PRESIDENT VICKERS INITIATES COMMUNITY UPDATE SERIES

What are Bryn Mawr's priorities for the next few years? Is the Challenging Women campaign on track to meet its goal? What gains are we making against competing institutions in recruiting top students?

These and other questions on the minds of Bryn Mawr College faculty members, staff and students will be the subject of campus dialogue beginning this fall as President Nancy J. Vickers initiates a Community Update series. Her goal is to improve communication about issues of greatest concern to the people who work or study here.

"Raising funds is an essential part of a college president's job," Vickers said. "Unfortunately, it requires a lot of time away from campus. Distance can hinder discussion between those whose work is to chart and fund the future and those carrying out the critical work of transmitting, creating and receiving knowledge. A concentrated effort is required to ensure exchange in these circumstances. Consequently I am reducing my time on the road to devote more time to the campus community."

The Community Updates, which run from September through March, will consist of an issue brief e-mailed by the President to the campus community, usually in the first week of the month. Vickers will host midmonth "town meetings" for dialogue with faculty and staff, at times that generally work for those groups. Vickers will also arrange, with SGA President Amanda Glendinning '05, times convenient for discussion with students.

The schedule of faculty and staff Community Update meetings follows:

Looking Ahead: Directions for Bryn Mawr — Nancy Vickers
(Note — Date changed as of 9/15/2004)

Monday, Sept. 27, 4-5:30 p.m., faculty — Ely Room
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 10 - 11:30 a.m., staff — Thomas Great Hall

Update on the Plan and the Campaign — Nancy Vickers and Marc Diamond

Monday, Oct. 18, 10-11:30 a.m., staff — Thomas Great Hall
Thursday, Oct. 21, 4-5:30 p.m., faculty — Ely Room

Update on the College's Budget — Nancy Vickers and Jerry Berenson

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 10-11:30 a.m., staff — Thomas Great Hall
Thursday, Nov. 18, 4-5:30 p.m., faculty — Ely Room (TBD)

Update on Undergraduate Recruitment — Nancy Vickers and Jenny Rickard

Monday, Jan. 31, 4-5:30 p.m., faculty — Ely Room
Tuesday, Feb. 1, 10-11:30 a.m., staff — Thomas Great Hall

Facilities Update — Nancy Vickers and Glenn Smith

Monday, Feb. 21, 4-5:30 p.m., faculty — Ely Room
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 10-11:30 a.m., staff —Thomas Great Hall

Bryn Mawr in Context: Trends Among Liberal Arts Colleges — Nancy Vickers, Ralph Kuncl and Jenny Rickard

Thursday, March 24, 4-5:30 p.m., faculty — Ely Room
Friday, March 25, 10-11:30 a.m., staff — Thomas Great Hall

Additional Community Updates will be added if needed.

A Community Updates Web page, containing the issue briefs and other documents important to understanding the current state of the College, is located at http://www.brynmawr.edu/communityupdate. Linking from the Faculty, Staff and Current Students gateways and from the President's page, the Community Updates page will be updated as new issue briefs are published and as needed.

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