Mission Driven: Ruth Constantine Reflects on 23 Years at Smith

Ruth Constantine, who is retiring this month after more than two decades as vice president for finance and administration, has seen some important changes during her years at Smith.

Yet the core mission of the college has remained the same, Constantine says, noting that “we’re still dedicated to educating women to become leaders in whatever areas they choose.”

Colleagues say Constantine’s loyalty to that mission has been an inspiration. Her work at Smith has involved overseeing not only financial operations and planning, but also vital areas of campus life, including human resources, facilities management, dining, sustainability and campus police.

In addition, Constantine has helped raise the college’s profile locally and nationally as a board member of Northampton-area nonprofits and as a leader of the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

Constantine came to Smith after 10 years as an administrator at Cornell University, where she earned a master’s in business administration. Originally a “West Coaster” from Washington State, she also served in the chancellor’s office at the University of Vermont.

“A friend told me I’ve really lived in the same town all my life,” Constantine says, with a smile. “Seattle, Eugene, Montpelier, Ithaca and Northampton.”

In a recent interview in her office in College Hall, which is decorated with original artwork by Professor of Art Dwight Pogue, Constantine’s talents as a campus leader came through in her attentiveness to questions, her sense of humor and her deep knowledge of Smith’s history and culture.

Here’s what she had to say about her years of service to the college:

What have you enjoyed most about your 23 years at Smith?
Constantine: “What I love most about my job is working with great teams of administrators. The working relationships at Smith are the best part of being here. That’s what continues to give you energy and enthusiasm, even during tough times. Smith is a deeply mission-driven college and that is because we’re a women’s college. People at Smith have an extraordinary commitment to our mission, no matter what their specific role is. They care about the students and want to move them ahead. I love that about the college.”

What drew you to the job at Smith?
Constantine: “Many of my interests outside of work had to do with women’s issues, such as working with Planned Parenthood and an organization for abused women and children. Smith offered me the opportunity to combine my professional career in higher education with my outside work on behalf of women’s issues.”

What’s the most significant change you’ve seen during your time at the college?
Constantine: “When I first came to Smith in 1991, the college had just been through a financially stressful time. Smith had never had to downsize before, and I arrived a few months after several tough decisions to reduce the college’s spending to fit its income. Our president has said it’s accordion-like: sometimes the college expands, and sometimes it needs to contract with the economy. At Smith, we don’t let tough times shatter us. At this moment in time, we’re on very solid footing. Applications are the highest in history, our endowment is strong and we are focused on our priorities.”

What strategies helped the college survive the economic downturns of the past two decades?
Constantine: “Much of the financial strength we now have is due to careful decision-making, strong support from alumnae and strong market performance of our investments. Senior administrators have provided leadership and comprehensive planning. We know there are wealthier colleges than Smith. We have more students on financial aid and a higher proportion of students who are eligible for federal (Pell) grants. You could interpret that as a financial challenge, but we see it as a wonderful commitment that Smith is making. It means we have to be even more purposeful about setting priorities and choosing the right next steps for the college.”

What’s the most difficult decision you’ve been part of at Smith?
Constantine: “The toughest decisions are when the economy is down and we have to make significant budget cuts. Our endowment supports one third of our budget. During difficult financial times, investment values fall while students’ financial needs rise, so it’s a double whammy. Because 60 percent of our spending is on people, we are challenged with how and where to make cuts. The way we’ve approached that in the past is to try and be as transparent as possible, as open as possible. We’ve really tried to communicate fully so that people understand the issues and know what the decisions are.”

What are some of the best decisions you’ve helped the college make?
Constantine: “Creating a Campus Center and a new building, Ford Hall, to accommodate our engineering needs. The Campus Center was important because of the dramatic change it made in students’ lives. We purposely made it a campus center, not a student center, to serve all our constituents, and our former dean made sure it was situated in the exact center of the campus. Ford Hall was needed to meet the space needs of our new engineering program and the technical needs of molecular sciences. It was a big accomplishment and a major investment. It’s wonderful to have had the experience of opening such a building on campus. It leaves me with a sense of what the Smith community will experience when Neilson Library is redone in the next few years.“

How have town-gown relations changed during your time at Smith?
Constantine: “Because we are the second-largest employer in Northampton, a city where the largest employers are nonprofits, we recognize that the college’s relationship with the community is important and one we have to be sure we are actively developing. Smith has so many employees who populate the boards of nonprofits in the city or fill other volunteer roles. Our staff and faculty give back to the community, and Smith has been supportive of that. The college has also supported my own volunteer activities including serving on the boards of Cooley Dickinson Hospital, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. I’m now helping to start regional chamber, a bit like the Five Colleges system. Smith has also been supportive of my work on the boards of the Eastern and National Associations of College and University Business Officers. That has allowed me to give back to my profession and help strengthen the caliber of administrative leadership in higher education.”

Do you have any advice for your successor, Michael Howard, who begins work as vice president of finance and administration in January?
Constantine: “I’m already working with Mike so I don’t have to leave him notes of advice. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing that he is a great fit for Smith. He’s a good listener, a good planner. The Smith culture is very caring, and Mike understands that. He will be able to hit the ground running.”

Do you have any special plans for retirement?
Constantine: “I’m an avid kayaker, and I also travel a lot. I have one daughter on the West Coast and another daughter and grandchildren in Israel. Retiring will give me the flexibility to spend more time with them and with other family and friends scattered around the country.”

What will you miss most about working at the college?
Constantine: “Interacting with my colleagues and other Smith staff on a day-to-day basis. I live 10 minutes from campus, so I will continue to see many people. My role has involved both big-picture planning and also engaging in the details of business operations—and I’ve loved the dedication of Smith staff that I’ve seen on a daily basis. At Smith, we are never satisfied with where we are or with resting on our past accomplishments. We set a high bar.”