4:38 p.m. | Chair of the Vassar Board of Trustees William Plapinger ’74 begins session with about fifty students in UpCDC, including Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council members.
4:38 p.m. | Plapinger, member of the Board since 1996, introduces Sally Gordon ’82, trustee and overseer of the Academic Affairs Committee.
4:45 p.m. | “In a number of ways Vassar is more challenged than other institutions, because of our size, the high staff to student ratio, our aspirations and goals, the size of our aging plant, our low endowment per student, as well as the growth in our staff over the past few years,” says Plapinger. “The economic crisis has exposed cracks in the college’s foundation that were not fully evident before.”
4:51 p.m. | “The Board is proud of the way in which the College has approached these challenges,” says Plapinger.
4:55 p.m. |”The Board is confident that Vassar will come through this difficult period stronger than ever,” says Plapinger.
4:56 p.m. | Plapinger explains that the College is spending $44 million dollars on aid with over 60 percent of the class receiving Vassar aid.
4:56 p.m | Plapinger turns over the microphone to Gordon, who says “it is an honor to be so deeply involved in this school.”
4:58 p.m. | “The College will not be healthy unless we do something now. We must reduce our workforce,” says Gordon.
5:00 p.m. | “We’re not only think about about the Class of 2010—we’re thinking about the class of 2015 and 2020. That’s our job,” says Gordon.
5:01 p.m. | The two trustees ask for question from the audience.
5:01 p.m. | Member of the Class of 2010 asks why “it feels like” so many members of the faculty are being cut. Plapinger explains that, as unfortunate as it is, cuts need to be made, since “two-thirds of our operating budget goes to compensation.” There is also the problem of tenure, which puts adjunct faculty at a higher level of vulnerability.
5:05 p.m. | It was announced at a recent faculty meeting that a tenure cap was off the table, says Plapinger in response to a question from a member of the Class of 2010.
5:07 p.m. | Student from the Class of 2010 asks how “the Board of Trustees works,” as in how decisions are made and who makes them. “We give direction to the senior officers after analyzing the financial planning model given to us by President Hill and others,” answers Plapinger. From there, he explains, we consider our objectives, goals and long-term plans.
5: 20 p.m. | Member of the Class of 2013 asks if there are administrators being reduced. Plapinger explains that administrators have been reduced and that many have taken retirement incentives. “There is no one focus on any group at the College,” says Plapinger.
5:21 p.m. | Member of the Class of 2010 asks how much the Board considers student input. Gordon says, “One of the things you feel so much as a member of the Baord is that we remember what it is like to be a student, both through formal meetings or informal conversations with current students.” Gordon says that they receive most of their student input through the VSA, reading The Miscellany News and talking with students when on campus. “We always welcome student input.”
5:27 p.m. | “How much of a student voice is there in decisions about involuntary cuts,” asks Raymond House President Samin Shehab ’11. Plapinger responds: “The administration and the Dean of Faculty will make most of those decisions together with the departments involved. They talk back and forth about it and will come to an agreement about how many class there will be and how many professors. As far as student input, I don’t think students should be consulted on an individual basis any more than a faculty member should be consulted. It’s done in a more institutional way.”
5:34 p.m. | Member of the Class of 2010 asks that since the investment loss on the endowment was less than expected, can we reinvigorate any projects or commitments that we thought we would have to do without (i.e., an announcement about need-blind, the science center) ? Plapinger: “18.1 percent is clearly an improvement from 30 percent, but it doesn’t probably have much the day-to-day life at the College. It means we will be in financial equilibrium in 2015, one year earlier than we expected. Though it clearly does give us more flexibility.”
5:48 p.m. | Student asks how much input is considered from professors. “If I’ve left the impression that we only meet with the President and the senior officers, I’ve given you the complete wrong impression. We meet with professors and faculty all the time,” says Plapinger.
6:00 p.m. | VSA VP for Finance Scott Pascal asks if the growth of the student population at Vassar has been intentional. “There’s no intention to grow anymore—2400 is where we’re going to stay,” says Plapinger.
6:02 p.m. | Session ends.
