About Letter to the Community

January 2010

Dear Members of the Marlboro Community,

At the start of the spring semester, I want to share with the greater Marlboro community how the College is doing.  We all still live in an unpredictable time, during which the economy and the pressures on higher education affect Marlboro College along with many other colleges. A critical part of Marlboro's ability to keep moving ahead with confidence is the dedication of so many Marlboro friends, alumni and parents to our mission.

The phrase that keeps coming to mind to express how we are managing is "hand on the tiller" as the little ship of Marlboro navigates choppy waters. The boat is sound, the sails are full and it's quite a ride.

Stepping back from the economic waves, I see a college achieving its worthy mission, thanks to the commitment of faculty, staff and students. I see students actively participating in academic and student life, making themselves visible and vocal on campus.  I see a strong group of seniors completing their Plans of Concentration and getting ready to graduate.  We are having lively, and often intense, discussions about the meaning of "self-governance" at Marlboro, our policies regarding alcohol and other drugs, about disciplinary procedures and the role of the campus publication, The Citizen.  At the same time, new faculty are settling into Marlboro and infusing us with their ideas and energy. Long-serving faculty are retiring or beginning a three-year phased retirement.  We will be honoring their service in many ways.

So far this year our budget is on track.  Last spring, the senior managers and I developed at least six budget scenarios, looking at the variables of enrollment, financial aid, fundraising, endowment draw and expenses.  In May 2009, the Board of Trustees approved a conservative budget; right now we are exactly on track with those budget assumptions and projections.  We have been able to do this without layoffs or suspending our searches for new talent.  The projected enrollment for the year is 305 undergraduates, with 89 graduate students at our downtown Graduate School.

Individual donors and foundation grants are making a huge difference. We met our 2009 Annual Fund goal and intend, with everyone's help, to meet our 2010 goal of $1.2 million.

Our endowment has recovered to 93 percent of its highest recorded value and this year we will take the full draw that makes such a difference in funding our programs and keeping costs reasonable.  The instructional budget comprises the largest percentage of our resources, as it should.  Our students and their families continue to be affected by the recession, so we planned an increase in the financial aid pool to help students attend, or remain at, Marlboro.  We experienced three times the number of financial aid appeals as we do ordinarily and were able to respond to about two-thirds of those requests.

We are controlling expenses by tightening budgets but not cutting in ways that would hurt our program. Using a Department of Energy grant matched by private donors, we insulated our two biggest energy-consuming buildings-Dalrymple and the Dining Hall-and expect to save 20 percent on our energy costs this year.  We made students and employees more aware of how many documents they print and how much they will save as a result of less printing.

In August we submitted our five-year report to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the regional accreditation association.  I am pleased to report to you that NEASC approved Marlboro's report, which was based on our newly updated strategic plan. For me, their response validates the vital role of strategic planning in keeping us focused on achieving Marlboro's educational mission.  "We commend the college for the considerable success it has experienced with the diversification of revenue sources," stated the NEASC response, reflecting the strategic goal "to increase Marlboro's financial health."  The NEASC response also stated, "A review of the undergraduate curriculum and experience resulted in a number of improvements, including revisions to the Plan of Concentration process and expansion of the sophomore review process."

One of the central strategies adopted in Marlboro's strategic plan is reinforcing a "whole person" approach to learning, conceiving of the entire college as a learning environment. Feedback from alumni, parents, current students and trustees is shaping a comprehensive program to better join student life outside the classroom with the academic experience.  Our new career counselor is working with alumni to find internship and job opportunities for students -- part of Marlboro's renewed focus on improving the "off the hill" experience, and faculty are designing courses that engage students with the broader community.  The strategic plan also includes a new vision statement for the Marlboro College Graduate School, shaping programs that are more closely aligned and integrated with the values and teaching philosophy on the undergraduate campus.

We are a community that recognizes strong individuals and at the same time values our ability to act collectively. I thank you all for participating in making Marlboro flourish.

Sincerely,

Ellen McCulloch-Lovell
President