To the Williams community,
I write to share my usual summary of the recent Board of Trustees meeting.
Last weekend, in addition to their working sessions, the Trustees joined faculty, students, staff, alumni and friends in celebrating the new Davis Center. During the weekend we also honored Professor Joseph E. Harris, the college’s first Black professor with tenure and first chair of what was then known as the Afro-American Studies Program—now the Department of Africana Studies. The Trustees are proud of their part in helping our community build on that history with the opening of the new Davis Center complex. From the opening drum circle to the fantastic keynote conversation between Billy Green ’03 and Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Zorelly Cepeda Derieux ’14, to the Block Party and the return of alumni and friends for the Bolin Legacy Mentorship Weekend, it was a historic, inspiring and often joyous gathering.
The Board’s formal agenda for their April meeting included the following:
- They heard presentations about the college’s financial model, including information about fundraising from Vice President for College Relations Megan Morey, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement Laura Day ’04, Associate Vice President for Development Lew Fisher ’89 and Assistant Vice President for College Relations Mark Robertson ’02; and about the endowment from Chief Investment Officer Abigail Wattley ’05. Our OCR colleagues also shared news of a new, anonymous $25M gift that will support construction of the new museum, development of a comprehensive plan for our athletics and wellbeing facilities and help endow the All-Grant financial aid program.
- The Trustees also heard from Dean of the College and Frederick Rudolph ’42–Class of 1965 Professor of American Culture Gretchen Long, Director of Integrative Wellbeing Services Wendy Adam and Senior Associate Dean for Administration, Finance, and Strategy Jeff Malanson about the college’s approach to student wellbeing and mental health.
The Board then voted on several items of business:
- They approved funds for continuing design work on the future Williams College Museum of Art. Our transition to the construction phase will be contingent on a future Board vote.
- They also approved our proposed fiscal year 2025 operating and capital renewal budgets. Provost and Class of 1955 Memorial Professor of History Eiko Maruko Siniawer ’97 and Vice President for Finance and Operations and Treasurer Mike Wagner will communicate to the campus community about the FY25 budget and long-term financial planning in the coming weeks.
- Finally, they authorized the college to proceed with construction of the new Multipurpose Recreation Center. As part of the related deliberations, they looked ahead to information from our broader athletics and wellbeing programming study, which began with outreach to students last week in Paresky. The study’s organizers will continue to invite input from the full range of stakeholders.
During their visit the Board’s Executive Committee also met with the Faculty Steering Committee, as they’ve done annually, and trustees had informal dinners with faculty members from across many disciplines. The Trustees value these opportunities to learn about curricular developments and faculty’s experiences at Williams, and to stay connected to the educational heart of our work.
Our Board colleagues are deeply attentive to the challenges and opportunities facing higher education and society at large right now. I am grateful to them, and to all of you, for working toward our best possible future, as a college and a community.
Maud