32073 Amherst Annual Report 2012-2013_web.indd

69 Pages·2014·2.17 MB·English

Amherst
College
Annual
Report
Fiscal Year Ended
June 30, 2013
Table of Contents
The Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Report of the Chief Financial Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Amherst College
Statement of Operating Resources and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Folger Shakespeare Memorial Library
Statement of Operating Resources and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Amherst College
Twenty Years in Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Report of Independent Auditors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Balance Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Amherst College
Statement of Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Folger Shakespeare Memorial Library
Statement of Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Total
Statement of Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Statement of Cash Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Notes to Financial Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Amherst College
Gifts, Bequests and Grants Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Folger Shakespeare Memorial Library
Gifts, Bequests and Grants Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
The Trustees of Amherst College
administer Amherst College in
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts, and the
Descriptive Analysis of Endowment and Other Similar Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Folger Shakespeare Memorial
Library in Washington, D .C .
Folger Shakespeare Memorial Library
Descriptive Analysis of Endowment and Other Similar Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Amherst College
Statistical Information 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
The cover: Johnson Chapel . Photo by Rob Mattson
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The Corporation Laura J . Yerkovich ’80, M .B .A . Katherine K . Chia ’88, M .Arch .
Riverside, CT New York, NY
FISCAL YEAR 2012–13
William A . Davis, Jr . ’63, J .D .
Secretary of the Corporation
Washington, DC
Susan Pikor, A .B .
Hadley, MA Michele Y . Deitch ’82, J .D .
Austin, TX
Chairman of the Corporation Life Trustees Colin S . Diver ’65, LL .B .
Cullen Murphy ’74, A .B . K . Frank Austen ’50, M .D . Boston, MA
Medfield, MA Boston, MA
Anne Melissa Dowling ’80, M .B .A .
George B . Beitzel ’50, M .B .A .*
President of the College Ridgefield, CT West Hartford, CT
Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, Ph .D . Charles C . Eldredge ’66, Ph .D .
Amherst, MA Martha L . Byorum, M .B .A . Lawrence, KS
New York, NY
Members of the Corporation Rosanne M . Haggerty ’82, A .B . Willie J . Epps, Jr . ’92, J .D .
Danielle S . Allen, Ph .D . New York, NY St . Louis, MO
Princeton, NJ John C . Esty, Jr . ’50, M .A .
Amos B . Hostetter, Jr . ’58, M .B .A .*
Theodore W . Beneski ’78, M .B .A . Boston, MA Concord, MA
Colleyville, Texas Nicholas M . Evans ’52, M .B .A .
Charles A . Lewis ’64, M .B .A .
Rafael Campo, ’87, M .D . Evanston, IL Vero Beach, FL
Boston, MA Steven M . Gluckstern ’72, Ed .D .
Charles R . Longsworth ’51, M .B .A .*
Wei Sun Christianson ’85, J .D . Royalston, MA San Francisco, CA
Beijing, China Frederick E . Hoxie ’69, Ph .D .
Robert J . McKean, Jr . ’50, LL .B .
Brian J . Conway ’80, M .B .A . Lantana, FL Evanston, IL
Boston, MA Richard (Dick) F . Hubert ’60, A .B .
Mary Patterson McPherson, Ph .D .
Walter C . Donovan ’85, A .B . Rosemont, PA Rye Brook, NY
Boston, MA George R . Johnson, Jr . ’73, J .D .
Peter A . Nadosy, M .B .A .
William E . Ford ’83, M .B .A . New York, NY Greensboro, NC
New York, NY David A . Kessler ’73, M .D .
Edward N . Ney ’46, A .B .1
Howard Gardner, Ph .D . New York, NY San Francisco, CA
Cambridge, MA Woodward Kingman ’49, M .B .A .
Edward E . Phillips ’52, LL .B .
Arthur W . Koenig ’66, M .I .A . Weston, MA Belvedere, CA
London, England David L . Kirp ’65, LL .B .
H . Axel Schupf ’57, M .B .A .
Christopher S . Lehane ’90, J .D . New York, NY San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA Jonathan I . Landman ’74, M .S .
George L . Shinn ’45, Ph .D .*2
John S . Middleton ’77, M .B .A . Scarborough, ME New York, NY
Bryn Mawr, PA Thai-Hi T . Lee ’80, M .B .A .
John I . Williams, Jr . ’75, J .D .
Andrew J . Nussbaum, ’85, J .D . Jamaica Plain, MA Lebanon, NJ
New York, NY Richard S . LeFrak ’67, J .D .
Philip S . Winterer ’53, LL .B .
Hope E . Pascucci ’90, A .B . New York, NY New York, NY
Wellesley, MA Van Doorn Ooms ’56, Ph .D .
Paula K . Rauch ’77, M .D . Trustees Emeriti Bethesda, MD
Boston, MA John E . Abele ’59, A .B . Stephen B . Oresman ’54, M .B .A .
Natick, MA
Julia A . Segre ’87, Ph .D . Darien, CT
Bethesda, MD Margaret A . Bangser ’81, M .P .P .M . George E . Peterson ’63, Ph .D .
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Blair H . Taylor ’85, M .B .A . Washington, DC
Seattle, WA Alan S . Bernstein ’63, M .B .A . Mark J . Sandler ’64, LL .B .
Coral Gables, FL
James C . Tsai ’85, M .D . New York, NY
New Haven, CT Paul E . Bragdon ’50, LL .B . W . Lloyd Snyder III ’66, M .B .A .
Portland, OR
Scott F . Turow ’70, J .D . Conshohocken, PA
Chicago, IL Robert W . Carington ’53, M .Arch . Joan E . Spero, Ph .D .
Bloomfield Hills, MI
New York, NY
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Richard R . Spies ’67, Ph .D . Advancement Committee Student Life Committee
Providence, RI Ms . Pascucci (Chair), Mr . Beneski, Messrs . Gardner (Chair), Beneski,
Ms . Christianson, Messrs . Conway, Campo, Lehane, Nussbaum,
Joseph E . Stiglitz ’64, Ph .D .
Donovan, Ford, Koenig, Lehane, Mss . Rauch, Segre, Messrs . Taylor,
New York, NY
Middleton, Nussbaum, Tsai, Turow, Ms . Yerkovich
Bradley A . Stirn ’72, M .B .A . Ms . Yerkovich
Woodside, CA Trusteeship Committee
Audit Committee Mr . Murphy (Chair), Ms . Allen,
Louis B . Thalheimer ’66, J .D .
Ms . Yerkovich (Chair), Ms . Allen, Messrs . Conway, Ford, Mss . Pascuccci,
Towson, MD
Messrs . Lehane, Nussbaum, Rauch, Mr . Turow, Ms . Yerkovich
Diana Chapman Walsh, Ph .D . Mss . Pascucci, Rauch, Mr . Tsai
Brookline, MA Treasurer’s Staff
Budget and Finance Committee Kevin C . Weinman, M .B .A ., M .A .
Gail T . Wickes, Ph .D .
Mr . Conway (Chair), Mss . Allen, Chief Financial Officer
Dallas, TX
Christianson, Messrs . Donovan, Ford, Effective: May 1, 2013
Karen Hastie Williams, J .D . Koenig, Middleton, Ms . Pascucci,
Shannon D . Gurek, M .B .A .
Washington, DC Mr . Tsai
Interim Treasurer through May 1, 2013
David S . Wolff ’62, M .B .A . Associate Treasurer/Director of the
Buildings and Grounds Committee
Houston, TX Budget
Mr . Middleton (Chair), Mr . Campo,
Kimba M . Wood, J .D . Ms . Christianson, Messrs . Donovan, Dawn M . Bates, B .B .A .
New York, NY Ford, Gardner, Ms . Segre, Investment Manager—Operations
Messrs . Taylor, Turow
Jide J . Zeitlin ’85, M .B .A .* Laurie M . Bouchard, B .S .
New York, NY Assistant Comptroller
Compensation
Mr . Murphy (Chair), Ms . Allen, James D . Brassord, M .B .A ., M .S .
Messrs . Conway, Ford, Ms . Rauch Director of Facilities/Associate Treasurer
for Campus Services through Jan . 2013
Digital Strategy (Ad Hoc)
John R . Dailey, M .B .A ., M .S .
Mr . Lehane (Chair), Ms . Allen,
Investment Officer
Messrs . Conway, Gardner
Kendall D . Doble, IV, B .A .
Emily Dickinson (Ad Hoc) Investment Analyst
Ms . Yerkovich (Chair), Mr . Armstrong
Mauricia A . Geissler, B .B .A .
(Emily Dickinson Board), Ms . Bradford
Chief Investment Officer
(Folger/Emily Dickinson Board),
Mr . Donovan, Ms . Martin, Stephen M . Nigro, B .S .
Mr . Rosenthal (Emily Dickinson Board), Comptroller
Messrs . Turow, Winterer
Treasurer Emeritus
Honorary Degrees Committee Kurt M . Hertzfeld, M .B .A .
Mr . Turow (Chair), Ms . Christianson,
Messrs . Gardner, Koenig, Lehane, Assistant Treasurer Emeritus
Nussbaum, Mss . Pascucci, Segre, William McC . Vickery, M .B .A .
Yerkovich
Human Resources Committee
Mss . Rauch (Chair), Allen, Mr . Campo,
Ms . Segre, Messrs . Taylor, Turow
Instruction Committee
Ms . Allen (Chair), Messrs . Campo,
Conway, Gardner, Koenig, Lehane,
Nussbaum, Mss . Rauch, Segre,
Messrs . Taylor, Tsai, Turow
Investment Committee
Mr . Ford (Chair), Messrs . Beneski,
Donovan, Middleton, ex officio:
Messrs . Hostetter, Nadosy * Chair Emeritus
1 Deceased Jan . 2014
2 Deceased Dec . 2013
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It has been a year of change and tions, it will help fund the original
achievement, as we worked to en- campaign priorities: scholarships,
sure that Amherst College remains building upgrades, faculty and cur-
true to its mission: to provide the ricular support, and learning outside
best possible education to a talented the classroom . Additionally, it will
student body from every socio- support the sciences—specifically,
economic background . Maintaining the con struction of the new science
A Message Amherst’s high academic standards center—as well as departments and
and intellectual intensity requires programs that enhance the class-
from the that we recruit the most qualified room experience, such as the Mead
students while attracting the best Art Museum, Frost Library, the
President
scholar-teachers to our faculty; it Career Center and music and athlet-
requires that we support faculty ics programs .
research and teaching and that we It is remarkable that the Col-
provide faculty the tools they need lege exceeded its original goals for a
to inspire students’ curiosity and campaign that occurred during the
help them develop their intellectual worst economic downturn since the
strengths . Students’ achievements Great Depression, and this success
within and beyond the classroom are is an extraordinary reflection of sup-
impressive—indeed, often quite ex- port for the campaign’s objectives:
traordinary . The number of students maintaining the College’s need-
involved with faculty in original blind financial aid policies, capital-
research is increasing . Meanwhile, izing upon its increasingly diverse
our graduates continue to excel in student body and fostering faculty-
the widest possible range of profes- student research opportunities .
sions and projects . We are indebted to our committed
This fall we rejoiced at exceed- volunteers who worked tirelessly
ing the ambitious goals of our capi- over the years with our Advance-
tal campaign, saw our endowment ment team, led by Megan Morey,
reach an all-time high and contin- and our campaign chairs—Brian
ued our efforts to engage alumni in Conway ’80, Hope Pascucci ’90
the mentoring of our students . This and Jide Zeitlin ’85—and,
letter will touch on some highlights of course, to my predecessor,
of this past year and take a brief look Tony Marx .
toward the future .
In May, the administration and
In September, we celebrated the Board of Trustees decided to pursue
success of the Lives of Consequence an alternate site for a planned new
campaign, during which 86 percent science center, while remaining on
of alumni engaged with the Col- track for a 2018 project comple-
lege and over $500 million was tion date . The decision was made
contributed between 2008 and for two key reasons: first, because of
2013 . The campaign roared past the escalation in cost, which can be
an initial goal of $425 million, in attributed, in large part, to the de-
part through two anonymous and mands of the site; and, second, be-
historic donations, made in 2009, cause the impact of the preparatory
of $100 million and $25 million re- work indicated that construction at
spectively . Upon meeting our initial that site would cause unacceptable
goal, we launched a second, final disruption to faculty research, teach-
phase of the campaign, one that ing and student life .
also exceeded its goal of $75 mil- The College spent the ensuing
lion . Known as Creating Connec- months determining the best pos-
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sible location for the science center, raising and some combination will benefit students, faculty, pro-
knowing that Merrill has outlived of modest debt issuance and/or grams and facilities—the whole of
its use as a science building and incremental distribution from the Amherst—for generations to come .
recognizing how important it is that endowment .
Amherst sustain its excellence in This plan for a world-class Amherst College continues to be a
science education . In October, the science center and badly needed highly desirable destination for the
Board of Trustees approved a new new residence halls, all sited in world’s most talented students . We
plan that will allow us to emerge the context of a compelling vision received a record 7,926 applications
with not only a cutting-edge science for the future development of the for the Class of 2017 and offered
center but also new dormitories— campus, will allow us to continue admission to 1,132, or 14 .3 per-
potentially for a similar or lower offering what is widely recognized cent, of those applicants . The class
price than the original science center as the best possible undergraduate includes 466 students, a yield of
alone, and with much less disrup- science education, while exercis- 41 percent of the students who
tion . To make way for the science ing responsible stewardship of were offered admission . Academic
center, the Social Dorms—now at our resources . Financial support credentials remain high, with mean
the end of their useful lives—will for important initiatives, such as SAT scores for the first-year class
be razed . To replace them, new the science center and other insti- of 714 in critical reading, 718 in
residence halls will be built to the tutional priorities, would not be math and 713 in writing, and a
south of Merrill, where temporary possible without the generosity mean ACT score of 32 . The Class
dorms are currently located . The of alumni and parent donors, as of 2017 comes from 30 countries
new residence halls will be ready for well as returns generated by our (including Iceland and Mongolia),
occupancy by the fall of 2016 . The endowment . 40 states (with California being the
new projects will be linked to one In an improving economic best-represented) and the District
another and to the rest of the cam- environment, Amherst’s endowment of Columbia . Eighteen percent are
pus by a landscaped walkway among had an investment return of 13 per- first-generation college students .
open expanses, which will encourage cent in fiscal year 2012–13, with Our low-income enrollment is
foot traffic and outdoor gatherings the endowment balance finishing at 23 percent . American students of
and will offer new paths around $1 .824 billion, above the previous color represent 43 percent of the
the perimeter of the hillside . The all-time high balance of $1 .706 bil- student body, while international
current estimated cost for a science lion in fiscal year 2007–08 . In students make up 10 percent . The
center on the east side of campus fiscal year 2012–13, the College College continues to be need-
is $214 million, compared to an raised $69 .5 million in cash gifts, blind, meeting 100 percent of
estimate of more than $270 mil- bequests and grants, thanks to demonstrated need for all qualified
lion for the previous hillside plan . the generous support of alumni, candidates, including international
The current estimate for construc- parents and friends . The Annual students, and our policy of giving
tion of new residence halls—which Fund recorded its second-highest grants instead of loans alleviates an
would have been needed under any total in the College’s history, raising excessive financial burden on fami-
scenario, owing to the deteriorating $10 .38 million; of that total, the lies who qualify for financial aid .
condition of the Social Dorms— Parents’ Fund contributed more As is the case every year, our
totals $60 million . (All estimates will than $658,000 . The fiscal year students distinguished themselves
likely escalate over time, because of ended with a 54 .6 percent participa- in a number of impressive ways . For
anticipated inflation in construc- tion rate in the Alumni Fund . As example, Bess Hanish ’13 was one
tion markets .) The new plan calls in previous years, alumni increased of just 30 students who received a
for the preservation of Merrill and their involvement in other ways: Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship
the McGuire Life Sciences Building; they attended events, connected for New Americans this year . The
these structures, when repurposed with students, provided feedback to award provides up to $90,000 in
in the future, will provide consider- the College, interacted online and tuition and support for two years
able savings over new construction . volunteered . In fiscal year 2012–13, of graduate study in the United
Taken together, the projects will overall alumni engagement was States in any field of study . Bess
be paid for with substantial funds 75 .1 percent, the highest level in the joins the 10 Fulbright Scholars and
already in hand and designated for five years since we started tracking two Goldw ater Scholars from 2013 .
these projects, continued fund- engagement . All such contributions I am also excited by the increas-
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ing numbers of students who are of learning from equally talented of American Studies, Anthropol-
involved in collaborative research faculty is a frequently cited factor ogy and Sociology, Biology, Black
with faculty across all disciplines, in their decision-making . Amherst Studies, Chemistry, Economics,
and thus are becoming creators of faculty achievements were many English, History, Mathematics,
knowledge and not just recipients of last year . From publishing a break- Music, Political Science, Psychology,
it . Professor Austin Sarat is one of through article on particle physics and Women’s and Gender Studies
several faculty members funded by in the journal Nature, to writing a (which is being renamed Sexual-
the College and the Mellon Foun- critically acclaimed book about the ity, Women’s and Gender Stud-
dation to promote undergraduate important role of instant noodles in ies) . The research interests of our
research in the humanities, social satiating hunger worldwide, to de- new faculty include organometallic
sciences and hard sciences . His work vising and conducting experiments chemistry, game theory, American
with students has resulted in several to test the speed of a quantum public policy, Caribbean and Latin
of them being co-authors with him computing system against conven- American history, Japanese business
on peer-reviewed original research tional computing methods, Amherst organization, medical anthropology
presented at a leading conference faculty continued to demonstrate and biostatistics . I encourage you to
this past year, as well a book about that they are committed not only to visit www .amherst .edu/academiclife
capital punishment, forthcoming teaching at the highest levels but to /dean_faculty/faculty_hiring
from Stanford University Press . producing work, often with the as- to learn more about these new
The College’s Career Center sistance of students, at the forefront professors .
educates and empowers students of their respective fields . This year’s new hires add diver-
to reflect, explore, experiment and This fall, the person responsible sity as well as academic quality to
take action to achieve their personal, for bringing so many fine faculty our faculty . Thirteen of the 15 new
professional and academic goals . members to Amherst, Gregory Call, faculty started this fall; two will
Graduates in the Class of 2013 have announced that this would be his begin their positions next fall . Of
embarked on the next phase of their last year as dean of the faculty . Over the 13 who started this year, 11 are
lives, with most of them employed the past 11 years, Greg has done new tenure-track assistant profes-
full-time or attending graduate an extraordinary job of building sors (84 .6 percent), one is a tenured
school . Employment sectors repre- research into the core of the under- associate professor (7 .7 percent),
sented include banking and financial graduate experience at Amherst and one is a tenured full professor
services (18 percent), education more fully than has been done at (7 .7 percent) . Of the 15 hires made
(16 percent), sciences (8 percent), virtually any other academic institu- this year, three are African Ameri-
consulting (8 percent), law and tion . He has also interviewed close can (20 percent), two are Hispanic
legal services (8 percent), computer to 3,000 candidates for faculty and (13 .3 percent), three are Asian
science/technology (6 percent), other academic positions, negotiated (20 percent), one is multi racial
health care (6 percent), public the hiring of more than 600 of them (6 .7 percent), and six are white
policy/politics (4 percent) and fine/ and played a central role in building (40 percent) . Of these 15, 11 are
performing arts (4 percent) . Top the next generation of the College’s women (73 .3 percent), and four
private employers include Goldman faculty . Greg has served with great are men (26 .7 percent) . After their
Sachs, LinkedIn, McKinsey & Co . distinction as the College’s chief departments successfully applied for
and Teach For America, and top academic officer . He will return to tenure lines and they were vetted
graduate schools include Columbia the mathematics department, which by outside reviewers and the Com-
Law School, Harvard, the London he joined as an assistant professor in mittee of Six, two longtime visiting
School of Economics and Political 1988, and resume full-time teach- faculty members, one woman and
Science, Princeton, Scripps Institu- ing next fall . Catherine Epstein, the one man, assumed tenured appoint-
tion of Oceanography, Stanford and William R . Kenan Jr . Professor of ments this summer .
Yale . Like every class, this one was History, has been selected as Greg’s As we continue planning for a
extremely accomplished, and we successor and will become dean of science center that will sustain our
eagerly anticipate the achievements the faculty on July 1 . longstanding strengths and foster
of these youngest Amherst alumni . During the past year, Greg connections across fields, faculty
oversaw the hiring or promotion from a range of disciplines have
For talented students who choose of 17 colleagues into tenure-line proposed the creation of an inter-
to attend Amherst, the prospect positions in Amherst’s Departments disciplinary humanities center . Our
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discussions of this possibility will students, staff, faculty and student- On our campus, we continue to
resume as the semester unfolds . life issues . confront one of the most seri-
Searches are already under way This fall is seeing the launch ous challenges facing colleges and
for the next crop of tenure-line of the strategic planning effort, led universities across the country:
colleagues, who will join us next by Peter Uvin under my direction . sexual misconduct and assault . We
summer . Information about those In designing a planning process, are committed to holding ourselves
searches—in the Departments of we have sought to identify central to the highest possible standards in
Art and the History of Art, Clas- themes that cut across and tran- our efforts to address the problem,
sics, Computer Science, Economics scend the traditional silos of teach- and over the past year the College
(two positions), English, Mathemat- ing, research and student life . Two has made significant improvements
ics, Physics, Political Science and of the strategic planning commit- in policy, procedure, educational
Spanish—is also available on the tees started their work in the programming and staffing .
dean of the faculty’s website . spring—one committee charged Last year, a group of articulate
In addition to the faculty with analyzing our financial out- and courageous students disclosed
searches mentioned above, the look and another that will assess a range of problems in our previ-
College completed a number of and make recommendations for the ous efforts to prevent and respond
important administrative searches, development of the physical cam- to incidents of sexual misconduct
welcoming Peter Uvin as our first pus . In September we established and assault . Led by the staff, faculty
provost, Kevin Weinman as our chief a committee to study our technol- and students on the Title IX team,
financial officer and Lisa Rutherford ogy needs and four committees the College has made much-needed
as our new general counsel and chief charged with thinking about our changes . We are responding to
policy officer . They share with the core mission activities . These core reports of sexual misconduct and
outstanding staff members already committees will focus on 1) inte- assault by taking appropriate steps
in place the goal of ensuring that grating teaching and research to to eliminate the misconduct, pre-
our students, faculty and staff not fulfill our mission of being a world- vent its recurrence and address
only succeed but flourish . Addition- class research liberal arts college; its effects .
ally, Jim Larimore, our new dean 2) strengthening the College’s learn- The improvements we have
of students, recently announced ing environment so that student made are highlighted on our Sexual
his decision to step down, citing learning is maximized both inside Respect website (www . amherst .edu/
personal reasons, in early Febru- and outside the classroom; 3) build- aboutamherst/sexual_respect) and
ary . He will assume a role as adviser ing upon the racial and socioeco- include not only new policies, dis-
to the president for the remainder nomic diversity we have achieved ciplinary procedures and resources
of the spring semester . Because of among our students, and are in the but also new educational efforts
the urgent need for change, I have process of building among our fac- aimed at cultural change . Amherst
asked Suzanne Coffey to leave her ulty and staff, to strengthen the al- has added key staff to help in this
position as athletic director and step ready powerful learning experience; work, including two new members
into the role of chief student affairs and 4) internationalizing the liberal of our Counseling Center staff and
officer for two years, during which arts curriculum, so that our students two additional full-time positions—
time she will lead the implementa- not only understand but experience a Title IX coordinator, who joined
tion of organizational, personnel our connection with other cultures, us in early December, and a sexual
and management changes that have economies and political systems . The respect educator . The difficult work
been recommended by reviews of committees will meet throughout of addressing sexual assault and
student affairs . Associate Athletic the 2013–14 academic year and will misconduct is ongoing, and we are
Director Don Faulstick, who is in solicit input from students, staff, committed to working as a com-
his 17th year at the College, will faculty, alumni, trustees and parents . munity to address what is, sadly, a
serve as interim director of athlet- A steering committee will develop a nationwide challenge .
ics . The new administrators will be draft plan, which will then be vetted
responsible for many critical areas by on- and off-campus constitu- When it comes to living spaces
of the College, including strategic ents in the fall of 2014, with a final for students, we continue to make
planning; budget; and the integra- version submitted to the Board of improvements and evaluate our op-
tion of programs and initiatives that Trustees in January 2015 . tions . Seligman Hall has reopened
span the traditional boundaries of after an extensive and beautiful
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renovation and expansion, the first remain true to our mission . In Other interesting conversations and
in the building’s 80-year history . that spirit, our faculty considered projects are under way on campus .
The renovation included increasing the possibility that Amherst might The urgency of climate change has
energy-efficiency, while maintaining accept an invitation from edX to given rise on a number of campuses
the building’s historical character join the consortium established to calls for divestment from interests
and aesthetic sensibility . by Harvard, MIT and the edX in coal . Our Investment Committee
Pratt Field, the third-oldest founders . Despite significant inter- has met with students to discuss the
NCAA football playing site, under- est on the part of some faculty issues, and the conversations will
went an extensive renovation that members, the faculty as a whole continue this year . With increased
also added a new field house, grand- concluded that they are not ready commitment to a sustainable and
stands and track . The project was to join edX at this point . At the local food supply, the College’s new
completed on schedule, in time for same time, they expressed support Book & Plow Farm continues to
the first home football game . The for continuing to pursue technol- expand its offerings of fresh produce
field and field house have been sited ogy-enhanced options, including that it delivers to Valentine Din-
and equipped to serve our softball, so-called flipped classrooms and hy- ing Hall and has added greenhouse
field hockey, lacrosse and track brid forms of traditional and online capacity to extend its growing
and field teams as well as football . learning . To this end, Greg Call and season through the winter . Within
We look forward to great contests his colleagues in the Office of the the constraints of the dining facility,
this year . Dean of the Faculty have spent the we continue to find ways to enhance
Students also are benefiting summer developing a program of the quality of food .
from our collaborative efforts to activities for the 2013–14 academic
create a more vibrant social life on year, including visits by experts in On the above topics and more,
campus that helps bring the student online learning and experimental I welcome your reflections and
body together . One step in that initiatives on the part of Amherst thank you for the many thoughts
direction will be the conversion faculty members . We have joined and suggestions you’ve offered since
of the old Power House, now an a group of provosts and deans my arrival . It is an honor to lead this
equipment storage facility, into a from other liberal arts colleges to College, and I thank you for that
space for student events . Work will explore what we might do together opportunity .
begin on that project this winter, to provide our students, into the
and the designs promise the kind future, with the kind of education With best wishes,
of space we need . In response to we consider essential .
student questions about alcohol and Amherst is not standing still in
party policies, we are working with other areas of technological innova-
students to bring greater clarity to tion either . In December 2012 the
these issues . We continue, in the College announced plans to launch Biddy Martin
meantime, to add opportunities for a new digital publishing venture President
campus-wide events and to create that will offer peer-reviewed books
the infrastructure that will allow written by leading scholars in the
students to organize their own . humanities and the social sciences
that are then carefully edited and
In the area of technology, this past made available for free online .
year we studied developments in Conceived by College Librarian
online learning and proceeded to Bryn Geffert and headed by Mark
do what we do well at Amherst— Edington, Amherst College Press
consider and debate the possible will be housed in Frost Library and
benefits and the potential downsides will solicit manuscripts from scholars
of the developments we are seeing . who may be especially receptive to
Many members of our community new publishing paradigms at a time
believe that online learning could when traditional academic presses
enrich what takes place at a small are reducing the number of titles
residential liberal arts college, if our they publish .
approach and guiding principles
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