University of Oxford
North American Office
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Greetings from Oxford Universitys North American Office!
While the weather in England has not been especially good
this winter with one particularly heavy snow putting the
patience of many of my Oxford-based colleagues to the test
a number of bright spots helped to lighten the mood within
the University community. First and foremost, the reopening
of the Ashmolean Museum to positively glowing reviews has
re-energized both members of the University and all those
who visit this wonderful institution.
On a recent visit to Oxford, I had the opportunity to spend an
entire Saturday morning reacquainting myself with one of my
favorite parts of the University. To say that I was delighted
with what I found would be a gross understatement. From
the new interactive exhibitions on the basement level to the
roof-top restaurant with its wonderful views of the dreaming
spires and everything in between, the Ashmolean has been
completely transformed. As impressive as the physical
changes may be (which includes a 100% increase in
exhibition space), the reinstallation of the collection is even
more compelling. Adopting the theme Crossing Cultures
Crossing Time, the collection now demonstrates that far
from being static, art has flowed across national, cultural,
and physical boundaries throughout history, often creating
intriguing results as illustrated by a beautiful statue of a
Buddha from the 3rd Century AD wearing a Roman-style
toga!
Another bright spot for the University has been the continued
development of the Sad Business School (SBS). While the
success of SBS has been well-known within Oxford for some
time, a recent ranking of MBA programs conducted by the
Financial Times places the SBS program at 16th in the world.
When one considers that the Oxford MBA was established
only 14 years ago, to be ranked 16th in the world, as well as
second in the UK, is a great accomplishment.
My colleagues and I are working hard to ensure that the 2010
Oxford North American Reunion will be a bright spot for the
University as well. If you have not received your invitation
for the Reunion, please contact my office so we may mail one
to you or visit our website at www.oxfordna.org. Our
honored guest at this years Reunion will be a document
rather than a person. By special arrangement with the
Bodleian Library, Magna Carta, circa 1217, will be traveling
Hilary Term 2010 Newsletter
to New York and will be on display as part of the Reunion
program. I hope you, too, will travel to New York on April 16th
and 17th to join in the festivities!
Best regards,
Michael G. Cunningham, FRSA
Director, University of Oxford North American Office
The Ashmolean Museum Reopens
Oxfords Ashmolean Museum is the
UKs oldest public museum
probably the oldest museum in the
world and home to one of the most
important collections of art and
archaeology to be found anywhere.
Among its treasures are the worlds
largest group of Raphael drawings,
the most substantial collection of
pre-Dynastic Egyptian material in
Europe, the only significant Minoan
collection in the UK, the greatest
Anglo-Saxon collections outside of
the British Museum, and the
foremost collection of modern
Chinese art in the Western world.
In November 2009, it reopened to the public following a
10-month closure and a transformative 61 million
redevelopment. Behind the magnificent neo-classical facade,
designed by Charles Cockerell, now sits the new six-story
Ashmolean building, which has more than doubled the
Museums display space. The project has been the UKs largest
museum redevelopment in recent history and has turned the
Ashmolean into a museum for the 21st Century.
The new building, designed by the award-winning Oregon-born
architect Rick Mather, has given the Museum 39 new galleries;
a spectacular atrium with a cascading staircase rising over five
floors; a suite of temporary exhibition galleries; a new
Continued on Page 4he Mu-
1
 Sad Business School
Estate Tax ????
The Sad Business School is just 14 years old. This year it has While the Estate Tax was Abolished for 2010,
risen in the Financial Times ranking of MBA programs from
Congress May Still Pass Laws Retro-Actively
20th to 16th, and is seated second in the UK. Forbes magazine
has recently named Oxfords Sad Business School as having the Affecting This Important Tax.
most satisfied MBA students of any non-US business school. Its
undergraduate program is regularly ranked at the top in the UK, What Should You Do?
it has outstanding finance masters programs and is an executive

education business that has doubled in scale while most have
declined. Review Your Estate Plan with Your Lawyer
in Terms of the Current Laws.
The Sad Business School is
You May Want to Consider Including
arguably already Europes
top university-based Oxford University or Your College in Your Will or Trust.
business school and is
destined to be one of the Contact us if you or your attorney have any questions
worlds best in a short space
212 377 4907 or dstiles@oxfordna.org
of time. It is particularly
known for its focus on Or visit our website: www.oxford.planyourlegacy.org/
entrepreneurship and
Phil Sayer finance. It runs venture
funds to help finance start-ups, it brings over the leading
entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley to Oxford every year and
hosts the Skoll World Forum on social entrepreneurship. The
Universitys entrepreneurship society now boasts some 7,000
2010 North American Reunion in NYC
members.
The 2010 University of Oxford North American Reunion
Oxford University has one of the largest groups of academics in will take place on 16 - 17 April at the Waldorf=Astoria in
finance of any university in Europe. In addition to the Business New York City.
School, there are finance specialists in economics, law, maths The weekend begins
and physics departments, amongst others. The School has active on Friday 16 April
researchers in the fields of asset pricing, business taxation, with a drinks
corporate finance and private equity. reception for all
North American
In addition to being outstanding in a traditional business school alumni and friends.
sense, the Sad Business School has four distinguishing features: Saturday 17 April
its integration into one of the worlds most renowned will include
universities, its internationalism, its practical relevance and its breakfasts hosted by
emphasis on the social as well as the commercial aspects of division heads, academic sessions, and lunch featuring an
business. As a consequence, the School has already addressed interview with Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Hamilton,
many of the issues that were raised by the financial crisis and by Chrystia Freeland (St Antonys, 1993), Global Editor at
with which other schools are just now grappling. Large for Thomson Reuters.
Its youth, entrepreneurialism, dynamism and influence make the
Said Business School unusually well placed to provide the Saturdays sessions will include various Oxford academics
education, the knowledge and the impact that the 21st Century such as Professor Tiffany Stern (University College), who
demands. Its remarkable success to date demonstrates that it is will explore Shakespearean rehearsal and ask how practical
capable of combining the history and tradition of Oxford with staging issues affected the construction of early modern
the modernity of a forward-looking business school. playtexts.

Professor Margaret MacMillan, Warden of St Antonys

Visit www.sbs.ox.ac.uk for more information College, will speak to Nicholas Kristof, New York Times
on the Sad Business School . Op-Ed columnist (Magdalen College, 1981) and his wife
Sheryl WuDunn about their book, Half the Sky and

2
 Visit www.oxfordna.org for more information

explore their argument that the most effective way to fight Financial Times Discount
global poverty and insecurity is to educate and empower women.
The day will close with a discussion between the Chancellor, Lord
Patten of Barnes, Professor Eugene Rogan, Director of the Middle
East Centre at the University of Oxford and Mark Whitaker
(Balliol, 1979), NBC News Washington Bureau Chief, asking if
democracy is a The Financial Times
Western principle and if it can be exported to other parts of the
world. invites
University of Oxford
The Bodleian Librarys 1217 edition of Magna Carta will be on
display at the Waldorf=Astoria on Saturday 17 April. Limited alumni
viewings will be offered and tickets are required. to subscribe at a
Various College & Department events will take place over the preferred rate,
course of the weekend. Full details can be found at saving 87% off the
www.oxfordna.org.
cover price.
Hotel reservations at the Waldorf=Astoria are available for $309
per night plus tax; please call 1-877-GROUPWA (476-8792) and To take advantage of this special rate,
ask for the Oxford University group rate .
visit: http://www.ftnewspaper.com/
For more detailed information on the OxfordAlumni
2010 North American Reunion,
visit www.oxfordna.org

3
 Non Profit Org.
University of Oxford North American Office U.S. Postage
500 Fifth Avenue, 32nd Floor PAID
New York, NY
New York, NY 10110 Permit No. 2377

Hilary Term 2010 Newsletter

ASHMOLEAN (continued from Page 1)

Education Centre; state-of-the-art conservation studios; and
Oxfords first rooftop restaurant. The Museums collections
have been entirely redisplayed, with a new approach called
Crossing Cultures Crossing Time, which demonstrates the
Donate online today at
interconnected nature of the worlds different civilizations. WWW.OXFORDNA.ORG
New galleries explore the journey of ideas between east and
west and illustrate the material culture of activities common
to different societies, such as reading and writing, money and
textiles.
Later this year, the Ashmolean will inaugurate its new
program of blockbuster exhibitions, beginning in September
with The Pre-Raphaelites and Italy. An exciting program of We look forward to seeing many
events, tours and lectures is scheduled throughout year, alumni and friends at the
making the Ashmolean a museum to revisit time and again.
2010 North American Reunion
The Ashmolean Britains First Museum Admission Free
Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH
on 16-17 April in NYC.
T +44 (0)1865 278 000
www.ashmolean.org Please see details inside.