of this institution. Never forget it
because you've got to think of all these young brothers here. Hammer and nail, what you want
me to do. I mean that's the type of thing. And I'm learning more about that history which I think
gives me even more sense of connection.
01:08:32
GN:
And then a future you kind of hinting on it. Keeping the humanistic element into it
and always developing interpersonal skills.
01:08:45
RL:
Having philosophical debates to look at the world not just your local but to look at
that you have to have the worldview. I think we do that through a lot of our classes here through
some of the programs I'm involved in. But you can never forget. You cannot forget where our
kids… what our kids are learning today. I mean unfortunately TV’s not the only thing you're
going to be learning guys it's having conversations face to face. It's good to see a person blink
their eyes or sneeze in like you know I don't want to become that person that’s not there.
01:09:23
GN:
It's kind of a simple question. But you've been here a long time. Why did you
stay?
01:09:32
RL:
People ask me that question. You know the concept of growing up here. I certainly
did grow up here. I mean I'm thinking of all of the people that I've met along the way. I'm hoping
that I could be a part of someone else's life like they were part of my life. So like it's an
experience not just it’s an experience for me that hopefully I can share my life stories. My fun


Robert Lynch (27-Oct-2009)
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times here too but I think you also had to talk about the tough times. And to recognize that you're
here hopefully celebrating the best four years of your life. And I want you to kind of get a sense
that I'm here for a reason and my purpose is to help guide you through this. I think it's an honor
to do that. And you know the other piece of that is doing it quietly which is part of the Marist
way, as well. Doing things quietly to me helps I think in the long run. I don't like the band… you
know the grand band standing in all of the business I just don't think it helps out with some of
our kids. We can do this individually, Gus. We can still do it individually. I hope that we don't
get to be a university size which I'm sure you're hearing from everybody else as well because that
brings in… What do they say…? We're a small college with university problems?
01:11:03
GN:
Well I mean we have university potential and as much as we have the ability to be
able to do the research. We really don't have that depth yet in terms of even I don't know that you
need a library anymore because there's so many ways to get the information that you want. But I
think it's the people that I have experienced here. And just as you mentioned before there's a
woman down the end of the hallway there, Nancy Decker. And I wrote to her for her twentieth,
and I was saying she is almost the model of the Marist hidden unknown to the world does
excellent work and is just as is there doing it and not upstairs with any kind of flair but virtue that
is to be admired. It’s been a good run I'd say Bob, and it's been great having you on board, and
its great have you here for this little intersession. Is there something I didn't say or ask that you
would like to say?
01:00:12
RL:
I will admit, Gus. There are so many other stories I can tell, but I just won't put
them on tape.
01:12:20
GN:
We could well.
01:12:22
RL:
Maybe one day, we’ll have another conversation.
01:12:25
GN:
Okay, Bob thank you very much.


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01:12:26
RL:
Thanks, Gus.