By President Lisa Marsh Ryerson

I. The Paradigm of Success

Welcome to Reunion 2001. It’s always a treat to have so many Wells women back on campus. And this year it’s especially wonderful for me because I’m joined by the Class of 1981 – my class – to celebrate our 20^th Reunion. 

Reunion offers my talented senior management team and me the opportunity to reflect upon the history of the college, our current work, and our vision for the future

Last week Professor Jenny Yates shared with me a note written in 1918 from the Collegiate Association to a student. It tells the student: "You are hereby informed that you have lost your light-out and chapel-out privileges for riding in a boat on Sunday."

My, how things have changed. However, the no boating policy on Sunday has never been formally rescinded. If you are still here on Sunday, please refrain from boating. You wouldn’t want to lose your privileges too.

This academic year – the year in which Wells College entered the 21^st century - has been extraordinary.

Building on work begun when I assumed the presidency in 1995 and guided by academic tradition, Wells has continued her transformation from a college that historically reacted to a never-ending succession of crises to a successful, proactive community. Enrollment has stabilized. And we have completed the most successful fundraising effort in our history.

We have learned we have the right and the responsibility to chart our own course. We recognize that in a rapidly changing world we must change and evolve. We do this because we believe in women’s education and the liberal arts. We make changes in order to serve new generations of students. 

Tonight I will focus my remarks on two issues that have generated much discussion this year: campus planning and the Aurora Foundation.

II. Campus Planning

Last fall, I sent you a letter that outlined a proposed plan for improving our campus environment. The goal of campus planning at Wells is to:

• Create a learning environment for 450 residential students. 
• Create a sense of place. 
• Make the college more responsive to the changing needs of women. 
• Support the needs of the curriculum and faculty. 

I received letters, emails, phone calls, and personal visits from alumnae. As would be expected, the idea of change at Wells was viewed positively by many and negatively by some. Individual opinions about the proposal vary greatly.

The general impression I received was that the board and I had dispatched a battalion of bulldozers and an army of wrecking crews that would arrive on campus and begin leveling, among other things, Long Library and Barler and Campbell, leaving the occupants to teach and perform in the rubble. With several hundred million dollars – which, by the way, we don’t have – we’d erect a sort of theme park campus. The board and I, and possibly others, have also supposedly made a secret pact to delete the arts from our curriculum, or marginalize them into obscurity. We are also working to abandon Wells’ mission as a liberal arts college. These rumors are absurd. 

I’ve listened carefully. I’ve responded to as many messages as I could. I’ve traveled to events across the country. When I talk about what’s really happened, I uniformly receive support and encouragement. In a world of instant information – made possible by the Internet – the infamous Wells rumor mill moves with lightening speed. Unfortunately, it was easy for members of our extended community to fall back on a learned behavior: crisis mode.

The trustees and I do have a plan. The plan is for Wells College to be the most excellent liberal arts college for women she can be. 

Our trustees are dynamic leaders. They are diverse but united in their commitment to Wells. More than half are alumnae, representing a spectrum of classes. Our board chair and vice chair are both alumnae. They have a deep love for Wells and all she represents. I am an alumna. And I am deeply committed to the success of Wells College. Some trustees are here with us tonight and I would like to introduce them and have them be recognized ~ Janice Gavan ’77, Lark Ludlow ’73, Nancy Menzel ’77, Martha Whitehouse ’46 and honorary trustee Anne Baker ’46.

Faculty Involvement: Historically, faculty members have always had a key role in planning at this college. They are responsible for the academic program. Since campus planning is being done to support the academic program, the faculty is fully involved and represented in the process through a subcommittee of the Academic Program and Policy Committee. Faculty members on this subcommittee were selected by the faculty. In addition, Patti Wenzel Callahan ’79, incoming Alumnae Association President, is a member. Faculty members have been and are being consulted through numerous charettes, meetings, and one-on-one conversations.

Long Library: The library is the heart of any dynamic learning community. According to the staff, Long Library has been plagued with problems since it opened. I commend the staff, under the dynamic leadership of Head Librarian Jeri Vargo ’70, for doing excellent work for so many years in a space that is less than adequate. The library staff is working with experts to gain an understanding of what we must do to house our collections and meet campus information needs for the future. 

The suggestion that we might remove buildings comes as a shock to many. These ideas did not arise whimsically. They are based on the recommendations of architects and engineers who studied our campus. An exhaustive report was prepared after the condition of every campus building was reviewed. The work continues as we talk with those who live and work in the buildings and consult with experts. We must manage our finite resources responsibly. In some cases, the cost of renovation is greater than removing a building and erecting a new one. The annual costs of maintaining some of our existing buildings are staggering. As part of a responsible planning process, thoughtful discussion must occur about the library’s future and about the future of other campus buildings.

Wells operates on the principle of shared governance. The board, senior administration, and faculty are each charged with specific responsibilities through college policies. Students and alumnae also have active voices. Through a number of participatory processes, ideas and recommendations are presented and discussed before final decisions are made. Wells will change by design, not by default. 

Save the Arts at Wells?: The proposed removal of Barler and Campbell has sparked a broader discussion about the future of the arts at Wells. These facilities, too, are inadequate to serve current needs. I am disappointed to learn about the existence of an anonymously maintained website called "Save the Arts at Wells," which was created by alumnae. The Board and I have never considered cutting, diminishing, or marginalizing the arts at Wells in any way. No such discussions have ever taken place. Nor will they take place. 

The arts at Wells are thriving. If Barler and Campbell are removed, it will be to provide superior spaces for the teaching of the arts in buildings that meet safety and accessibility codes. Current buildings do not meet those standards and are not adequate for excellent programs. 

Because Campbell does not meet the needs of a growing number of art majors, students this year sought out studio space in other buildings. 

This spring the faculty approved the addition of a minor in the book arts to the curriculum. This creates new opportunities for students to combine studies in literature, creative writing, visual arts, and internships. The best way to understand the importance of what we offer in the arts is to see how our students benefit:

Jamila Simon ’01 plans to earn a master’s degree in environmental science. She is also a writer. And this spring, she published a book of her poems in the Book Arts Center. In January, Jamila interned at the Frick Art Reference Library in New York City. This spring she worked in our Book Arts Center on a book-length collection of prints by J.J. Lankes — a former faculty member who illustrated Robert Frost’s poems. She has been offered a full-time summer position at the Frick. And at Commencement last week Jamila was awarded the first Anne J. Russ Prize for Social Responsibility and the Presidential Leadership Award.

Our flourishing experiential learning program adds a new dimension to the arts. In January, Lauren Foley ’04, who will major in art history, held an internship at the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in New York City. Lauren worked with the head curator at the foundation and helped organize an upcoming Warhol show in Switzerland.

The arts and creativity are central to a liberal arts curriculum and a healthy learning community. Any building changes will be made in order to improve our arts program for students and faculty. People and programs come first. The physical spaces on campus are here to support them.
III. A New Science Facility

The need for a long-range campus plan at Wells began with our realization that we need a new science facility. Eventually, the sciences will vacate Zabriskie to occupy a new building. Other departments will move into Zabriskie and leave vacancies elsewhere on campus. We do not yet know what moves will take place, but we do know that we will build a new science building. In fact, that is the only decision that has been made. As a result, our historic buildings will be preserved and renovated. And this effort has to be coordinated. We are using this opportunity to develop facilities that support academic departments and the needs of students. Our community is in agreement that a new science building is necessary for our liberal arts curriculum. 

The new science facility will stand in the spot that is now a parking lot between Macmillan Hall and Long Library. This strategic site allows us to create a more intimate setting for our academic program. Our intention is to put all of our academic spaces into closer proximity to better support the interdisciplinary nature of a Wells education. It is essential to create a sense of energy and vibrancy in the heart of campus for current and future students.

Scientific inquiry has been a part of the liberal arts tradition for more than 2000 years. While Wells supports the arts, she also supports the best science education possible. Student interest in the sciences and math is strong: 

1. Generally, about a third of incoming students plan to pursue a math or science major. 
2. Nearly half of the high-achieving incoming students who attended the Henry Wells Scholars celebration this year named a math or science field as their intended major.
3. One out of five degrees granted by Wells in recent times were awarded to majors in the sciences and math.

While the Campaign for Wells College ended last June, ongoing support of Wells by alumnae and friends is essential. Martha Linton Whitehouse ’46, one of the campaign’s four co-chairs, is celebrating her 55^th Reunion with us this weekend. Thank you, Martha, for your dedication, leadership, and belief in Wells. 

We received many generous gifts this year. Among the top five, two were designated specifically for the sciences. I thank you for your generous support. And I ask you to continue that support. We have raised $8 million for the new science facility so far. And we need another $10 million to complete the project. Progress plans for the new facility are on display in the String Room Gallery. I encourage you to look at them – this will truly be a gift to future generations.

Active alumnae are also crucial in our recruitment efforts. Thank you for your invaluable efforts in this area. We received a record number of applications for the Class of 2005. And we are preparing to greet over 150 new students this fall. While enrollment has grown by over 40% in the last three years, I am mindful that recruitment remains a high priority. An uncertain economy creates new challenges for private colleges. We must work together to ensure stable enrollments in the years ahead and that we continue to attract the most talented women. We’ve come a long way. But please remember that our collective work in this area will never be done.

IV. Integrated Strategic Planning

To advance the Paradigm of Success at Wells, integrated, strategic planning has become a part of all we do. It is essential for our future success and allows us to function as a proactive community. 

Planning in an academic institution is an ongoing, integrated process that must meet the needs of the institution in the present and future. In a college, if you aren’t planning, you are stagnating, struggling, or going in reverse. Wells is in the midst of planning and moving forward.

I have been asked many questions about the particulars of the plan, the plan is consistently evolving and I invite you to read the Express and visit the website often. Previous efforts were often sporadic, fragmented, and sometimes inflexible. Based on work begun by the Critical Issues Action Committee in 1997, which is chaired by trustee Steve Zabriskie husband of Randi Shaw Zabriskie ’74, we have created a process that is ongoing, unified, and adaptable. We are indeed fortunate this good work has been done. Although we are doing this planning to strengthen Wells, we are also required to do it. The Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools – our regional accrediting agency – requires each college and university under its purview to have a mission, goals, and program goals. It also requires that the college have a master facilities plan. Once established, these elements must work together to allow us to reach our collective vision for excellence at Wells.

An important step was to craft a mission statement that blends our traditions with the changing educational needs of women today. In 1999, I formed a committee to draft a new mission statement. Members were drawn from the faculty, administration, and trustees. Two of the members were alumnae. Here is the full statement:

"The mission of Wells College is to educate women to think critically, reason wisely, and act humanely as they cultivate meaningful lives. Through Wells’ academic program, residential atmosphere, and community activities, students learn and practice the ideals of the liberal arts. The Wells experience prepares students to appreciate complexity and difference, to embrace new ways of knowing, to be creative, and to respond ethically to the interdependent worlds to which they belong. Committed to excellence in all areas of its reach, Wells College equips students for lifelong learning and for sharing the privileges of education with others."

The trustees approved this statement in February. From it, the faculty and administration have developed institutional goals. We are now establishing program goals and assessment standards in the academic area. Whether in finance, student life, experiential learning, or any other college department, members of our community work to support our mission. The following are our institutional goals derived from the mission:

1. Provide an educational experience that supports women as unique individuals engaged in the study and practice of the liberal arts.
2. Maintain an excellent faculty that is skilled in teaching, dedicated to rigorous intellectual development, and actively committed to pursuing new knowledge and learning strategies.
3. Develop students’ intellectual curiosity, analytical and critical capabilities, and aesthetic awareness and creativity.
4. Provide a rich community environment that fosters awareness and sensitivity to social diversity and encourages responsible action in an interdependent world.
5. Develop self-confident women who exercise sound judgment and have the knowledge and skills for thoughtful decision-making.

The connection between our mission and all areas of campus life is easy to see. This year 10 of our athletes were selected as Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference Scholar-Athletes. They maintained minimum GPAs of 3.5 and excelled on the playing field. This is a great distinction and rare in college athletics. Also, Coach Bernadette Macca was named AWCC Coach of the Year for Softball and Coach Chris Perkins received this year’s Student Life Award.

As you can see, we are in a normal cycle of continuous planning, assessing, and allocating resources to allow Wells to reach excellence in all areas. We must always plan as well as educate.

V. The Academic Foundation

The academic program and a community of scholar/teachers committed to excellence are the foundation of what we offer women today.

I wish I had time to share with you the good work being done by every faculty and staff member. To give you an idea of the wonderful things taking place in the classroom, I’ll tell you about the recipients of this year’s top awards for faculty:

Associate Professor of English Catherine Burroughs earned her Ph.D. from Emory University. She teaches drama courses, British literature, and Introduction to Women's Studies. She has published several books on drama by women during the Romantic period. Catherine is also the director of WLLS 101: the course that gives new students a foundation for study in the liberal arts. Catherine is the recipient of the 2001 Excellence in Teaching Medal.

One of her students wrote: "To sit in [Professor Burroughs'] classroom is to feel awash with excitement about the subject, to be caught up in a hunger to explore, learn, and share…." Another wrote: "Sometimes we are dealing with material that seems dry or irrelevant to us. We are tempted to dismiss those old, dead, white guys, but [Professor Burroughs] does a great job resuscitating them daily." 

Associate Professor of Psychology Victoria Muñoz teaches The Psychology of Women, Human Sexuality, and Development in Adolescence. She is the author of the book Where Something Catches: Work, Love, and Identity in Youth and received her doctorate in education from Harvard University. Victoria is a previous recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Medal. This year, she received the Excellence in Academic Advising Award.

One of Victoria’s students said, "She doesn’t let me get away with anything. That is what I love about her – it’s a constant push. And I’m always glad once it’s over because I have learned more and am a better person." Another wrote: "I do not believe I would be a 3.7 student if it were not for her consistent and resourceful mentorship. When I am doing a lot of academic work at Wells and abroad, I am thinking of how she’ll react to my grades and my performance. She has given me a passion for doing things right, thoroughly, and to the best of my ability."

Our faculty members are passionate about their scholarly pursuits and their teaching. Many of you experienced this today through Alumnae College sessions. This excitement is contagious. So much so that I heard from many that you’d like to come back and enroll in classes. 

And our students have unique opportunities to conduct collaborative research with professors. Every year for the last 12 years, this work has been showcased at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, thanks to Professor of Chemistry Chris Bailey. This year nine students were selected to present their research. Here are some examples of undergraduate research projects: 

• Emily Hollister (biological and chemical sciences): "Comparison of Neomycin B Levels in Various Tissues from Calves Dosed with Medicated Milk Replacer"
• Michelle Morris (sociology): "Understanding Violence in America’s Schools)
• Kelli Nielson (women’s studies): "Feminist Ideas and Mormon Women’s Culture"
• Khadija Zaheer (international studies): "Pakistani Sisterhood: An Unfinished Story"

The achievement of academic excellence was much in evidence at Commencement last week. 9 of our graduates were Phi Beta Kappa. 11 were named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Placement in graduate and professional school is exceptional. Members of the Class of 2001 will be studying pharmacy at Albany Medical College, economics in the Ph.D. program at Syracuse University, and medicine at the University of Buffalo, among others. Faye Justicia-Linde, daughter of Pat Adams ’70, was accepted to medical school in her sophomore year through the early assurance program. Another student will earn a dual MSW/JD degree at Cordoza Law School. A participant in our 3/2 program earned her B.A. at Wells and will complete her engineering degree at Columbia University next year. Thanks to contacts made through the Public Leadership Education Network, a new graduate will begin working for a Congressman in Washington, D.C. this summer.

Experiential learning is an integral part of the curriculum. And I am thrilled to report 92% of the seniors who graduated last week held at least one internship during their time at Wells. Many held multiple internships. Thank you for your support of our internship program. Please continue to offer our students exciting placements, housing, and contacts. This part of the Wells experience is very special.

VI. The Aurora Foundation

Sound financial management is essential to support this special place. We continue to draw more on the endowment than the 5% policy established by the trustees. These expenditures are being made to develop new programs. A decrease in the draw on endowment and an increase in revenue are necessary for our fiscal well being in the years ahead – which brings me to the Aurora Foundation. 

In the fall of 1999, I became concerned about the persistent losses from the operation of the Aurora Inn. This was a liability Wells had covered for years. I commissioned a study of the inn by a noted expert on inns. 

The findings indicated that in spite of our continual efforts to shore up the inn, without significant capital improvements losses would persist. It also revealed widespread dissatisfaction in the village and in the campus community with the inn. In October of last year, the board and I decided to close the Aurora Inn and find a real solution.

I approached Pleasant Rowland ’62 with the problem – knowing she was one of Wells’ most generous supporters and a nationally recognized businesswoman who would understand the issues. I also knew of her deep affection for Aurora, her appreciation of its history, and her love of historic buildings. 

Together we formed the concept of a partnership into which Wells would contribute its commercial properties and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation would contribute the financial capital, management, and expertise to refurbish, revitalize, and manage these properties. Income from rental of these properties and income from any business that the foundation manages in these properties will go to Wells. The Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation will absorb all losses. In May, the board formally and unanimously approved the creation of this partnership: The Aurora Foundation.

Throughout the spring, the needs of the village have been determined by having open conversations with those who live here. Urban Partners, a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm, was hired to conduct a needs assessment.

The commercial properties Wells will contribute to the foundation are valued at $1 million. The Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation will contribute not less than $4 million in cash and properties valued at $800,000 and will assume any operating losses that might occur. The foundation is a limited liability company and will be governed by a board of managers representing Wells College and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation. Wells has two seats on the Aurora Foundation board: George Edwards - member of the Wells board of Trustees and chair of Finance Committee, as well as chair of the Book Arts Advisory Board, and husband of Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57 – will join me in representing the college. Pleasant will serve as board chair of the Aurora Foundation. The Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation will appoint two additional board members, who have not yet been selected. 

Wells will immediately feel the benefits of this partnership. College staff members who were previously responsible for village properties too can now give their full attention and considerable energy to campus. Instead of absorbing large losses, the college will have the real possibility of a new income stream.

A revitalized Aurora will bring residents enhanced service, improved retail offerings, viable jobs with market rate salaries and benefits, and economic stability and sustainability. A revitalized village will provide Wells with a vibrant community that will better serve current students and attract potential students and faculty by diminishing the college’s sense of remoteness. 

Revitalization of the inn will begin this summer. And it is expected to re-open for Commencement and Reunion 2002.

Several weeks ago in a village meeting, Pleasant spoke about the vision of The Aurora Foundation. As many of you know, the Aurora Foundation is an innovative approach to town/gown relations and community development. And the New York Times sent a reporter here to write about it. This afternoon we are very fortunate to have Pleasant here with us. 

In 1995, she made a gift of over $2 million to Wells to improve public spaces – which you are enjoying this weekend. This helped established a positive environment for student recruitment and retention. And we have experienced increased and stable enrollment ever since.

Her frequent visits to Aurora renewed her love for our community. She has bought properties in the village not included in the foundation because she intends to make Aurora her home away from Madison, Wisconsin. And she loves to preserve and restore examples of historic architecture. In a private transaction, she purchased our neighbor Mackenzie-Childs, in order to preserve more than 200 jobs that faced possible elimination due to the company’s bankruptcy. I’ve invited Pleasant – our sister alumna - to share a few words with us.

(Pleasant Rowland speaks)

Pleasant, thank you for your unwavering belief in Wells and Aurora. And we are honored to be here with you to see her bloom.

VII. An Atmosphere of Trust and Cooperation 

We can use the inevitability of change to our benefit through careful and thoughtful planning. While we are an extended community of over 10,000 voices, ultimately, the trustees and I hold the responsibility for action. It is not possible to accommodate every single voice. It is possible to work for the common good. As you can tell from my remarks tonight, Wells is in the midst of our transformation, including:

• A bold and dynamic campus plan 
• Increased and sustainable enrollment 
• Robust academic planning 
• Growth in financial resources necessary to secure Wells future 
• An exciting revitalization project in the village 
• Increased national visibility

It is important to take time to celebrate our many successes. But we also must keep Wells College moving forward in an atmosphere of openness, collaboration, and trust. 

Change is inevitable, necessary, and desirable. The memory of Wells is different for each generation of alumnae. Some of you remember a campus without Long Library and Barler and Campbell. Some cannot remember a time without them. Some remember when Cleveland Hall was our library. Many of us think of Cleveland as the center of foreign language study. People and places change. The essence of Wells – a unique community committed to educating women in the liberal arts – remains constant.

Last week at Commencement, Joanne Shenandoah sang a Native American song she wrote to honor our graduates. Translated into English it says, "Awaken, stand up and be counted. We are being recognized in the spirit world. We are responsible for ourselves, our families, and our nation."

Wells has a bright future as a leader in liberal arts education for women. The college has benefited from loyal and generous alumnae support since the day degrees were first awarded. Tonight I ask you to stand up and be counted. Continue to share your financial and spiritual support. Be part of our transformation. Help shape the Paradigm of Success for Wells. We are the stewards of a great legacy. Let us reason wisely and act humanely.

Delivered June 1, 2001, at Wells College