Goucher College President's Letter Fall 2011

President’s Letter Dear friends and colleagues, alumnae/i, and other members of Goucher’s extended family, If you are a student, ten years can seem like an awfully long time. If you are a parent or alumna/us, you likely feel that the past ten years have flown by. If you are the president of Goucher College, you would have to confess that the last decade has been amazing.

When I came to the college in 2001, I knew I was at a special place. Since its inception more than 125 years ago, Goucher has enjoyed a strong reputation for its academic rigor, an intense commitment to public service, and a deep-rooted sense of community. I understood that a great legacy had been entrusted to me, and I accepted the job with a profound appreciation of the college’s distinguished past and a plan for a future of growth and expansion.

What I didn’t know at the time was how much I would love Goucher and the wonderful students I have come to know and appreciate. Their enthusiasm and evolving perspectives infuse me with new energy each and every day.

A Look Back Over the past ten years, with wonderful colleagues on the faculty and staff and a supportive Board of Trustees, we have put in place some bold and groundbreaking initiatives. We built the Athenaeum, with its high-tech library, 500-seat public forum, classrooms, café, art gallery, radio station, center for community service, places to meet and converse, exercise space, and numerous other facilities. It is truly the cultural, intellectual, and social heart of our campus.

The President’s Letter Fall 2011 The President’s Letter is published on an occasional basis by Goucher College.

If you would like to contact Sanford J. Ungar, please write him at: Goucher College 1021 Dulaney Valley Road Baltimore, Maryland 21204 or president@goucher.edu

Believing that students should be true global citizens, in 2006 we implemented a curriculum that requires all undergraduate students to study abroad. We were proud to be the first liberal arts college in the country to institute such a requirement. It was not easy, but it has been extremely rewarding. I am thrilled to talk with our students when they return to Goucher from their study-abroad experiences refreshed, reinvigorated, and full of ideas and philosophies they cannot wait to share. By the time students graduate from Goucher, they are not just globally aware, but have started on the important road to becoming internationally engaged.

We aggressively pursued initiatives to increase our diversity and to put Goucher on the map for our environmental sustainability efforts. In addition, Goucher’s historical involvement in Baltimore City and our longstanding commitment to social justice and civic engagement have continued to grow.

While I am very proud of the progress we have made over the past decade, this is no time to rest on our laurels and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done.

globally engaged students

Liberal arts education in America faces new challenges and constant reevaluation, especially in light of the current economic climate. At Goucher we are preparing students to become future doctors, lawyers, scientists, musicians, environmentalists, educators, engineers, business leaders, social activists, and writers, among many other professions. But in this ever-changing world, preparing someone for a “job” is not enough. Never before has an education that teaches young people to think critically and adapt to challenges been more important. A Goucher graduate leaves our campus with the analytical proficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, and life skills to navigate effectively an unpredictable future.

Charting the Course Ahead For more than a year, a team of board members, faculty, staff, students, and alumnae/i have been hard at work crafting a strategic plan for the next five years that will chart the college’s future.

This roadmap will allow us to continue to transcend the boundaries of international knowledge, intercultural perspectives, environmental responsibility,

and civic involvement—all while building a community that is committed to a lifelong connection to the college.

I am confident that our plan will guide us capably into our next phase of growth and evolution.

Within the plan there are ten overarching objectives:

• Enriching and Strengthening the Academic Program • Building International Knowledge and Citizenship • Fostering Student Success • Cultivating an Intercultural Perspective • Enhancing Environmental Sustainability • Encouraging Civic Engagement • Building a Community Committed to “Goucher for Life” • Leveraging Technology • Increasing Enrollment and Improving Retention • Addressing the Financial Challenges of a Liberal Arts Education

To read the entire strategic plan, visit www.goucher.edu/strategicplan.

We have also established a “Crossroads Task Force” to explore new revenue sources that will enhance the implementation of these goals, along with other ambitious plans in the years ahead.

Part of our plan is to raise the necessary funds to renovate the Julia Rogers building into an academic center that will include 77 new faculty offices, flexible learning environments, superior laboratory facilities, and updated technological systems. This new center will promote a synergy on campus that will benefit students and faculty for years to come. We hope that you will consider supporting this important initiative.

I am excited about our new strategic plan, which was approved enthusiastically and unanimously by the Board of Trustees at its October meeting. It has been my great privilege to be at the helm of an institution with such an illustrious past and a remarkably propitious future, and I am honored that the Board of Trustees has extended my contract through June 2016. This additional time at Goucher will enable me to see our plan through to fruition and to reinforce the college’s reputation as a groundbreaking institution and leader in liberal arts education.

Seizing the Day While it is great to look back at our past and make plans for the future, for students and parents, the most important time is right now.

a plan for Goucher’s future

At the start of the semester we welcomed our students with the same sense of eager anticipation that we always do—with a couple of surprises, courtesy of Mother Nature. Students who arrived early on campus experienced a rare Maryland earthquake. Ten days later, as the majority of our students were arriving, Hurricane Irene was making its way up the East Coast. Goucher staff and faculty created a plan to ensure the safety and comfort of our students. We were well-prepared to handle whatever the storm would throw our way.

While we lost more than 175 trees around campus, no injuries were reported and, even though much of Maryland lost electricity, we never lost power during the storm.

It was an exciting start to our semester, particularly for new students who were adjusting to college life.

Our 370 first-year students are quite an impressive group. They were chosen from 3,761 applications—the second-largest pool of applications in the college’s history. Members of the Class of 2015 are coming to Goucher from 319 high schools in 34 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and nine countries beyond the United States. More than half of the first-year students applied through the Early Decision and Early Action options, indicating Goucher as either their first choice or among their preferred college possibilities.

Almost a third of the first-year students graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and nearly half were in the top 20 percent. Also notable is the record ethnic diversity in this year’s first-year class—28 percent of the Class of 2015 are multicultural students, compared with 17 percent in last year’s class.

Goucher also extended a warm welcome to a record-breaking group of 55 new transfer students, who were selected from a transfer applicant pool that was 25 percent larger than last year’s. These transfer students represent 14 states and two countries beyond the United States.

Since the semester began, the campus has been abuzz with an exciting roster of activities to make all of our students feel at home and keep them intellectually and culturally stimulated. We held our opening celebration on a beautiful day in early September, and for the first time, gathered on the lovely rolling green of the Winslow Great Lawn. It was the perfect spot for a spirited occasion that brought together students, staff, and faculty to meet as a community, catch up with returning friends, and make new connections.

Our fall athletics program is well under way, and those not competing can cheer on their fellow Gophers in cross country, track and field, soccer, field hockey, volleyball, swimming, tennis, and equestrian. Students wishing to be active can work out at our impressive exercise complex, swim in our indoor pool, take a Pilates class, or simply enjoy the extensive trails that wind their way through Goucher’s picturesque campus.

an exciting start to our semester

As you might expect, the Athenaeum is bustling with activity, and all throughout the campus our students are deeply engaged in their coursework and working side-by-side with our inspiring faculty members. From art exhibits, musical performances, film screenings, and plays, to book discussions by leading authors and presentations by dynamic guest speakers, students have a world-class array of events from which to choose to broaden their minds and lift their spirits.

This semester we were treated to presentations by Native American writer and filmmaker Sherman Alexie; Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam; the dynamic mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Cory Booker; author and Rhodes Scholar Wes Moore; and journalist and Fox News analyst Juan Williams—not to mention David Ferriero, archivist of the United States.

In October we enjoyed an exciting Family Weekend, an event that allows visitors to spend time with students as well as faculty and staff, explore our vibrant campus, attend great events, and experience life at Goucher College. Family Weekend is one of my favorite events of the year.

I am filled with pride as I observe students showing off our picturesque campus to their relatives and friends and hearing directly from parents about how their children are growing, learning, and loving Goucher.

As I walked across campus on a recent morning in the crisp air, passing our beautiful Athenaeum, surrounded by a dazzling array of fall colors, and stopping to chat with several of our remarkable students, I thought to myself that even after ten years, it all feels thrilling, fresh, and new. Our Fall 2011 semester will always be remembered for its stormy start, but as the classical Roman poet Virgil said, “Look with favor upon a bold beginning.”

It’s another fantastic year at Goucher College.

Sincerely,

Sanford J. Ungar President

1021 Dulaney Valley Road Baltimore, Maryland 21204 www.goucher.edu 12193 11/11