From the President

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends,

PHOTO BY JENNIFER COOMBES

While this time of year is usually marked by celebration as our seniors prepare for Commencement, the past few months have been filled with anxiety and disappointment as the Coronavirus has taken hold in our communities. Colleges have suspended face-to-face instruction and emptied campuses to slow the virus’ spread and organizations are taking necessary precautions to protect our most vulnerable populations. At this time, we are continuing to deliver the academic program via distance learning and serving the students who must remain on campus. Our hearts go out to those who have been directly affected by the virus. I am grateful for the opportunity to thank you, our alumni, parents, and friends, for all you have done to strengthen our community during this difficult time, and for your continued support.

On a completely different note, I announced in January that I will be departing CC in August to take a new position as chief executive officer of the National Geographic Society. It has been a joy to be a part of our students’ journeys, to witness their accomplishments during their time at CC, and celebrate the leaders they are becoming. Our students’ curiosity and passion inspire me! A highlight for me has been experiencing the Block Plan firsthand by co-teaching the Economics of Higher Education each year with my husband Kevin Rask. My classroom experience affirmed my love of teaching and commitment to the liberal arts, and educated me on the Block Plan’s incredible pedagogical advantages.

I believe in Colorado College’s commitment to holistic, residential education and am grateful for the engagement from faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends of the college. From the Dynamic Half Block to the Wellness Resource Center to the Butler Center to the Student Activities and Advising Hub, I am proud of new campus initiatives that strengthen our living learning community. You have helped make our dreams a reality, whether visiting to teach a Half-Block course, joining us for Homecoming, welcoming our students on Tiger Trek visits, or donating to the college.

Throughout my nine years as president of CC, we have celebrated many impressive milestones. We have seen improvements to our campus thanks to the generosity of donors, from the addition of the Adam F. Press Fitness Center and renovation of El Pomar Sports Center, to the renovation and expansion of Tutt Library, to the alliance with the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. In February we broke ground on the new Ed Robson Arena, scheduled to open in Fall 2021, which will enable us to host home hockey games on campus for the first time in the program’s more than 80-year history. Both the FAC alliance and Ed Robson Arena and its City for Champions funding help us to connect with the wider Colorado Springs community in new and exciting ways.

Just as importantly, we have come together to address important challenges. Students have called for change, asking us to create a more inclusive and equitable community that enables all students to thrive. Our antiracism initiative builds on the many contributions of marginalized CC students, faculty, and staff since CC’s founding, and this work continues. Our efforts for equity are supported by CC’s new access initiatives, including the Colorado Pledge and Stroud Scholars. Prior to my tenure, students pushed for a response to the climate crisis, setting the ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by 2020. Thanks to the efforts put in place by my predecessor President Dick Celeste and to the dedicated efforts of many students, staff, and faculty, CC reached our goal of carbon neutrality in January 2020, becoming the eighth institution in North America, and the first in the Rocky Mountain region, to achieve this goal.

None of these initiatives would have been possible without the success of the $435 million Building on Originality campaign. With more than $405 million raised to date, we are closing in on the end of our campaign. As we wrap up in 2021, fundraising for scholarships remains a top priority as we focus on reaching our 50% alumni participation goal. Building our endowment is critical for the long-term sustainability of Colorado College, and will ensure stability as we weather future challenges. Thank you to all who have contributed — through your volunteerism, monetary donations, and leadership — to our campaign goals and our many community-building efforts.

While the pandemic, continued disruption in higher education, and changes in leadership result in feelings of uncertainty, I have no doubt that Colorado College will continue to thrive in the years to come. I am grateful to Provost Alan Townsend, who will serve as interim president during the search for CC’s next president. Dean of the Faculty Claire Oberon Garcia, who has been on the faculty since 1990, has further strengthened our incredible leadership team this year and will serve as interim provost during the search. The Board of Trustees has been supportive as we have made difficult decisions in the wake of the Coronavirus, and their continued leadership, along with the efforts of our dedicated and talented faculty and staff, will keep CC strong in the years to come.

It has been an honor to serve as your president for the past nine years, and I look forward to my continued engagement in this wonderful community as a CC parent.

Best regards,

To the Editor:

Just a quick note to say how pleased I am to see Eric Sondermann’s Letter to the Editor in the most recent Bulletin.

It is a thoughtful, sophisticated, and broadminded commentary on a pervasive issue in contemporary education and I, personally, think it should be required reading for all students, staff, and CC administration. Bravo for making space for this invaluable perspective. I hope CC never becomes an institution that censors speech or opinions when that very censorship is deemed “fashionable” or “woke” by self-identified identity fanatics. True empowerment to the individual, or institution, comes through learning, listening, and personal responsibility, not pessimistic finger-pointing by the politically rabid. Good job, CC.

Christophe Olson ’87

Dear Bulletin, I enjoyed reading Eric Sondermann’s letter in the winter 2019 Bulletin (pg. 3).

I couldn’t agree more, I believe an emphasis on color and identity doesn’t take us very far. What takes us pretty far is a quote I really love from my avatar Bob Dylan. In his most recent Netflix movie, “Rolling Thunder,” Bob says, “Life isn’t about finding yourself; or finding anything. Life is about creating yourself.”

With the premise of “creating yourself” firmly in hand, I expect some really good classes on “individual agency” to be offered soon — I look forward to hearing about them. Might even want to attend.

Rory Donaldson ’66

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We welcome your letters to the editor. Please send them to:

Bulletin/Communications Colorado College 14 E. Cache La Poudre St. Colorado Springs, CO 80903-3294 Email: bulletin@coloradocollege.edu

TIGERS CROSSING PATHS CC CONNECTIONS By Leslie Weddell

I had a chance meetup with CC alum Michelle Gabrieloff-Parish ’00 at the New York State Sustainability Conference in Rochester, New York, in November. She gave the keynote address on Friday, while I presented about my funded project in a concurrent session on Thursday. We got together for this selfie. — Mark Bremer ’01

Rochester, NY

Philadelphia, PA

From left, Chelsea Schmidt ’10, Daniel Boron-Brenner ’07 (with Einstein, the Einstein Medical Center’s mascot), and Wes Paulson ’11 are currently training, or have just completed training, in emergency medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Chelsea is in the first-year resident class, Dan is a second-year emergency medicine resident, and Wes recently completed the physician assistant residency program in January.

Daniel Boron-Brenner ’07 writes, “It was a pleasant surprise for us to discover how small the world is, and how much of an impact CC has made on us as people as well as healthcare providers,” says Dan. Additionally, a fourth CC grad is at Albert Einstein Medical Center: Lily McKoy ’13 is a medical student currently rotating through the hospital. “We thought this was an interesting coincidence,” says Dan.

Have you unexpectedly encountered a fellow Tiger somewhere in the world? Let us know!

Please send digital photos (JPGs at 300 dpi and minimum of 3.5 x 5 inches) or good quality prints at a similar size. Include complete information about the location, date, and circumstance, and identify people in the photo left to right.

Bulletin/Communications Colorado College 14 E. Cache La Poudre St. Colorado Springs, CO 80903-3294 E-mail: bulletin@coloradocollege.edu

COLORADO COLLEGE RESPONDS TO PANDEMIC

Amid the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Colorado College’s response is not only based on prioritizing the health and safety of the college community, but also that of Colorado Springs and

the nation and world at large. The president’s cabinet and the college’s multi-disciplinary COVID-19 Emergency Response Team continues to meet regularly (via web and teleconference services) to assess the situation and plan for impacts to the campus community.

CC has taken the following actions:

• Block 7, 8, and summer classes delivered

via distance learning. Most students left for Spring Break and remained off campus. A small number of students — about 175 by Block 7 — who were unable to return home were approved to remain on campus; these students have been provided with housing, meals, and technology support.

• Adjusted block schedule: Spring Break was extended by one week, through Sunday, March 29. On Monday, March 30, CC began Block 7 with distance-learning classes only, in a revised schedule. Most classes were adapted; only a very few were canceled if an online alternative was not possible. Advisers helped students navigate the impact of these changes and the Vice Provost’s Office and advisers worked with seniors to make sure they have pathways to graduation as planned.

• Social distancing: Employees who could telecommute were asked to work from home beginning March 18, and hold meetings virtually. On March 26, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a stay-at-home order, requiring all employees to work from home except those who provide essential services.

• The campus was closed to visitors

beginning March 18, including family members and job candidates. Admission open houses have been canceled. Only faculty, essential staff, and students approved to remain living on campus have key-card access to a limited number of buildings.

• Commencement postponed: President Jill Tiefenthaler announced on March 31 that Commencement 2020 could not be held as planned in May. While she said she could not promise a later celebration, students and parents have been surveyed for their input on what would make a postponed celebration meaningful.

• Summer changes: CC-sponsored study abroad programs, summer athletics and theatre camps, Summer Music Festival concerts, the Pre-College Program, and other summer programs, events, and activities, are canceled. If local, state, and federal guidelines allow, August activities, including the Bridge Scholars program, early athletics training, New Student Orientation, and the beginning of the academic year, will resume as usual.

RESOURCES FOR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE:

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused anxiety and distress for many. The college mobilized and promoted numerous resources for support and assistance, including the Student Health Center, the Counseling Center, the Chaplain’s Office, Employee Assistance Plan, the Butler Center, Student Opportunities and Advising Hub, and Wellness Resource Center. A Coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency Response Fund was created; faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and friends continue to donate to the fund to help students and the college respond quickly to the challenges brought by the pandemic.

Because the COVID-19 response has changed rapidly based on circumstances, note that this information was current as of press time, but may have changed subsequently. For updated information on Colorado College’s Coronavirus response, visit: coloradocollege.edu/other/coronavirus.

If you have additional concerns about COVID-19 or the campus response, email covid19@coloradocollege.edu; please leave your phone number if you prefer a personal call back.