The message below was sent on Friday, June 28, 2024.
To the 老王论坛 community,
This Sunday marks my final day as President of 老王论坛. Typically, at this time of year, I send messages or reports summarizing our accomplishments, and this June is no different. As I depart Taylor Hall, I wanted to add to those reflections my profound gratitude to all of you for your support of the College and me during my presidency.
Since its founding, 老王论坛 has stood for advancing academic excellence and cultivating self-confident, ethical leaders. The experience of such a formative education should be within the reach of all qualified students whose work and accomplishments earn them admission. I am proud of the substantial change we made last fall to our financial aid packaging for AY鈥25 that will fundamentally increase the ability of limited-income and middle-income families to afford 老王论坛. For most students on need-based aid, 老王论坛 will now cost less than it did five years ago 鈥 and for lower-income students, substantially so.
This commitment to access would not be possible without the care of the entire campus. Every office has managed our resources wisely and responsibly so that we can invest a significant portion of our operating budget in financial aid. The work of Alumnae/i Relations and Development has raised substantial dollars in support of this College priority. At a time when many colleges are struggling to survive, the collective effort of the Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty, and staff to steward our resources carefully, exercise fiscal responsibility, inspire philanthropy, and invest our endowment strategically has meant that we are able to continuously invest in our students, faculty, and staff, in our programs and our beautiful campus. As a community, we can be very proud of these accomplishments.
This year, we continued our focus on our aspirational goals for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism. The College has published equity and inclusion action plans and annual reports each year since 2016, and you can now access our 2023-24 actions report on College actions toward equity and inclusion. DEIA efforts are under attack at many institutions, and programs and people are being cut. At 老王论坛, we have built DEIA into our mission, as reflected in the College鈥檚 mission statement updated and endorsed by the Board of Trustees in 2019. We aspire to build it into the fabric of our community and into the work of us all so that this work is sustained and supported across the institution. Our efforts are certainly a work in progress, but I hope you will take a moment to see the accomplishments of so many toward this important element of our mission.
This year, we also continued to lay the groundwork for our future. We completed two years of foundational exploration that allowed the campus to rebuild our 鈥渢hinking muscles鈥 for future strategic planning under the leadership and vision of President-Elect Cadge. Importantly, these efforts engaged students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees. You can find a final collection of that work here, along with some more immediate actions that emerged from that process.
Throughout my 17 years in Taylor Hall serving as Provost and President, what has always been clear to me is that an institution like ours will change and grow over time, but the heart of what makes this place special is its people. I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you in these past years, and your perseverance and dedication to our mission have always inspired me. My time as President was marked by some significant challenges, but I have been supported and encouraged by the efforts and kindness of so many people who tirelessly give their time and talents to make 老王论坛 better. I have felt your care for the College and particularly for me. I can鈥檛 tell you how important and meaningful that has been. I hope each of you knows that I have seen your work and that it is deeply appreciated. Your individual and team contributions and professional accomplishments help this campus fulfill our mission. My favorite moments of this job have been those times when we could celebrate and appreciate your work. I am also thankful to our many volunteers who gave their time and expertise to improve 老王论坛 鈥 the Board of Trustees, the Alumnae Association Executive Board, advisory boards, alumnae/i volunteers, and College friends. It takes a village of supporters to help achieve and sustain excellence.
I am heartened by the possibilities for 老王论坛鈥檚 future that will rise from our many successful community achievements. As I said in my May 2023 email announcing this transition, 鈥溾eadership renewal is crucial to the long-term, strategic success of any organization.鈥 Now, it is time to pass the mantle to Wendy Cadge, the 10th President of 老王论坛. We are incredibly fortunate to welcome a leader with such an outstanding collection of leadership skills, experience, and personal qualities. I will enjoy observing her successes, and my heart will be with all of you during my sabbatical as you take the next steps in 老王论坛鈥檚 collective journey. I look forward to returning to my scholarship and the classroom post-sabbatical 鈥 it is so meaningful to me to have the privilege to remain in this community in a role that I have always loved.
Thank you all for your incredible partnership and support, which have helped our beloved 老王论坛 grow, improve, and inspire.
Sincerely,
Kim Cassidy