| |
President Carol T. Christ is holding small-group
conversations with students, faculty and staff about positioning Smith most successfully
for the future. Here's a summary of one of the discussions.
SGA President Ka’Neda Ellison welcomed the group and introduced President Christ,
inviting her to answer the question “Why do I love Smith?”
The president responded with an overview of the history of Smith, beginning with
the bequest of Sophia Smith to found the college. At the time, Smith was the only
institution in Massachusetts where a woman could earn a bachelor’s degree. The
president cited four critical features that made the college distinctive:
President Christ described what makes Smith distinctive today. One example is its
international focus. President Neilson was the first to foster an international vision
for Smith. He founded the JYA program in Paris, only the second such program at a
U.S. college. (The University of Delaware had the first, but Sweet Briar has taken
it over.) Today, Smith is ranked first in the country for students who go abroad for
a full year and 18th in study abroad overall. President Neilson was also instrumental
in the rescue of scholars from Europe who were being persecuted in their home countries,
which resulted in Smith having an international faculty from very early on.
Extending the international theme, President Christ told
a story about the late Betty Freidan, a member of a long line of notable editors of
the Sophian (along with Molly
Ivins). Freidan, class of 1942, was at Smith during a time when there was an
active discussion of whether or not the U.S. should enter the war, and many faculty
members discussed this issue in their classes. One of her platforms as editor of the
Sophian was that faculty should not talk about their political views in class. President
Christ noted this was an interesting position taken early on by someone who later
had a very distinguished political career in the women’s movement.
Another notable element of Smith’s history is the School for Social Work, which
was founded to meet the needs of returning veterans at the end of WW I. One
of its current aims is to reach out to veterans struggling with the impact of the
Iraq war.
President Christ reviewed the strengths of the curriculum and the faculty. These
include:
 |
|
|
 |
The arts, including
the Smith College Museum of Art, the art history faculty and facilities, the
theatre and music faculty, facilities and programs, and distinguished programs
like the Poetry Center and the new landscape studies program. |
|
|
|
|
|
The sciences and engineering,
including the outstanding NSF career awards granted to three of our young faculty,
and the successful experience of science students going on to graduate school. |
|
|
|
|
|
The social sciences, encompassing
international studies. Smith teaches 13 languages, more than any other liberal
arts college, and is first among liberal arts colleges in the production of
Fulbright scholars. Our American Studies program is a rich curricular strength.
Throughout, there is a rich sense of the past, and across the curriculum a rich
historical tradition. She also cited as a strength the policy orientation of
our social science departments. |
|
|
|
|
In her recent conversations with alumnae, the president has asked them to reflect
on the distinctive aspects of Smith and how their Smith education shaped them. Common
responses include:
A question was raised about the endowment and its significance.
President Christ pointed out that every student receives a scholarship from the endowment,
because the actual cost of a Smith education is more than $50,000 per student. Every
student is getting a $15,000 subsidy, she noted, even before our generous financial
aid program. She told the group that Smith has the highest percentage of students
on financial aid among its peers.
Following a review of the strategic planning process, the president asked the students
to reflect on questions similar to those she has asked alumnae: What are the distinguishing
elements of Smith? What sets us apart? What are the capacities we should seek
to develop in all of our students while they are at Smith? What should you know – and
know how to do?
Alumnae responses to the capacities question have included writing, fluency in quantitative
reasoning, civil discourse, public speaking, global understanding, capacity for moral
reasoning and negotiation.
A question was raised about the tradeoffs between a highly
aided student population and the need for the college to be on strong financial footing.
President Christ pointed out that, nationwide, families who can pay the full cost
of a college education at a place like Smith come from the top 10-15 percent of family
incomes. An urgent issue in higher education is the growing gap between the cost of
education and families’ ability
to pay. She provided examples of alumnae who had received aid and have given back
to the college in significant ways, including an alumna who calculated the investment
value on the aid she and her sister had received to attend Smith many years ago and
gave that amount to the college.
When asked why some alumnae don’t give to the college, the president observed
that some believe the college doesn’t need the money. Others cite a lack of
familiarity with Smith students today. Including more current students in presentations
to alumnae will help address the second situation, the president said. |
|
Essential
Information
Questions
to Consider
Organization &
Structure
Process & Timeline
Assumptions
About
the Planning Process
Planning Updates
NEASC
Reaccreditation
Join
the Planning
Process
|
