February 2020 Trustee Update

Last week, the Board of Trustees held their regular February meeting. I am happy to provide you with a summary of their discussions, decisions, and activities. 

During their meetings, the board learned about the concerns that have been raised about the Antiracism Implementation Plan. Trustees understand and fully support CC’s goal to become an antiracist institution. I explained to the board that we will do more to listen to the community’s ideas and concerns as we refine the implementation plan.
 
Trustees had the opportunity to meet members of the Parents Council, the Fine Arts Center Advisory Board, and the FAC’s director-elect, Idris Goodwin. Trustees also attended a meeting of the Climate Change Task Force during which trustee John Troubh, chair of the board’s Investment Committee, gave a presentation on CC’s endowment. Many trustees also attended Professor David Hendrickson’s “last lecture,” and the State of the Rockies symposium. 
 
As you know from Susie Burghart’s update to the CC community, the board elected Provost Alan Townsend to serve as interim president, effective August 1, 2020. They also launched a presidential search process with the goal of having a new president join CC in the summer of 2021. 

Trustees received reports from Dean of the Faculty Claire Oberon Garcia; Provost Alan Townsend; Professor Wade Roberts, chair of the Faculty Executive Committee; and Ethan Greenberg ’20, president of the CCSGA. The board also approved several items, including:

• Tuition for the 2020-21 academic year at $60,390 and the comprehensive fee for students living on campus at $74,256. The 2020-21 budget includes a significant increase in financial aid and increases in the salary pools for faculty and staff. 
   
• Tenure and promotion to six faculty members: Rebecca Barnes (Environmental Studies), Amanda Bowman (Chemistry & Biochemistry), Elizabeth Coggins (Political Science), Kevin Holmes (Psychology), Pamela Reaves (Religion), and Christiane Steckenbiller (German, Russian, and East Asian Languages).
   
• Emeriti status for faculty members who will retire at the end of the 2019-20 academic year: Professors Victoria Levine (Music), David Hendrickson (Political Science), Jeff Noblett (Geology), and Dave Mason (English).
   
• New Charter Trustees who will join the board in June 2020: Eric Duran ’91, D.H.L.’15, Frieda Ekotto ’86, D. Litt.’18, Jane Franke ’84, P’17, and France Winddance Twine D.H.L’19.  
   
• Honorary trustee status for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette ’79, congresswoman for the 1^st District of Colorado, and a CC charter trustee from 1988-94.
   
• Candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement and Opening Convocation, 2020. 
   
• Candidates to participate in the student trustee election conducted by the CCSGA.

The board’s next meeting is its annual retreat, June 10-12, 2020.

November 2019 Trustee Update

CC’s Board of Trustees was on campus last week (November 6-9) for its regular fall meeting. I am happy to provide you with a summary of the board’s meetings.

During their time on campus, trustees attended the Keller Family Venture Grant Forum. After the forum, trustees held a reception with students and faculty involved with Venture Grants and members of the President’s Council. On Friday, trustee Ryan Haygood ’97, president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice, and Professor Dana Wolfe gave a fascinating lunch presentation on “100 Years of Women’s Suffrage: Consequences and Next Steps,” which was attended by trustees, students, and faculty. The board also had the opportunity to meet with faculty serving on the Faculty Executive Committee, and staff who serve on Staff Council. Trustees welcome these opportunities to get to know students, faculty, and staff, and I thank those of you who attended these events and met with the board.

The Student Success Committee held its inaugural meeting. The committee, whose members include student trustee Lily Weissgold ’20 and Professor and Curriculum Executive Committee Chair Genevieve Love (advisory member), is charged with monitoring student success and educational quality. This committee will work closely with the board’s new Strategic Project Team focusing on Size and Makeup of the Student Body. This team is considering how CC’s student population should evolve over the next decades. 

The board’s other standing committees (Buildings, Grounds, and Infrastructure, Budget and Finance, Audit, and Governance) and SPTs (Athletics, Campaign Steering, and the Financial Model) also met. Of note:

• The Buildings, Grounds, and Infrastructure Committee went on a tour of campus, and met with the architects designing Robson Arena and the architects helping conceptualize a building for Innovation at CC.
• The Audit Subcommittee met with the college’s auditors and accepted the college’s annual audit. The auditors were very complimentary about the cooperation and transparency of CC’s finance staff. 

During the board’s business meeting, I gave an update on CC’s anti-racism efforts, our new access initiatives (Colorado Pledge, Stroud Scholars and the test-optional policy), and the Edge Internship program. Vice President for Enrollment Mark Hatch provided an update on Admission, and trustee Jeff Keller announced that the Building on Originality Campaign total now stands at $374 million, toward  the goal of $435 million. Provost Alan Townsend spoke about his work with Dean Claire Oberon Garcia and faculty members to envision the future of the humanities and sciences at CC. He also described the work of the climate change task force, which includes faculty, students, staff, and trustees. Professor Wade Roberts, chair of the FEC, described the faculty’s anti-racism efforts, the implementation of new general education requirements, and the FEC’s work to evaluate and restructure faculty governance. Ethan Greenberg ’20, president of CC’s Student Government Association, spoke about CCSGA’s involvement in anti-racism work, the climate change task force, the general education revisions, and increasing student participation in CC governance and local and national elections.

The board approved several items, including:

• Re-election of board officers Susie Burghart (chair), Jeff Keller (vice-chair) and Marc St. John (secretary) to additional two-year terms in these positions. 
• Approval of the scope of Robson Arena (as presented by the architects and provisionally approved by the city’s Downtown Review Board) with acknowledgement that the current volatility in construction costs nationwide will impact the final cost of the project. 
• Amendments to the college’s Gender-based Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Policy and Procedures (Title IX Policy) and the Anti-discrimination Policy and Procedures. The amendments update the final decision-makers for student and staff cases and the appeals decision-maker for faculty and staff cases. 
• Candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement 2020. Names of the candidates for honorary degrees will be announced in the spring. 

The next board meeting will be February 20-22, 2020.

June 2019 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees met last week (June 12-14) for their annual summer retreat. It was a substantive and energizing meeting, with excellent discussions about CC’s present and future direction. 

I was pleased to welcome new trustees Heather Carroll ’89, Lisa Hastings ’91, Kyle Samuel ’92, Lauren Watel ’07 and Lily Weissgold ’20 to the board.  More information about our new trustees can be found on CC’s website.

We kicked off the retreat on Wednesday evening with the annual “Legends of Colorado College” dinner, which honors retired and long-serving CC faculty and administrators. In addition to recognizing CC’s legends, we honored trustee John Troubh ’79 and his wife Louisa, and the John E. and Margaret L. Lane Foundation (represented by trustee Tony Rosendo ’02) as new inductees to the William Jackson Palmer Founders Society.

On Thursday, the board engaged in discussions about how to position the college to thrive during a time of significant disruption in higher education.

During their business meeting on Friday, the board heard an update on CC’s Building on Originality Campaign. Consultants Joe Bosack & Co. presented options for a revised athletics logo and the board endorsed moving forward with the campus committee’s recommendation.  The board also approved the following items:

• Four candidates for promotion to full professor: William Davis in Comparative Literature and German, Marion Hourdequin in Philosophy, Mike Taber in Education, and Tricia Waters in Psychology;
• Authorized borrowing the funds necessary to complete arena-associated projects including the parking garage, the Tejon Street building and the relocation of the 3D Arts program;
• Updates to the Faculty Handbook that were previously approved by the faculty in Block 8;
• Updates to the Title IX policies;
• Procedures for complying with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

In addition to welcoming new trustees, we also recognized and thanked outgoing trustees Eric Mellum ’90 and Eyner Roman ’19 whose terms ended with this meeting. We also acknowledged the service of Neal Baer ’78 and Adam Press ’84, whose terms on the board have also ended, but who have been elected to life trusteeship.

The next meeting of the full Board is November 7-9, 2019. Please let me know if you have any questions.

February 2019 Trustee Update

November 2018 Trustee Update

• The Athletics SPT is continuing its work by focusing this year on CC’s support of the women’s soccer program and our Division III varsity sports.
• The Audit Subcommittee met with the college’s auditors and accepted the college’s annual audit. The auditors reported no findings and were very complimentary about the transparency and cooperation of CC’s finance and financial aid staffs.

• Authorization for the construction of Robson Arena, use of bond funding, the site for the facility, and the hiring of JLG Architects to work on the design of the arena. The board also charged me with putting together a committee of faculty, staff, students, and trustees to advise on the design of Robson Arena.
• Changes to the Gender-Based Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence Policy and Procedure and its Anti-Discrimination Policy and Procedures. These changes, while relatively minor, enhance the college’s handling of cases covered by the policy.
• Modifications to the Retirement Plan Fiduciary Responsibility Delegation Charter (as recommended by the campus Retirement Plan Committee).
• Candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement, 2019. The campus community will be updated as soon as those to be recognized are informed.
• The granting of Honorary Trustee status to former trustee Lynne V. Cheney ’63.

June 2018 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees met last week for its annual summer retreat. It was a productive and exciting meeting. I was pleased to welcome new trustees Joe Ellis ’80, Tafari Lumumba ’05, Natalie Pham ’99, Eyner Roman-Lopez ’19, and Jarod Rutledge ’17 to the board. More information on our new trustees can be found on CC’s website.
 
We kicked off the retreat with the annual “Legends of Colorado College” dinner, which honors retired and long-serving CC faculty and administrators.
 
During the retreat, the trustees participated in an inclusion and anti-bias workshop led by Dr. Devona Williams. Dr. Williams also conducted workshops last week with the staffs of Student Life, Campus Safety, Admission, and Financial Aid. 
 
I gave a presentation on “Trends in Higher Education” to the trustees that focused on demographic and other trends that will affect Colorado College in the coming years. The trustees discussed the implications of these trends and decided to form strategic project teams to consider how CC can best prepare for the future.   
 
VP for Enrollment Management Mark Hatch summarized the board’s year-long series of admission and financial aid workshops and presented a five-year enrollment management plan. The board also heard an update on the campaign from VP for Advancement Sean Pieri. 
 
During the Friday business meeting, the board heard updates from the Athletics, Innovation, and Transition SPTs and approved three items:

• An update to the Faculty Handbook to recognize the role of the provost and clarify personnel review policies;
• Four candidates for promotion to full professor: Tamara Bentley in Art, Genevieve Love in English, Gail Murphy-Geiss in Sociology, and Rebecca Tucker in Art;
• Amendments to the board bylaws to clarify the terms of service of alumni trustees and to recognize the role of the provost. 

In addition to welcoming new trustees, we also recognized and thanked outgoing trustees Heather Carroll ’89, John Chalik ’67, Ben Kieklak ’18, Bob Selig ’61,and Martha Wolday ’14, whose terms ended with this meeting.
 
The next meeting of the full board is November 1-3, 2018. Please let me know if you have any questions.

February 2018 Trustee Update

Last week, the Board of Trustees was on campus for its regular February meeting.
 
On Thursday, the board met with students who participated in Professor Mark Smith’s Block 3 course on the economics of international climate change policy.  The students described their experience attending the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) in Bonn, Germany and invited trustees to attend the COP meeting next year in Poland.
 
That evening, the board joined faculty and students from the Music Department, members of the Fine Arts Center Advisory Board and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic for dinner and a conversation with Jamie Bernstein in celebration of her father, Leonard Bernstein’s, 100^th birthday.
 
On Friday, the board considered whether to remove former President Slocum’s name from Slocum Hall, as requested in petitions from CC alumni, faculty, staff and students. The board will issue a statement on its decision by the end of Block 6. Additionally, the board discussed options for Robson Hockey Arena, which will be CC’s next major capital project. 
 
As part of their ongoing commitment to learning about admission and financial aid, trustees engaged in an exercise that illustrated the difficult decisions made in admitting a class each year. Faculty members of the Committee on Admission and Financial Aid and the admissions staff also participated in the exercise. 
 
During the board’s plenary session on Saturday, noted scholar and author Jean Twenge discussed the findings she describes in her book “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood.”
 
During their Saturday business meeting, the board approved several items including:

• Tuition for the 2018-19 academic year at $54,996 and the comprehensive fee at $67,982. The 2018-19 budget will include a 3% increase in the salary pool for faculty and staff;
• Tenure and promotion to associate professor for faculty members Ryan Bañagale (Music), Amy Dounay (Chemistry), Heidi Lewis (Feminist and Gender Studies) and Matthew Whitehead (Mathematics and Computer Science);
• Emeritus status for Professors of History Doug Monroy and Dennis Showalter;
• Candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement and Opening Convocation 2018 (information about the honorees will be sent to the campus community soon); and 
• New charter trustees who will join the board in June 2018. 

The board also heard reports from Dean Sandi Wong, Faculty Executive Committee Chair Professor Carol Neel, CCSGA President Dorsa Djalilzadeh, and me. Additionally, Vice President for Advancement Sean Pieri provided an update on our Building on Originality campaign progress.

The board will next meet during its annual retreat, June 13-15, 2018.

November 2017 Trustee Update

Last week, the Board of Trustees was on campus for its regular November meeting. Several trustees attended the Keller Venture Grant Forum on Wednesday, which is always an inspiring display of our students’ curiosity and creativity.

On Thursday, the board was joined by Fine Arts Center staff and President’s Council members for a dinner at the FAC. The dinner was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate CC’s alliance with the Fine Arts Center and our progress in implementing the “Excellence, Access, and Collaboration” strategic plan.

On Friday, VP for Enrollment Mark Hatch and Director of Financial Aid Shannon Amundson presented on admission and financial aid in relation to our strategic goals. Additionally, the board’s Strategic Project Teams (Athletics, Innovation, and Transitions) and standing committees (Investment, Governance, Buildings, Grounds, & Infrastructure, and Budget & Finance) met.

In the plenary session Saturday, Susan Edmondson of the Downtown Partnership and Hannah Parsons of the CS Chamber of Commerce presented on the economic development and future of Colorado Springs. Beka Adair ’16 and current CC student Rachael Maxwell ’18 also took part in the plenary session presentation.

During their Saturday business meeting, the board approved several items including:

• Revisions to the Campus Master Plan
• Candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement. The campus community will be updated as soon as those to be recognized are informed.
• An addendum to the strategic plan that extends our workplace excellence initiative, incorporates the Fine Arts Center into our strategy and includes a new recommendation to enrich and integrate the parts of the student experience and connect the CC experience to our students’ next steps.

The board also heard reports from Dean Sandi Wong, Faculty Executive Committee Chair Professor Carol Neel, CCSGA President Dorsa Djalilzadeh, and me. VP for Advancement Sean Pieri provided the board with an update on the comprehensive fundraising campaign.

The trustees are excited about the progress we’ve made on campus this fall: the completion of the Tutt Library Renovation, East Campus Community and the Ahlberg Annex, our successful alliance with the Fine Arts Center, and the launch of our Building on Originality campaign. They are eager to build on this momentum in the months and years ahead!

The next board meeting will be February 22-24, 2018.

June 2017 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees met last week for their annual summer retreat. It was a productive and exciting meeting. I was pleased to welcome new trustees Sam Bronfman P ’11, ‘19, Carolyn Cullen ’91, P ’20, 21, Jesse Horn ‘07, Jenny Love Meyer ‘88 and Ben Kieklak ‘18 to the Board. We kicked off the retreat with the annual “CC Legends” dinner, which honors retired and long-serving CC faculty and administrators.

During the retreat, the trustees began a yearlong study of admission and financial aid. In addition, they celebrated the exciting news that the Joint Board Oversight Committee for the Fine Arts Center approved the strategic plan for the FAC. They reviewed the plan and an update on the July 1, 2017 transition.

The trustees also heard an update on our progress on the comprehensive campaign. As part of the report, they previewed a campaign video and discussed the many activities planned for the campaign launch, scheduled for October 6-15, 2017.

The highlight of the retreat was a tour of the East Campus residential village and Tutt Library. After many years of planning and preparation, they enjoyed seeing these dream projects come to fruition.

Several trustees arrived early to participate in Strategic Planning Teams (SPTs) on athletics and innovation, and when the full Board gathered, they heard reports from those SPTs. There is good progress in these areas, and I look forward to sharing more news on these initiatives in the fall.

During their Friday business meeting, the board approved several items:

• An update to the Faculty Handbook on split position hiring, spousal hiring, and position descriptions for adjuncts and lecturers;
• Five candidates for promotion to Full Professor: Lori Driscoll in Psychology, Henry Fricke in Geology, Dan Johnson in Economics, Eric Perramond in Southwest Studies and Environmental Science, and Andrew Price-Smith in Political Science;
• Updates to the Title IX policy; and
• A campaign goal, which will be shared this fall.

In addition to welcoming new trustees, we also recognized and thanked outgoing trustees Mayss Al Alami ‘17, Bob Manning ‘69, Chris Schluter Moon ‘65 and Nancy Woodrow ’68 P ’11, whose terms ended with this meeting.

Our trustees continue to be pleased with our progress. They are convinced that the renovation of Tutt Library, construction of new student housing, campaign progress, and alliance with the Fine Arts Center make this an historic time at Colorado College. 

The next meeting of the full Board is November 2-4, 2017.

February 2017 Trustee Update

The Colorado College Board of Trustees was on campus this past week for their annual February meeting. Trustees on the Innovation Strategic Project Team arrived early to attend The Big Idea and participate in a special planning workshop on Thursday. Other trustees participated in a student-networking luncheon organized by trustee Sue Allon ’81 and Career Center Director Megan Nicklaus. They also toured the ongoing construction work at Tutt Library and the East Campus residential complex and attended a forum on wayfinding concepts for the campus.

During their Saturday business meeting, the board approved:

• Tuition and fees for 2017-18 at $52,818. For students living on campus, the comprehensive fee was set at $64,894, with a standard double room rate of $7,240 and meal plan C rate of $4,836.
• The allocation of the incremental revenue in the 2017-2018 budget to financial aid, faculty and staff compensation, inflationary and other required increases, and strategic initiatives.
• Tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor (effective July 1, 2017) for:
• Helen Daly, philosophy
• Scott Krzych, film and media studies
• Christina Leza, anthropology
• Corina McKendry, political science
• Habiba Vaghoo, chemistry and biochemistry
• Dana Wolfe, political science
• Naomi Wood, Spanish and Portuguese
• Emeritus status (effective July 1, 2017) for:
• Nathan Bower, professor of chemistry and biochemistry
• Tom Cronin, professor of political science
• John Simons, professor of English
• Fred Tinsley, professor of mathematics
• Alex Vargo, professor of biology (retired 2011)
• Barbara Whitten, professor of physics
• The renewal of charter trustees Manuel Martinez ’74, Andy Stenovec ’85, and Brian Thomson ’85 to an additional term, and the election of new charter trustees Sam Bronfman and Carolyn Colket Cullen ’91.

In addition, the board heard reports from Dean Sandra Wong, FEC Chair Professor John Gould, CCSGA President Annika Kastetter, and me. The board also heard reports from the standing committees and strategic project teams that met on Friday.

Standing Committee agendas:

Budget and Finance – Trustees discussed and recommended approval of the 2017-18 budget and tuition and comprehensive fee. The audit subcommittee also met, reviewing a draft of the college’s 2015 Form 990.

Investment – Trustees heard from the college’s investment manager, Bristol and Associates.

Governance – Trustees discussed and recommended approval of renewing and new charter trustees. They also received feedback from the student trustee interviews.

Buildings, Grounds and Infrastructure – Trustees heard from Studio/lab on the campus wayfinding project and also heard from the architects and landscape architects, Atkin Olshin Schade and OLIN, on recommended changes to incorporate the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center into the Campus Master Plan, and a process for guiding the adoption of ongoing changes to the plan.

Strategic Project Team agendas:

Campaign Planning – Trustees discussed campaign messaging and also received an update on progress to date.

Innovation – Trustees discussed the outcomes of the planning workshop and next steps for the innovation program, which includes a strategic plan to be announced in approximately six months.

Fine Arts Center – Trustees received the draft plans for each of the three program areas (museum, Bemis Art School, and performing arts) and heard an update on the operational transition.

The trustees continue to be impressed with our progress and are deeply engaged with the ongoing work of the college. Their next meeting is their June retreat, but many trustees will be on campus for Commencement.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make the February meeting a success!

The next Trustee Meeting will be in June.

November 2016 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees were on campus this past week for their regular November meeting. Several trustees arrived early to participate in the Keller Venture Grants Forum and to hear Speaker Newt Gingrich as part of the Sondermann Presidential Symposium. Both events gave them a sense of the excitement that we’ve enjoyed across campus this fall.

On Thursday, the Board attended a dinner featuring Professor Tim Fuller discussing the importance of the liberal arts, and Professor Fuller shared recollections from his long career. The trustees received copies of the festschrift “Philosophy, Politics and the Conversation of Mankind: Essays in Honor of Tim Fuller” compiled by a number of Tim’s former students who have gone on to academic careers.

The Board also heard an update on the potential of the Fine Arts Center alliance from museum director and chief curator of the Colby College Museum of Art, Sharon Corwin. Sharon was joined by FAC museum director Rebecca Tucker, who moderated a panel of CC faculty and staff who are playing important roles in the integration of the FAC with the college: Professors Eric Perramond and Mario Montano, Kris Stanec, Jessica Hunter-Larsen and Joy Armstrong.

During their Saturday business meeting, the board approved several items:

• Former charter trustees David van Diest Skilling and Colburn Wilbur as life trustees.
• Candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement. The campus community will be updated as soon as those to be recognized are informed.
• A proposal for naming residential buildings as part of the East Campus housing project. Again, the campus community will be updated as soon as those to be recognized are informed.

In addition to the business meeting, the Board’s standing committees (Investment, Governance, Budget and Finance, and Buildings, Grounds and Infrastructure) and strategic project teams (Innovation, Campaign Planning, and Fine Arts Center Alliance) met.

The board members enjoyed sharing in the excitement that has been bubbling on campus. Clearly, the renovation of Tutt Library, construction of new student housing, campaign progress, and alliance with the Fine Arts Center make this an historic time at Colorado College.

The next Trustee meeting will be in late February.

June 2016 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees met for its annual summer retreat this past weekend.

New trustees (Mayss Al Alami ’17; Martha Wolday ’14; Kishen Mangat ’96; Liza Malott Pohle ’85; and Amy Louis ’84) were welcomed and sworn in, and outgoing trustees were recognized for their service to CC (Van Skilling ’55, P ’79, P ’82; Karen Pope ’70, P ’04; James Lonergan ’16; Cole Wilbur; and Kalen Acquisto ’13).

The retreat’s agenda focused on our students and our mission of providing the finest liberal arts education. The trustees were deeply engaged in important conversations, including the alliance with the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, possible revisions to the student code of conduct, and campaign messaging.

I shared with the trustees updates on the continued implementation of our strategic plan and success in fundraising. Over the past year, the college received more than $40 million in new cash and pledges with approximately 6,000 alumni contributing.

The board approved several items during its Saturday business meeting, including:

• Faculty promotions of four associate professors to full professors.
• Several revisions to the faculty handbook (approved by the faculty this past spring).
• Endorsed the alliance with the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and empowered the Executive Committee to approve final details on the agreement.

The trustees are excited about our continued success. Their next meeting will be on campus in November.

February 2016 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees was on campus this past weekend for their regular February meeting. The trustees began their meeting with dinner at the Fine Arts Center, which included tours of the facility and an introduction to special guest Myrlie Evers-Williams.

The board approved several items during its Saturday business meeting, including:

• Tuition and fees for the 2016-17 academic year were set at $50,892. For those living on campus, the comprehensive fee will be $62,560, with a standard double room rate of $6,902 and the meal plan C rate of $4,766.
• Tenure and promotion to full professor for Jim Parco, Economics and Business, and tenure and promotion to associate professor for Andrea Bruder, Mathematics and Computer Science; Daniel Arroyo-Rodriguez, Spanish and Portuguese; Carrie Ruiz, Spanish and Portuguese; Darrell Killian, Molecular Biology; and Ryan Platt, Theater and Dance.
• The election of new charter trustees Elizabeth Pohle ’85 and Jennifer Love Meyer ’88 (term to commence in 2017-2018).
• Life trustee designation for William Campbell ’67 and Jane Rawlings ’70.
• The approval of the student trustee elected by the student body.
• The approval of a bylaw change that incorporates the Life Trustee Criteria.
• The continued discussions between the Colorado College Board of Trustees and the Fine Arts Center Board of Trustees directed toward a new partnership.

In addition to reports from Dean Wong and President Tiefenthaler, the board heard reports from Lori Driscoll, chair of the Faculty Executive Committee, and CCSGA President Jake Walden.

On Friday, the board’s three Strategic Project Teams and four Standing Committees met.   

Strategic Project Team Agendas:

Campaign Planning – Trustees discussed the campaign timeline and volunteer structure.

Library Planning – Trustees reviewed construction documents and also the library transition plan.

Campus Master Plan/Communications Master Plan – Trustees heard about the success of the launch of the Communications Master Plan roll-out, and enjoyed the roll-out video.  They also discussed the process for amendments to the Campus Master Plan.

Standing Committee Agendas:

Buildings, Grounds, & Infrastructure – Trustees received reports on campus carbon reduction efforts and IT network improvements. They also heard a presentation on the East Campus housing design by architects MASS Design Group and Hanbury, Evans, Wright, Vlattas + Company.

Investment – Trustees reviewed the current portfolio with J.W. Bristol, and Monticello Associates gave an update on the quarterly market review.

Governance –Trustees recommended approval of the new charter trustees and life trustees. They also received nominations for student trustee.

Budget & Finance – Trustees discussed and recommended approval of the 2016-17 comprehensive fee and budget. The Audit subcommittee heard from the auditors and met KRCC director, Tammy Telwerp.

The trustees remain very pleased with our progress. Their next meeting is a retreat in June, but many board members look forward to joining us for Commencement festivities.

November 2015 Trustee Update

The Trustees were on campus this past weekend for their regular November meeting. They began their meeting by attending the Keller Venture Grants Forum, celebrating the program’s 10^th anniversary with very exciting news from Trustee Jeff Keller and the Keller family, who have supported our Venture Grant program for the past decade. The Keller Family has made a $4 million gift to endow and expand the program.

On Friday, the Board attended the dedication of the theater in Armstrong Hall, unveiling the new signage which identifies that the space as the Kathryn Mohrman Theatre. Current and retired faculty and staff joined the Board in honoring Colorado College’s 11^th president.

The Board heard an update from Patrick Bultema and Emily Chan on progress being made as part of the college’s innovation initiative.

The board approved several items during its Saturday business meeting:

• The Board voted to accept changes to the college’s Title IX Policy, allowing for external investigators to be used in special circumstances.

• The Board approved a change to the Naming Policy that outlines a process for gathering community input.

• The Board approved criteria for Life Trustees.

In addition to the Business Meeting, the board’s Standing Committees and Strategic Project Teams met.   

 Standing Committees

• Buildings, Grounds, & Infrastructure – Trustees discussed the East Campus Housing project and were also introduced to Maggie Santos, director of campus safety and emergency management. 
• Investment – The Trustees heard from a group of student presenters on the topic of sustainable investing and also received updates on the asset allocation model and the quarterly market review from Monticello Associates.
• Governance – The committee reviewed the slate of trustee nominees and recommended criteria for Life Trustees.
• Budget & Finance – Trustees received year-end financial updates and a notification of expenditure against the quasi endowment. They also received an update from the Audit Committee, a subcommittee of Budget & Finance. There were no significant findings in the annual audit.

Strategic Project Teams (SPT’s)

• Campaign Planning – Trustees reviewed the campaign’s progress to date. They also viewed the newly developed campaign messaging materials and discussed volunteer engagement.
• Library Planning – Trustees discussed the results of the design development phase with library architects Pfeiffer Partners, which helps prepare the way for a May 2016 ground-breaking should fundraising goals for the project be met.
• Communications Master Plan – Trustees discussed and viewed a presentation by Studio/lab about the Communications Master Plan that included viewing the proposed logo.

Overall, it was a great meeting. The next trustee meeting will be in February 2016.  

June 2015 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees had its annual retreat. The retreat’s agenda was focused on our mission of “providing the finest liberal arts education,” the continued implementation of the strategic plan, and the comprehensive fundraising campaign.

The board approved several items during its Friday business meeting, including:

• Colorado College Bylaw changes pertaining to goverance (Section 1.1 C) and the Buildings, Grounds, and Infrastructure Committee (Section 1.4 G.5).
• Title IX required policy changes.
• Promotion from associate professor to full professor for Tracy Coleman, Religion; Aju Fenn, Economics and Business, and Esther Redmount, Economics and Business.
• Changes to Part Two of the Faculty Handbook pertaining to recruitment procedures for hiring candidates with tenure (IV.C and D); criteria for tenure (VII.A.2) and changes to unpaid non-medical leave policy (XII.C); Changes to Part Three of the Faculty Handbook pertaining to faculty executive committee (V.A.1) (All changes were approved at the Block 6 and 7 faculty meetings).
• Approval of Mass Design Group as the architect for the East Campus Housing project.
• Approval of the Tutt Library schematic design and continued construction phase by Pfeiffer Partners.
• Approval of a new Peer Group, eliminating the Aspirant peer group of colleges.

The trustees are enthused about our continued progress. Their next meeting is in November on campus.

February 2015 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees was on campus for the regular February meeting. The trustees began their meeting with dinner and a talk by inaugural Journalist in Residence and CC parent Hampton Sides.

The board approved several items during its Saturday business meeting, including:

• Tuition for the 2015-16 academic year at $48,576, with a mandatory student activities fee of $420. For students living on campus, the comprehensive fee will be $60,210, with a standard double room rate of $6,547 and the meal plan C rate of $4,668.
• The election of new charter trustees Jerome DeHerrera ’97; Ian Griffis ’85; Ryan Haygood ’97; Jeff Keller ’91; John Troubh ’79; and Amy Louis ’84 (term to commence in 2016-17).
• The election of new student trustee James Lonergan ’16.
• Tenure and promotion to associate professor for Marie Davis-Green, Theatre and Dance; Emilie Gray, Organismal Biology and Ecology; Andreea Marinescu, Spanish; Jared Richman, English; and Sanjaya Thakur, Classics.
• Emeritus status for Richard Storey, retired dean of the college and professor of biology.
• Changes to Part Two of the Faculty Handbook pertaining to tenure procedure (VII. B), recruitment procedures (IV. A), denial of tenure (XIII. D. 2) and dismissal of tenured faculty (XIII. D.3). (All changes were approved at the Block 3 and 4 faculty meetings.)
• Adoption of the Campus Master Plan.

In addition to reports from Dean Wong and President Tiefenthaler, the board heard reports from Gail Murphy-Geiss, outgoing chair of the Faculty Executive Committee, and CCSGA President Alejandro Salazar. The board thanked both of them for their work and dedication.

On Friday, the board’s three Strategic Project Teams and Standing Committees met.

Strategic Project Team Agendas:

• Campaign Planning – Trustees discussed the campaign timeline and also received an update on the feasibility study.
• Library Planning – Trustees heard from the schematic design architect, Pfeiffer Partners, on next steps for the library renovation.
• Campus Master Plan/Communications Master Plan – Trustees heard the final presentation on the Campus Master Plan by consultants Atkin Olshin Schade Architects and OLIN Landscape Architects. They also received an update on the Communications Master Plan.

Standing Committee Agendas:

• Buildings, Grounds, & Infrastructure – Trustees discussed next steps toward campus carbon reduction. In addition, they received reports on hail damage repairs and IT network improvements.
• Investment – Trustees reviewed the asset allocation model and portfolio liquidity. Monticello Associates gave an update on the quarterly market review. Governance – The committee met with students in a question-and-answer session. They also discussed and recommended approval of the new charter trustees and student trustee.
• Budget & Finance – Trustees discussed and recommended approval of the 2015-16 comprehensive fee and budget. In addition, the committee discussed financing options to bridge campaign giving and initiate strategic projects.

The trustees are impressed with our progress. Their next meeting is a retreat in June, but many board members look forward to joining us for Commencement festivities.

November 2014 Trustee Update

The Board of Trustees was on campus for their regular November meeting.  The trustees began their meeting with dinner and a panel discussion on climate change with Matt Banks '97, of the World Wildlife Fund, and Katherine Neebe '97, of the Walmart Sustainability Group, moderated by Professor of Economics Mark Smith.

The board approved several items during its Saturday business meeting, including:

• Emeritus status for Heinz Geppert – Lecturer of German
• The college's statement of commitment to diversity and inclusion, which was recommended and developed by faculty, staff and student strategic action teams, and previously shared with the faculty and the Cabinet. Diversity Statement
• A document, outlining the responsibilities and expectations of CC trustees.   Trustee Responsibilities and Expectations
• A new committee — the Diversity and Equity Advisory Board (DEAB) — to the faculty handbook.  This change was recommended by the FEC and approved by the faculty during the Block 2 faculty meeting. DEAB Faculty Handbook
• Life trustee status for Dan Cooper.

In addition, on Friday, the board's three Strategic Project Teams (SPT's) and Standing Committees met.   

Strategic Project Teams (SPT's) SPT Agendas

• Campaign Planning – Trustees discussed campaign messaging and a feasibility study.  In addition, the SPT approved Gift Policies and Campaign Counting Guidelines.
• Library Planning – Trustees discussed the schematic design architect finalists (Sasaki, Pfeiffer Partners, Will Bruder Architects and Michael Graves and Associates).  In the coming weeks, a final decision will be made and announced.
• Campus Master Plan/Communications Master Plan – Trustees received updates from the Campus Master Plan consultants Atkin, Olshin Schade and the Communications Master Plan team Victors and Spoils.

Standing Committees Standing Committee Agendas

• Buildings, Grounds, & Infrastructure – Trustees reviewed the Extended Facility Condition Index and received an overview of the IT Infrastructure.
• Investment – Trustees reviewed the asset allocation model and portfolio liquidity.  Monticello Associates gave an update on the quarterly market review.
• Governance – The committee recommended a new document outlining  trustee responsibilities and expectations and discussed a transparency proposal submitted by the Progressive Student Alliance. 
• Budget & Finance – Trustees reviewed the debt portfolio and also received an update from the Audit Committee, which is a subcommittee of Budget & Finance.  There were no significant findings in the annual audit. 

On Saturday during the board plenary session, Professor of Psychology Tricia Waters, Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students Mike Edmonds, and Director of the Wellness Resource Center Heather Horton gave a presentation to the board on student life.

The next trustee meeting will be in February 2015. 

May 2014 Trustee Update

During their visit, the trustees approved several items. 

• The election of new trustees:
• Student Trustee – Elliot Mamet ’15
• Young Alumni Trustee – Kalen Acquisto ’13
• Alumni Trustee – Tony Rosendo ’02
• Charter Trustee – Marc St John ’80
• The renewal of current charter trustees:
• Neal Baer ’78
• John Chalik ’67
• Eben Moulton ’68
• Adam Press ’84
• Jane Rawlings ’70
• Bob Selig ’61
• Mike Slade ’79
• Emeritus status for six retiring faculty:
• Walter Hecox, Professor of Environmental Science 
• Richard Koc, Professor of German 
• Paul Maruyama, Lecturer in Japanese 
• Stephen Scott, Professor of Music 
• David Weddle, Professor of Religion 
• Armin Wishard, Professor of German
• The promotion to full professor for three faculty members: 
• Neena Grover, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
• Sarah Hautzinger, Associate Professor of Anthropology
• Corinne Scheiner, Associate Professor of Comparative Literature
• Updates to the Faculty Handbook:
• Part 4: V. B.10. Committee on Instruction and Part 4: V. B. 19. General Education Oversight Committee. Merging of these two committees into the Committee on Instruction. Approved during the Block 5 faculty meeting. 
• Part 2: XIII. D. Dismissal and Procedures for Appeal. Approved during the Block 6 faculty meeting.

In addition to the meetings of their standing committees and special project teams, the trustees received an update on pilot projects funded by the Center for Immersive Learning and Engaged Teaching. The trustees also heard a beautiful performance by the Bowed Piano Ensemble. 

The trustees continue to be impressed with our progress and look forward to further engagement with the campus community at their fall meeting.

February 2014 Trustee Update

During the annual February Board of Trustees meeting there was much enthusiasm about the progress being made at Colorado College. The board approved several items including:

• The 2014-15 budget, setting tuition and fees at $46,410. For students living on the campus, the comprehensive fee will be $57,162, with a standard double room rate of $6,176 and the meal plan C rate of $4,576.
• Tenure and promotion for four faculty members. 
• Pedro de Araujo, Assistant Professor of Economics and Business
• Peggy Daugherty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
• Stefan Erickson, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
• Peter Wright, Assistant Professor of Religion
• Tenure for one faculty member: Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance Shawn Womack.
• Emeritus status for retired Professor of Political Science Curtis Cook.
• The installation of solar panels on top of Cornerstone and El Pomar Sports Center. 

In addition to the work done on the four standing committees of Audit; Governance; Investment; and Budget, Buildings and Grounds, the trustees worked with campus leaders on strategic projects. This year's strategic project teams are Campaign Planning; Library Renovation; Campus Master Plan/Communication Plan; and Environmental Stewardship and Innovation. 

The board also heard presentations on campus safety, our newly-revised Half Block, and faculty-student research collaboration and enjoyed dinner with members of the Faculty Executive Committee.

November 2013 Trustee Update

The trustees had a very productive fall meeting. The board approved the following:

• Emeritus status for several retired faculty members. Congratulations!
• Donna Arnink– Professor Emerita, Drama and Dance
• Margaret Duncombe – Professor Emerita, Sociology
• Ronald Hathaway – Professor Emeritus, Biology
• Bruce Kola – Lecturer Emeritus, Sport Science
• Libby Rittenberg – Professor Emerita, Economics and Business
• Adrienne Seward – Professor Emerita, English
• Yun Yu Wang – Professor Emerita, Theatre and Dance
• William Weida – Professor Emeritus, Economics and Business
• A naming policy that will help guide the college in the naming of campus spaces and programs.
• The external audit was approved. Because of the good work of many staff and faculty, there were no major findings.

In addition, the trustees worked on their Strategic Project Teams (SPTs). This year's SPTs are: (1) campaign planning, (2) library planning, (3) campus master plan/master communications plan, and (4) environmental stewardship and innovation. These teams are closely tied to the implementation of the strategic plan and the work of our campus-based action and knowledge-development teams.

Finally, the trustees recognized the contributions of four individuals who are transitioning from voting charter trustees to life trustees. These individuals — Bill Hybl, Mike Lampton, Doug Norberg, and Sue Woolsey — have generously shared their time, talents, and treasure with CC.

May 2013 Trustee Update

There were two main presentations during this meeting. Members from the Student Divestment Committee (SDC) gave the Investment Committee a presentation on the reasons the college should divest from fossil fuels. The president also presented the emerging themes and draft of the college's strategic plan. There was much excitement about this draft.

During the board's business meeting, trustees approved several key items:

1. New Trustees - Two charter trustees, Andy Stenovec and Thayer Tutt; President-Elect of the Alumni Association Board Christine Schluter; and 2013-14 Student Trustee Joel Begay. Three trustees received life trustee status: Bill Hybl, Doug Norberg, and Sue Woolsey.
2. Two college-wide policies (required for compliance) – (1)The Policy on Gift Administration and (2) The Code of Ethical Conduct/Conflict of Interest.
3. Emeritus Status to Professor Paul Kuerbis. Congratulations Paul!
4. New Board Officers – Eben Moulton (chair), Phil Swan (vice-chair), Susie Burghart (secretary)

Additionally, the board joined the campus community for the public opening of the newly renovated El Pomar Sports Center and Adam F. Press Fitness Center. The trustees will meet again in July for their retreat, when they will approve the college's strategic plan.

February 2013 Trustee Update

The February 2013 Board of Trustees meeting began on Thursday, February 21. There were several presentations given by the president and the president's cabinet. Among many things, the president gave the board updates on our Year of Planning and the dean of students/vp for student life updated the trustees on new activities in the Career Center and the upcoming Slocum renovations.

At the business meeting, which was held on Saturday, February 23, the board also approved several key items, which include:

1. The 2013-2014 budget that includes next year's tuition and fees
2. The president’s tenure recommendations for Megan Anderson, Geology; Steven Hayward, English; Miro Kummel, Environmental Science; and Jane Murphy, History
3. Honorary degrees
4. Emerita Status to Laurel Watkins

Currently, the board is finalizing bylaw changes, and will be heavily engaged in the selection of their next chairperson. The next board meeting is May 2-4.

September 2012 Trustee Update

The Colorado College Board of Trustees arrived on campus on Thursday, September 20, and began their meeting with committee business. On Friday, trustees received an update on the strategic planning process and heard a presentation from students and faculty who completed benchmarking research over the summer. The business portion of their meeting concluded Saturday morning, September 22, with the full Board voting to approve professor emeritus status for Bob Loevy. New trustee Lynne Cheney ’63 was sworn in at this time as well.

Much of the trustees’ time on campus was devoted to participating in inaugural events including: the campus-wide community service project; a dinner with the president and special guests; the installation ceremony; and the reception, dinner, and ball following the inauguration.

July 2012 Trustee Update

The Colorado College Board of Trustees met in mid-July for a retreat, during which most of their time was spent completing visioning exercises in preparation for the upcoming year of strategic planning. In addition, they conducted a business session where the following items were approved:

1. Swearing in of new trustees:
   • Samantha Barlow ’13 (student trustee)
   • Angela Cobian ’11 (young alumni trustee)
   • Heather Carroll ’89 (alumni trustee)
2. Election of new standing committee chairs and vice-chairs
   • Governance – Phil Swan (chair)
   • Audit - Sue Allon (chair), Bill Campbell (vice-chair)
   • Investment - Eben Moulton (chair), Adam Press (vice-chair)
   • Budget and Finance - Amy Louis (chair)
3. Resolution charging the president to complete a strategic plan for the college during the coming year.
4. Review of athletics programs (See Trustee Statement on Athletics Programs)

May 2012 Trustee Update

The Colorado College Board of Trustees kicked off their recent on-campus meeting Thursday evening, May 17, with a celebratory dinner to thank key divisional staff for their efforts in making the 2011-12 year a success. They participated in the dedication of the Richard F. Celeste Theatre on Friday, May 18. Former President Dick Celeste returned for the ceremony and lunch that followed.

Trustees interacted with faculty while on campus, learning more about the arts within the liberal arts from Professors Scott Johnson, Susan Grace, and David Mason. They also dined with CC endowed professors and listened to Professor Anne Hyde as she spoke about her Bancroft Prize-winning book, “Empires, Nations and Families: A History of the North American West, 1800-1860.”

Board members spent much of their time on campus discussing committee business, voting to approve emeritus status for Professor Peggy Berg; Samantha Barlow as the first student trustee; re-election to new four-year terms for trustees Van Skilling, Cole Wilbur, Brian Williamson, and Jack Wold; and re-election for the 2012-13 year for Board officers Sue Woolsey, chair; Bob Manning, co-vice-chair; Nancy Woodrow, co-vice-chair; and Mike Lampton, secretary. Their meeting concluded on Saturday, May 19.