Faculty and Staff Dig Into Strategic Plan at Presidential Retreat
More than 300 faculty and staff gathered at the Bread Loaf campus in Ripton on September 3 and 4 for a presidential retreat focused on shaping the College’s future and strengthening connections across the campus community.
The two-day retreat was built around the framework of the College’s 10-year strategic plan Excellence. Purpose. Joy. with a goal of gathering input from faculty and staff on how best to advance its initiatives. The gathering, complete with after-hours hikes, yoga, and campfires, also provided an opportunity for faculty and staff to strengthen existing relationships, build new ones, and spark energy for the academic year.
“The invigorating exchanges among the staff and faculty were matched by meaningful opportunities to connect with new colleagues,” said Sarah Stroup, Frederick C. Dirks Professor of Political Science. “It was heartening to see a shared commitment to strengthening our core purpose of excellence in liberal arts education.”
President Ian Baucom set the tone for the retreat by expanding on his September 1 video message, which focused on bringing the strategic plan to life. He encouraged faculty and staff to “bring their curiosity and commitment to each other to engage in discussion on what it means to be a community of teachers, learners, and doers in this urgent time in the history of higher education.”
It was heartening to see a shared commitment to strengthening our core purpose of excellence in liberal arts education.
Faculty and staff attended three plenary sessions together before dividing into smaller groups for breakout sessions on a wide range of topics. Discussions focused on institutional excellence, student success, research, innovative teaching, experiential and global learning, emerging technologies, climate resilience, Middlebury’s impact in Vermont and beyond, and ways to create joy across the community.
“It was a pleasure to participate in the strategic planning process and get a chance to engage with our fellow faculty and staff on our Bread Loaf Campus,” said Luther Tenny, director of facilities services. “I had the opportunity to meet many colleagues for the first time and reconnect with those that I often only communicate with via email.”
Input gathered from faculty and staff over the two-day retreat will be compiled into a report to guide the next phase of the strategic plan’s implementation.