In May 2006, the Middlebury Board of Trustees voted unanimously to endorse a strategic plan, Knowledge Without Boundaries, that reflected the participation and the collective vision of hundreds of members of the Middlebury community — both on and off campus. The plan is available on the Middlebury College web site, and hard copies are available on campus in Old Chapel and in the College Library.
The present report outlines the gains for our strategic planning agenda made this spring. For convenient reference, it lists these by referring to the specific numbered recommendations in the strategic plan.
#2: Seek more applicants with special academic talents.
#4: Identify and recruit more applicants who are top rated academically.
On April 5 and 6 the admissions office hosted admitted students with exceptionally strong credentials who were told in mid-March that they were likely admits to Middlebury. The College provided their transportation and hosted 57 students. The culminating event was a dinner in McCardell Bicentennial Hall with Bob Clagett, Shirley Ramirez, and President Liebowitz as speakers and with faculty members and at least one current student at each table. This new event illustrates expanded efforts to strengthen our yield on exceptional students who have other admissions offers at top universities and colleges. We now know that 19 of these students who visited Middlebury, all of whom were pursued by other prestigious colleges, will attend Middlebury this September; four other students who received the letters in March will also join us.
This summer, admissions is adding a more academic component to summer tours by offering to conclude the tours for anyone who is interested with a special presentation (ideally by a faculty member) featuring one academic area. We are hoping to involve the sciences, international studies, environmental studies, and the arts.
#6: Increase the grant component in our aid packages.
We have begun packaging newly-admitted financial aid recipients using the new loan guidelines with reduced borrowing. The fiscal needs for this planning initiative for next year are about $350,000. A generous gift to the early phase of the Middlebury Initiative has fully funded this revised program for the incoming class. A significant increase in the admissions yield rate resulting in a larger-than-anticipated first year class this September may reflect the success of this change.
#7: Increase the socio-economic diversity of the student body.
During spring break two current undergraduates representing admissions visited high schools in their home areas — Los Angeles and Montana — to connect with prospective students. Their experiences were positive, and Dean Clagett hopes to expand the program next year.
The Middlebury admissions office is collaborating with Williams College in hosting a counselors’ visiting program this summer, that will bring 25-30 counselors from lower-income high schools, urban outreach organizations, and science and mathematics academies around the country to Middlebury for a two-day visit. They will arrive on July 19 and depart on July 21.
More than 44 percent of the students in the entering Class of 2011, both September and February admitted students, qualify for need-based grant aid. This figure matches a goal in the strategic plan for greater socio-economic diversity.
#8: Enhance recruitment and retention of students of color.
New student recruiting initiatives have helped us achieve a 19 percent increase over last year in the number of U.S. students of color who have been admitted to the Class of 2011.
In the spring term the student community was especially active in areas relating to diversity. On April 11, President Liebowitz hosted an all-college “town meeting” in McCullough at which students, staff, and faculty openly and honestly addressed some issues that had created tensions. I was impressed that the challenges and occasional conflicts provide “teachable moments,” and that significant education has ensued.
We are planning changes to the Palana academic interest house and to Carr Hall. The house will eventually be re-located at 97 Adirondack View. A new academic center will be at Carr Hall, and Dean Shirley Ramirez is currently inviting selected faculty to be in a working group that will work with her on diversity initiatives and the development of a center for the study of race, ethnicity, and cultures–that is, “intercultural studies.”
#10: Create an admission advisory committee.
This committee is now formed and had its first meeting on May 3. Membership of the committee consists of five faculty members (Murray Dry, Michelle McCauley, Steve Abbott, Paul Sommers, and Shirley Ramirez), four staff members (Erin Quinn, Becky Brodigan, Kim Downs, and Bert Phinney), two students (Sam Lazarus and Ashley Barron), and it is chaired by Dean of Admissions Bob Clagett.
#12: Continue to offer leadership in addressing the relationship between intercollegiate athletics and academic mission.
The College Sports Project, a national effort supported by a grant from The Andrew Mellon Foundation to Middlebury College, has completed its first round of data collection from approximately 70 NCAA Division III institutions. Reports will go to participating College presidents by the end of the summer.
#17: Expand opportunities for staff involvement in the Commons.
Many staff members were active in the several follow-up sessions that followed the inaugural convocation by Paul Rusesabagina, and the Commons hosted some of this programming.
#18: Initiate a weekly College-wide convocation.
Dean of the College Tim Spears organized the inaugural convocation held on March 3 with Paul Rusesabagina (of Hotel Rwanda) as the speaker. The event in Mead was an enormous success; even the overflow venues were at capacity. Several follow-up events, including student panels, gave the community a chance to participate in discussion of related issues. Plans are under way for future convocations, although in the short run the series will not be held on a weekly basis.
#19: Enhance educational opportunities for staff.
Executive Vice President Bob Huth and members of his staff including Director of Human Resources Drew Macan are addressing educational opportunities for staff. The Benefits Advisory Committee has begun a review of all of our educational assistance programs — those for staff members as well as the tuition reimbursement programs for dependents.
#21: Increase professional development opportunities for staff.
Since January, eight distinct professional development programs for staff members totaling 115.5 program hours and 365 participants have been carried out. In addition to supervisory training programs outlined in #24 below, 73 staff members attended Taking Your Job Seriously and Yourself Lightly ... The Positive Power of Humor, presented by Dr. Joel Goodman, president of The Humor Project, and 39 staff members attended Interpersonal Communication Skills to Create Understanding, presented by Hamish Blackman, president of The Wellness Corporation. Other department-specific workshops were also developed and presented.
#24: Strengthen supervisory training programs.
Since January, six programs targeted specifically for managers and supervisors totaling 108 program hours and 243 participants were completed: 40 managers and supervisors participated in The Legal Side of Supervision; five new supervisors participated in First Step Right Step; 17 supervisors participated in Leader Skills for Supervisors; 16 managers participated in Leader Skills for Managers; 165 managers and supervisors will have participated in the Performance Feedback Skills for Supervisors. Shirley Ramirez, dean for institutional diversity, is assisting in this training. In addition, 24 academic department chairs participated in Legal Issues for Faculty Chairs.
Chapter Three recommendations on curricular changes and more competitive faculty teaching loads.
The Educational Affairs Committee, with support from Vice President Alison Byerly, Acting Dean of Faculty Sunder Ramaswamy, and Dean of Faculty Susan Campbell, has continued work on faculty teaching loads and curricular issues. Initial reports are now being drafted and the work will continue in the fall.
#37: Eliminate triple majors and reduce the number of double majors.
The faculty voted legislation at the April Faculty meeting that eliminates triple majors and specifies the options student have for choosing two majors.
#39b: Highlight the strengths of the arts at Middlebury.
In response to recommendations for broader integration of the arts in the community, Professor Glenn Andres has been appointed director of the arts.
#40: Strengthen winter term.
The academic administration is reinstating off-campus winter term courses in January 2008, and these courses will be given abroad. A gift to the College has made this initiative possible.
#44: Promote student research through a day-long research symposium.
Middlebury held its first Student Research Symposium on April 13 in McCardell Bicentennial Hall; the symposium was organized by Dean of Undergraduate Research Pat Manley and Associate Dean of Students Karen Guttentag. The Friday afternoon event was well attended and the students’ presentations were superb. The atmosphere was much like that of a conference, and the symposium exceeded expectations.
#62: Establish a liaison group to explore programmatic connections between the Monterey Institute of International Studies and Middlebury programs.
On April 10, President Liebowitz announced the creation of the M2 Task Force on Integration. This group will oversee the ongoing interaction of Middlebury College and the Monterey Institute in three areas: (1) academic programming; (2) fundraising and communications; and (3) administrative support functions. Dean for Faculty Development and Research Sunder Ramaswamy is the project director for the task force.
#68: Strengthen our environmental leadership and reputation.
On May 5 the Board of Trustees approved a Resolution on Achieving Carbon Neutrality. The proposal originated with a student group called MiddShift, and was further developed by the Carbon Neutrality Initiative Task Force comprised of student, faculty, and staff and led by Executive Vice President Bob Huth. The resolution supports a goal of carbon neutrality by 2016 for the College’s Vermont campus and it commits the College to taking a leadership stance on carbon neutrality.
The examples outlined in this report illustrate the many efforts under way in the community to act upon the recommendations in the strategic plan. The College community is indebted to these individuals for their good work and leadership in advancing the College’s ambitious agendas.
— John Emerson
Dean of Planning
July 2, 2007