Thank you for your note of November 12th extending the 30-day deadline to Monday, December 15th for our answer to the proposals you made at our Board meeting of October 28, 2003 regarding the future relationship between the College and the Alumni Association.

A scan of the College website as late as this past weekend did not reveal a letter by you addressed to alumni, but late on Monday a message from Ken Healy linked us to your letter. As requested we will post it on the Alumni Association web site - at the same time we post our letter to membership. In return, I trust you will provide a link to our membership letter and related materials, on the College website.

As I advised you by letter, the Board determined that the decision called for required a vote by the membership to determine our future. Our letter of November 12, 2003, together with enclosures, board recommendations for continued independence and a ballot have been sent to the membership. A copy is enclosed for your reference. A copy of the November 12 letter and enclosures, in addition to all background correspondence, will be posted on the Alumni web site at the time of mailing. The Alumni Board of Directors feels that in a matter of this importance all information should be available to the membership.

Under our Constitution & By-laws a vote could not be called for in the time allotted - even given the shortened voting period we have called for on our ballot.

The results of the voting process will be announced when received and at the Annual General Membership Meeting of the Alumni Association at the end of January based upon the count provided to us by the Honest Ballot organization. A Board meeting will be convened as soon as practicable thereafter to implement the members' decision. The Board's subsequent actions will be taken expeditiously and will reflect the decision of our Association members.

We hope to discuss our individual and common futures with you and with Chancellor King before the Association's Annual Meeting now scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2004.

Should the members vote for Proposition Two (adopting SUNY Guidelines) we will contact you to schedule orderly implementation. If the members choose Proposition One (the continued cooperative independence of the past 100 years) we hope to explore ways in which mutually beneficial collaborative agreements can be arranged so as to provide the greatest possible benefit to "Maritime".

We have endeavored to present the Board's understanding of the Association's situation as you described it to us on October 28, and as outlined in the legal opinion signed by D. Andrew Edwards that you provided. The Ballot Propositions reflect these choices; the enclosed transmittal letter states our view of the circumstances. Your views are different from ours, but we will post them and allow the members to make their decision.

We appreciate your offer extending the 30-day deadline - I am sorry we could not reasonably or legally reply within that revised time frame.

We trust you can accommodate the Association while the Board does its duty and the members express their constitutionally mandated preference.

Sincerely,

Theodore Mason

Cc: Board of Directors