September 3, 2024
Dear Camels,
A warm welcome to all of our new and returning faculty and staff. I look forward to witnessing all the ways your presence will make our campus more vibrant and better for our students. I extend my deepest gratitude to the many hands who helped welcome our new and returning students. It takes a herd, and we have a great one.
A few topics to share with you:
Last year, three task force subcommittees were empaneled to explore and develop recommendations regarding three important issues: 1) faculty and staff recruitment and retention 2) campus climate and communications and 3) student support and equity compliance. Senior administration has been reviewing those reports, led by Dean of the College and Interim Dean of Equity and Inclusion Erika Smith. It is important to note that many of the recommendations are completed or currently being worked on. Our next step is to report back to the members of the three task forces and then with the faculty and staff. My thanks to those who served on these important task forces.
One recommendation from the reports is to create more opportunities for informal connection opportunities for faculty and staff on campus. Following the model of “Breaking Bread” started by Dean of the Faculty Danielle Egan, the entire senior team will offer opportunities once per month for community members to gather. The first of those gatherings, which we are calling “Community Connections,” will be hosted by the Dean of the College and the Equity and Inclusion divisions on Sept. 10. Additional information will be shared shortly by Dean Smith.
As noted in my campus email last month, deans Danielle Egan, Victor Arcelus and Erika Smith have been planning events, resources and support for the coming year informed by the aforementioned task force reports as well as input from members of the campus community. Mediators Beyond Borders International will engage several groups across campus in building our capacity for constructive dialogue across different perspectives when they visit campus in late September. The Student Experience Group (150 staff across the Student Life, Equity and Inclusion, and Dean of College divisions) met at the start of the semester to share resources and ideas across units on how to best support the campus community through the fall semester. Also, we are convening representatives from our five governance bodies (trustees, administration, faculty, staff and students) to review our freedom of expression policy, which was developed in 2016-2017, along with other related policies. Our intent is to develop a campus-wide policy that reflects the values and goals of our College and supports all of our campus constituents. I’ll have more to share on this in the coming weeks.
Last year, Interim President Wong also tasked three ad-hoc groups of senior administrators with identifying ways to improve our long-term financial sustainability by creating a sustainable curriculum, achieving a balanced operational budget and developing alternative revenue streams. Dean Egan presented strategies for curricular equilibrium to the faculty and staff last spring and during Camp Teach & Learn. She also shared this work with faculty and staff at the Future of the Curriculum event in August. She will continue this work over the course of the year. The reports on a balanced operational budget and alternative revenue streams will be shared with the Priorities, Planning and Budget Committee (PPBC), with the goal of developing an action plan based on the groups’ recommendations. Again, I wish to express my gratitude to those who served on these ad-hoc groups.
Last week, Justin Wolfradt, interim vice president for Administration and executive director of Facilities Management and Campus Planning, shared the status of several current facility projects. Using the funds the Board of Trustees designated to address our most pressing infrastructure issues, we will prioritize work that improves safety and compliance for the next several years.
With regard to the vacancies in the senior leadership team, the vice president for Finance and Administration search committee will interview semi-finalists this week. Prior to his departure, Reginald White, former vice president of Human Resources, appointed Gayle Alpert as director of Human Resources. I have met with her and the other members of the HR department to collaboratively identify key priorities and needed resources. Based on that conversation and in recognition of our budget constraints, I will not fill the vice president for Human Resources position and instead will use some of that funding to facilitate use of technology and other immediate needs in HR. I continue to work closely with those in interim senior administration roles to ensure they have the necessary resources and support during this time of transition. My next priority is to develop a long-term plan for supporting DEI at Conn in terms of organizational structure, resources and leadership.
The Board approved this year’s operational budget with the understanding that it projected an approximately 10% shortfall in the operational deficit, which the Board mitigated by a one-year additional draw from the endowment if needed. I am pleased to report that both our enrollment and our student retention numbers are projected to exceed budget, although the gap between revenue and expenses will persist. Accordingly, we must all work together over the coming year to reduce that deficit as the Board has directed. At the same time, I will be working closely with PPBC to rebuild our budget to eliminate the current structural deficit.
Over the past month, I have continued to focus my efforts on being present on campus. I appreciate the warm welcome Dave, Koda and I received at the summer picnic as well as at many other events. I also am grateful for the many tips about living in New London. The Presidential Transition Committee has provided excellent advice on how to engage with our community and I am grateful for their counsel and support. Looking ahead, I am scheduling the following as a way to continue outreach to faculty and staff:
- Monthly walk-arounds as I did in July
- Informal gatherings at the president’s house for conversation and fellowship
- Drop-in office hours
I welcome invitations and am eager to hear your ideas. And, of course, my door is always open.
Sincerely,
Andrea E. Chapdelaine, Ph.D.
President