State of the College
NANCY A. ROSEMAN, PRESIDENT AND PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY
As I travel around the country and abroad, meeting with members of the Dickinson community, I am always impressed by the keen interest parents and alumni show in the college.
Since I haven’t had the opportunity to meet with all 30,000 of you (at least not yet), I want to provide an extensive, holistic view of what’s happening at Dickinson, as well as my vision for what’s ahead. I am fortunate to be working with an exceptional leadership team, which includes individuals who have been with Dickinson for decades as well as newcomers who have been here for just a few months. With their extensive experience and dedication, we are continuing the college’s positive momentum.
Rest assured that Dickinson’s standing as a premier liberal-arts institution remains firm. While some of our peers have seen applications decline dramatically, we continue to attract a robust applicant pool. Our talented faculty continue to reach across disciplines, finding innovative ways to help our students see connections and imagine solutions to complex problems. Our academic program is, without question, exemplary.
Working together, we can realize Dickinson's tremendous potential. Like the students we graduate, Dickinson is always ready to face the future.
Nancy A. Roseman
Yet we do face challenges. While we have made great strides increasing diversity on campus, we know that there is more that we can and must do. The newest member of our senior leadership team is Mike Reed, vice president for institutional initiatives. Mike will be focusing on creating a culture of inclusion on campus so that all students feel welcomed within our community and so that we continue to attract a vibrant and diverse faculty.
Another challenge is financial. Our highly personal residential liberal-arts approach, which relies on small classes, expert faculty, and social interaction within a caring community, is not inexpensive. We must maintain our high-quality education while ensuring Dickinson is accessible to qualified students from across the socioeconomic spectrum. As you will see in this report, however, our endowment is much smaller than many of our peers'. In addition, during the past decade, the percentage of alumni giving to the college has decreased significantly. I ask each of you to help us reverse that trend by making a gift to Dickinson. Gifts of all sizes provide crucial support.
In the pages ahead, I share my vision, and the senior leader responsible for each section provides a progress report. I think you will be pleased as you read about the great work we are doing.
Finding solutions to challenging issues is what Dickinsonians do. As an engaged community of learners, Dickinson remains dedicated to the liberal arts and focused on crossing boundaries, connecting disciplines and challenging the status quo. Working together, we can realize Dickinson’s tremendous potential. Like the students we graduate, Dickinson is always ready to face the future.