August 1, 2024
Dear members of the Connecticut College community,
As part of my commitment to regular communication, I intend to send monthly emails to all constituent groups. I will do my best to be brief and informative.
July has been a month of settling in, although the boxes are far from unpacked. I have focused my time on meeting with members of the Presidential Transition Committee, senior administration and trustees, as well as learning as much as I can about “all things Conn.” I enjoyed meeting many of you on my walk-around last week; thank you for the warm welcome.
I also wish to express my gratitude to the many of you who took time to respond to the survey the Office of Institutional Research and Planning conducted on my behalf. The participation was widespread and the responses thoughtful. I am still reviewing the results, but with John Nugent’s assistance, I can share the following summary of the top-level findings:
- Regarding the question of Conn's strengths, approximately two-thirds of respondents said: (1) the College's close-knit and welcoming community and (2) the excellence of the academic experience.
- Regarding the question of what needs to improve, approximately 90% of the responses fell into one of the following categories: (1) workplace environment, especially in terms of compensation and morale; (2) facilities and infrastructure; (3) the student experience and (4) governance, leadership and decision-making.
Again, thank you for this valuable input; it will serve as an important guidepost as we move forward together.
The results both clearly demonstrated the collective appreciation of our community and the need to sustain and further build that community. One simple way we can do that is by knowing each other’s names. So I am requesting that we wear name tags, especially as we welcome our new students to campus. It will ease their transition, as well as for new faculty and staff, including your president! Also, it will minimize the use of temporary tags used for campus events, consistent with our sustainability commitment. The senior administration is compiling a list of employees who do not have a name tag, and the President’s Office will obtain them. Going forward, Human Resources will order name tags as part of the onboarding process.
An important priority of my transitional work is to address the vacant cabinet positions. In doing so, I am striving to balance the immediate need to have sufficient expertise, bandwidth and leadership, while also ensuring thoughtful and prudent use of College resources. Currently, the search committee for the vice president for Finance and Administration is screening applications. With the pending departure of Vice President of Human Resources Reginald White, I am seeking ways to provide immediate additional support to this critical area. I also am working closely with those in interim senior administration roles to ensure they have the necessary resources and support during this time of transition.
Several facilities projects are progressing this summer. The Crozier-Williams renovation, anticipated to be completed in February, is among the most visible. Additionally, Cro Boulevard is being transformed into a pedestrian promenade to enhance safety and accessibility. Phase one of the new East lot for faculty and staff parking is also underway. Other projects include athletic field turf replacement, the construction of a new track and numerous facilities repairs. The Chartwells team has been busy all summer onboarding and training the dining staff and refreshing the look and feel of Harris and Jane Addams dining areas, with a complete renovation of Harris scheduled for next summer. More information about Chartwell services is forthcoming.
Last week, we officially completed fundraising for FY24. In positive news, we met our goal of raising $20-25 million in non-principal level gifts (gifts of less than $5 million) with a total of $20.9 million in new gifts and commitments. Also, alumni participation stayed steady. The Annual Fund did not fare as well, with a total of $5.76 million raised versus the goal of $7.05 million. The conclusion of the Defy Boundaries campaign, transitions since spring 2023 and staff vacancies in Advancement were contributing factors. We are optimistic the Annual Fund results will improve in FY25.
Deans Danielle Egan, Victor Arcelus and Erika Smith have started to form a planning group to support the community as we move into the fall. They have conferred with the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and have incorporated thoughts received from the DEI chair of SGA. They also are coordinating efforts across the groups thoughtfully and skillfully started by Nakia Hamlett last year – the Presidential Task Force subcommittees and Mediators Beyond Borders. The senior administrative team is also engaged in this work. Together, I know we can thrive through whatever arises and, most importantly, provide an inclusive and rich learning environment for our students.
A reminder that this afternoon 1:30-3 p.m., I will be hosting a casual meet and greet in the President’s Office, 200 Fanning Hall. Please drop by as you are able.
Upcoming events to put on your calendar:
- On Aug. 14, we will host our annual Connections event on Chapel Green from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is a great way to connect with other members of the community as we prepare to welcome students back for the fall semester. 1911 Catering (Chartwells) is helping to organize the event.
- On Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dean of the Faculty Danielle Egan is organizing a session for faculty and staff on the future of the curriculum. The first Breaking Bread lunch of the year will take place as part of the meeting. All are welcome.
Enjoy the remaining days of the summer!
Best,
Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.
President