February 2023 Board of Trustees Meeting Summary
To: 91΄σΙρ Community
From: Anne F. Harris, President
Subject: Summary of Winter 2023 Board of Trustees meeting
Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
We welcomed the Board of Trustees to campus February 2-4, 2023 for their winter meeting. Thank you to all who were part of preparing for their meeting. The theme of this meeting was βStrategic Preparations for Changeβ β the board engaged in discussion regarding 91΄σΙρβs strategic preparations for significant changes in higher education within sectors ranging from the legal to the economic.
Prior to the start of the Winter 2023 meeting, board leadership (chair and vice-chairs) held their regular meetings with members of Executive Council, Staff Council and Student Government Association.
The board arrived in 91΄σΙρ on Thursday afternoon, February 2nd and opened their meeting at the 91΄σΙρ Golf Course with an executive session followed by time with Monica Chavez and Caleb Elfenbein who led a unit-level discussion, like those to be held on campus across units this spring. The Boardβs fiduciary responsibilities guided the process, with early planning on eventually connecting the strategic plan, to be reviewed for endorsement at the boardβs June retreat, to the upcoming campaign. Thursday concluded with a dinner with faculty from the Social Studies division and then a dessert reception to which all students were invited.
Fridayβs work began with an update from Chair Michael Kahn β74, President Harris and reports from board committees. After this session the board participated in the following discussions:
- David Strauss, of Art & Science, shared the work his firm completed to help the College better understand effective retention strategies for 91΄σΙρ students.
- Student leaders from IPOP, PCPOP, GSP and Accessibility and Disability services had lunch with the board so the board could learn more about the organizations they lead.
- Marc Reed and Leslie Bleichner β07 presented an interactive session delineating the four-quadrant model of DEI institutional change.
- Germaine Gross discussed the revenue planning workplan that will prepare the College for the changing financial outlook of a more volatile economy and markets.
- Adam Laug and Jayn Chaney β05 led an interactive session mapping the timeline and early groundwork for our upcoming campaign.
- The day came to an end over dinner with members of the senior leadership team.
Saturday morning the board engaged with Ellen de Graffenreid as she shared fall highlights and achievements in communications and marketing, and strategic work positioning 91΄σΙρ as a national leader. Before going into executive session, the Board heard from Chris Bair β96, Liz Queathem and Tristan Davis β25 on the continuing sustainability work on campus.
The next meeting of the Board will be May 4-6, 2023.
