Washington College Magazine
Toward Eminence: The Strategic Plan for Washington College 2007-2013
Marcia C. Landskroener M'02
In late February, the Board of Visitors and Governors approved a plan for the future course of Washington College that answers President Baird Tipson's challenge to move the College to a position of national eminence in the years ahead.
"I want greater national visibility for this College," Tipson asserted at his inauguration. "I want to increase our endowment, especially the funds available for scholarships and faculty chairs. I want to preside over another successful capital campaign that adds more facilities to this campus. I want to find even better ways to take advantage of our being a residential community in the unique setting that is Chestertown."
Ayers Saint Gross architects are developing a master plan that suggests ways to address housing shortages and the need for more student space, as well as extend and beautify the campus. In addition to a cluster of housing units west of Harford Hall, additions (in red) are proposed for the dining hall, the gym, the field house and Goldstein Hall, among others.
Click to enlarge illustration.
The strategic planning committee, which developed the plan during an 18-month process, included faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees. The committee's work was directed by Joachim Scholz, who recently stepped down as Provost of the College and has returned to full-time teaching in the foreign languages department. "This is a call and a commitment for Washington College to become competitive in all that we do and superior in all that matters most," Scholz explained. The estimated cost of realizing the strategic plan is ambitious—in excess of $132,000,000. In the following pages, the Magazine offers an overview of how the College will change, expand and evolve in the coming seven years.
Each of the following goals, once achieved, will enhance the academic program of the College and enhance its competitiveness among national peers.
"My vision for Washington College for the next seven years is fairly simple," notes Tipson, whose inaugural address provided the themes that guided the strategic planning process. "We need to be almost universally recognized as belonging among the premier liberal arts colleges in this region. Our academic programs, the quality of our campus life and the appearance of our campus, should be comparable to our finest competitors. A graduate of Washington College should be proud to match her experience against that of any of our peers. At the same time, we need to differentiate ourselves. We need to offer some things that others do not, and offer some so much better that prospective students would immediately make Washington College their first choice. The ability to offer an outstanding liberal arts experience with some programs that clearly stand out nationally—that is my vision for Washington College."
To read the Strategic Plan online, visit http://about.washcoll.edu/towardeminence.php.
Capping enrollment
Washington College grew from 875 students in 1995 to approximately 1,300 today. The planning committee recommended keeping student enrollment at approximately the same level for the next seven years. The reasoning: 1) the College needs to catch up with the enrollment growth by addressing unmet facilities needs, especially in student life areas, and 2) the College must preserve the intense personal contact between student and professor which is the hallmark of the Washington College experience. The emphasis in the next seven years is on getting even better, not bigger.
Expanding opportunities for active inquiry and experiential learning
Over the past two decades, the College developed an increased capacity to support collaborative and independent research, study abroad, internships and participation in student and professional conferences. Very few schools of our size, for instance, offer fellowships as generous—and flexible—as those of the Douglass Cater Society. The planning committee's call is to make experiential learning—learning by doing, learning by a process of active inquiry rather than passive absorption of knowledge—even more deeply embedded in the curriculum.
A fresh focus on the firstyear experience
Just as first impressions are lasting impressions, the first-year experience can make or break students' academic and social success. The committee's intent is to help new students get on the right track with programming that conveys our institutional values and our expectations of them as developing intellectuals and as campus citizens.
Cultivating clarity, eloquence and persuasion
One clear note of our distinction is the Sophie Kerr Prize and a national reputation as a place that values good writing. The planning committee encourages the College to raise its expectations of all students—not just those in the English Department or the creative writing program—to develop the arts of writing and speaking well.
Funding additional faculty resources
Our faculty is our greatest asset. The planning committee wants to maintain our recent record of hiring—and retaining—outstanding young faculty members by paying competitive salaries, offering manageable course loads, and affording them the resources, tools and time they need to pursue teaching, scholarship and service.
Reflecting society's diversity
The Middle States Association reaccredidation report of 2004 pointed to a lack of campus diversity as one of the College's few glaring weaknesses. The planning committee insists upon immediate corrective measures. The new Vincent Hynson Scholarship—established with a personal commitment from President Baird Tipson—is the first of several community outreach initiatives called for by the plan.
Encouraging wellness as a way of life
For some students, the freedom of living away from home and the stresses of academic and social expectations lead to poor lifestyle choices. The planning committee wants the College to be more proactive in helping students make healthy, positive choices through programming that addresses stress management, alcohol use, smoking cessation, eating disorders and personal safety.
Furthering our financial resources
The ability to offer an outstanding liberal arts experience—with strong academic departments and distinctive programs that clearly stand out among the competition—requires a significant investment. The College is gearing up for a comprehensive capital campaign that would add $50 million in new gifts to the endowment, increase the annual Washington Fund by 6% per year, and raise at least $32.5 million for capital projects.
Engaging alumni for a lifetime
Our alumni love Washington College but it been said by some that the College hasn't always loved them back. Historically, the College has not paid as much attention to its enduring relationship with its graduates as have other colleges. College planners are now considering how best to engage alumni in meaningful programs and projects. The President's Task Force on Alumni Relations convening this summer is expected to make a substantial contribution in generating renewed enthusiasm for alma mater.
Planning for an evolving campus
The College's updated master plan combines tradition and innovation to envision a future campus that reflect our historical roots, intimate scale and unique setting in the Chesapeake watershed. We will be successful if the proposed enhancements appear to spring from the roots of our historic campus, yet through innovation are inspirationally designed, beautifully functional and environmentally sustainable.
Improving town/gown relations
As a college town, Chestertown has a lot of appeal: its rich colonial history, its beautiful setting and a strong community of interesting people and socially aware citizens. Planners want the College to be good neighbors, to get more students involved in community service, and to foster programming for local youth.
Creating a 21st century information commons
The library of the 21st century may have more electronic devices than books. College planners want to explore the possibility of combining existing library services with electronic information technology, student social spaces and eating facilities. Like the Miller Library's new multimedia production center, an information commons created within and around Miller Library will facilitate technology-enabled learning.
Putting the performing arts center stage
Over the last decade the College has made major investments in its academic facilities in all areas except the performing arts. Planners want to build a modern, functional showcase that illuminates the creative imagination of our students and that recaptures William Smith's vision of Washington College as the cultural center of the Eastern Shore. Planning for a renovated and expanded fine arts center are well underway.
Landscaping for a lovelier campus
First impressions count. While the College has added academic facilities and student residences, we've paid little attention to the look and feel of the campus. The planning committee wants the College to develop a comprehensive landscape plan that evokes our history and our ties to the Chesapeake region, and enhances the aesthetic appeal. Among the ideas being considered: a Presidents' Green that honors the many U.S. Presidents who have come to campus, a typical Eastern Shore wetlands area and other campus water features.
Expanding on the waterfront
Not every college can offer underwater archaeology, field trips on the schooner Sultana, estuarine studies and intercollegiate sailing. The planning committee encourages the College to take better advantage of its river setting by acquiring additional property and renovating existing riverfront facilities. Plans call for a new boathouse, pavilion improvements, waterfront academic facilities and a possible waterfront conference center.
Improving student residential life
In many areas, the College's basic infrastructure hasn't caught up with enrollment growth. Prospective students want a college that meets their academic needs, but they also consider the quality of the day-to-day experience: where they will live, where (and with whom) they will hang out, the quality and variety of food offered. Planners want to meet the expectations of today's students who grew up congregating in public spaces and sampling sushi and Thai food at the local food court. We look to build new residence space to house 200-250 students and to increase the percentage of students living on campus from the current 80% to 90%.
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