President Baucom Presents Priorities to Board of Trustees
President Ian B. Baucom outlined his top priorities during his first meeting with the Middlebury Board of Trustees, held October 16–18, including a strategic planning process to guide Middlebury over the next decade.
Baucom said he is focused on five primary goals: meeting, learning from, and engaging the campus community; launching the strategic planning process; supporting students, faculty, and staff as programs conclude at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies; balancing Middlebury’s budget; and successfully concluding For Every Future: The Campaign for Middlebury.
The strategic planning process, initially announced on October 29, will focus on the themes of Strengthening the Core, Connecting the Whole, and Meeting the Moment. Baucom said he is asking the Steering Committee and all stakeholders of the planning process to ask: “What is Middlebury for? Not just higher education or the liberal arts in general, but Middlebury in particular. What are we for?”
“At the end of this process,” Baucom said, “I believe our ambition should be nothing less than establishing Middlebury as the leading liberal arts college and institution in the world.”
The board also received updates on campaign fundraising, finances, the recruiting and reorganization process related to the early retirement incentive, and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, including tuition and fees for fiscal year 2027.
Financial Update
David Provost, executive vice president for finance and administration, informed trustees that the FY26 budget is on target, showing $5.1 million in savings, with structural changes projected to generate an additional $13.2 million in cost reductions over the next four years. These gains come from previously announced initiatives, including a reduction in the retirement savings plan for certain faculty and staff, changes to the health care plan, and the early retirement incentive. Other factors include adjustments to the undergraduate population from 2,600 to 2,650 students, the decision not to renew the Bennington Campus and Exchange Street leases, and the retirements of senior administrators.
Provost also updated trustees on the recruitment and reorganization efforts to address the vacancies created by the 53 staff members who took the early retirement incentive. He said the College has met its target of replacing 40 percent of the salary dollars from voluntary staff retirements through a combination of promotions, revised job descriptions, title changes, and reorganizations.
For Every Future: The Campaign for Middlebury
Dan Courcey, vice president for Advancement, provided an update on For Every Future: The Campaign for Middlebury—the largest, most comprehensive of its kind in Middlebury history. To date, the College has raised more than $562 million toward the $600 million campaign goal, leaving $38 million to be raised by the campaign’s initial end date of June 30, 2028. Courcey said the College anticipates successfully concluding the campaign during the current academic year, two years ahead of schedule.
In addition to the campaign, Courcey highlighted the success of the “Proud to Be a Panther” annual campaign fund, which supports athletics and has received over $1 million from over 3,400 donors. He also updated trustees on Advancement’s goal of engaging 85 percent of undergraduate alumni during the campaign. As of October, 80 percent of undergraduate alumni have already contributed by making gifts, volunteering, or participating in campus, regional, or online events. Courcey also discussed future upcoming events that Middlebury will be hosting for alumni, parents, and friends later this year.
Middlebury Institute
Michelle McCauley, executive vice president and provost, updated trustees on the process of concluding in-person and some online courses at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. McCauley emphasized the institute’s commitment to ensuring a high-quality educational experience for currently enrolled students through their graduations in May 2026 and May 2027. The Institute continues to support career advancement for students after graduation through professional development and connections with its network of more than 14,000 alumni worldwide. Trustees were also informed that the English Language School (ELS) program would not be offered in Summer 2026. In addition, it was determined that MIIS tuition and fees will remain unchanged, while housing costs will increase by 3.5 percent.
Other Business
Baucom endorsed a statement issued by the American Association of Colleges and Universities and the Phi Beta Kappa Society opposing the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education. The statement—developed in collaboration with hundreds of college and university presidents and other educational leaders who signed it—states that the terms of the Compact would erode academic freedom.