They came from 20 states and even crossed the Pacific to hear Stanford officials speak with extraordinary openness about the challenges facing the University. At the inaugural STARS conference (short for Saluting Top Alumni Representatives at Stanford), held on campus April 7 and 8, administrators including President Gerhard Casper and president-designate John Hennessy explained how they are handling tough issues like a shortage of housing for faculty and graduate students and the fight for a new plan to govern future growth.
Their audience was a select group of alumni leaders from organizations including the Board of Trustees, the Stanford Alumni Association (which publishes this magazine) and the advisory boards of several campus think tanks and research projects. Invitations went out to 435 alumni representing classes in six different decades, and 175 accepted the offer. Former secretary of state Warren Christopher, JD '49, gave the opening remarks.
The event gave volunteers a clearer sense of their value to the University, says Barbara Hart, '59, a member of the alumni association board and chair of the event.
