Logo for Middlebury Middlebury Middlebury

Update from the Institute Board of Advisors

Dear MIIS Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Last month, the Institute Board of Advisors convened during the Middlebury Board of Trustees Fall meeting. The Institute Board of Advisors is tasked with reviewing and monitoring academic and student affairs at the Institute, serving as a deliberative advisory body to the Board of Trustees. In light of the Board’s decision in August to close MIIS in 2027, the Institute Board of Advisor’s primary focus has shifted to ensuring the quality of education for the final cohort of students, fulfilling the Institute’s commitment to these students, and honoring both the MIIS community and the substantial achievements of the Institute.

Constituent Advisors’ Participation

We are especially grateful for the in-person attendance of all three Constituent Advisors at the meeting in Vermont. Marley Uyemura, Jeni Henrickson, and Sharad Joshi provided insightful, thorough, and constructive feedback on behalf of the student, staff, and faculty groups they represent. Their presentations enabled Institute Board of Advisors members to gain a clear understanding of the anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty affecting our community. The Institute Board of Advisors cares deeply about the people, the place, and the mission of the Institute and is committed to supporting the experience of all during this process.

Key Topics and Community Concerns

As an advisory body, the Institute Board of Advisors serves as a sounding board for the MIIS community, raising important questions and concerns to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees. Several major issues were addressed during the meeting, including:

  • The need for clear communication, including expected timelines.
  • Requests for strong support for career transitions for all community members, including ongoing career support for alumni after the closure.
  • An opportunity to celebrate the Institute and its legacy.
  • Support from Middlebury leadership for dialogue or negotiations regarding acquisition of MIIS programs.
  • Questions about endowed gifts supporting MIIS and potential uses for those funds.

These concerns and requests have been shared with senior leadership, and additional information has been requested regarding these important topics.

Acknowledgements and Next Steps

The Institute Board of Advisors appreciates the significant efforts of our senior leaders, the MIIS academic leadership team, and many others throughout this transition. We are confident in the decisions made by these individuals and that they will continue to support our constituents during this process.

In response to the topics raised at the meeting, we would like to highlight the current and ongoing work of Middlebury leadership addressing these concerns:

Communication and Engagement

  • An intranet page is under construction for faculty and staff to provide more information, including a growing list of Frequently Asked Questions. This complements the public website accessible to students, alumni, and others with information on the closure.
  • Jeff Dayton-Johnson and Hannah Ross are hosting employee town halls to answer questions and provide additional information, including additional information about endowed funds. The slides can be found here.
  • The Institute Board of Advisors will meet in Monterey in January for the winter meeting, with President Ian Baucom and senior leadership in attendance. We anticipate there will be multiple opportunities to engage with members of the MIIS community during the visit.
  • Senior leadership and the Board of Trustees will support dialogue with interested parties regarding the acquisition of MIIS programs or properties as they arise.
  • Career and job placement resources have been provided directly to impacted staff and professional development opportunities are being provided to the full community.
  • We are committed to ensuring that all members of the MIIS community know and feel that they are, and will continue to be, members of the Middlebury family and alumni network.

Honoring the Institute

There will be multiple opportunities in the coming months to honor and celebrate the work of the students, faculty, staff, and alumni at the Institute. We have heard and shared the feedback that these opportunities should be offered while as many community members as possible are still on campus, and many events will also be open to previous employees and alumni. During the winter Institute Board of Advisors meeting, we anticipate one or more events to honor MIIS and reflect on the legacy of impactful work done there.

As mentioned at the beginning of this letter, the Institute Board of Advisors remains focused on both the quality of education for our last cohort of students and on supporting our community with grace and compassion. We appreciate your engagement and partnership during this time.

Best regards,

Lucienne Ide, Chair

Parker Harris, Vice Chair