LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

There is comfort in the predictability of the academic year: the orderliness of the calendar; the ceremonies and rituals that mark the seasons; and the ability to determine, with some certainty, what comes next.

During my tenure as trustee chair, I became more familiar with the rhythms on College Hill. My checkins with President Wippman were regular and largely routine as he provided updates on student and faculty accomplishments, events on campus, new student recruitment, and progress on the Because Hamilton campaign.

Then came COVID-19.

President Wippman, his staff, the faculty, and especially the members of the COVID-19 Task Force, the Health Center, Student Life, and Facilities Management did a remarkable job transitioning to remote instruction in the middle of the spring 2020 semester, and then quickly turning their attention to bringing students back the following fall. Hamilton made these pivots as well or better than any college in the country, by taking the steps necessary to protect the health and safety of the College community, thereby keeping students’ academic progress on track.

Colleges generally do not change quickly, but when faced with a short window to plan for the fall – and in light of many unknowns about the coronavirus – Hamilton swiftly reinvented nearly every aspect of a student’s oncampus experience, from classes to housing to dining, while simultaneously making online accommodations for those who could not or preferred not to return to campus. Looking back, I applaud the efforts of the faculty and staff to ensure a safe and healthy educational program for our students.

But alumni and friends deserve credit too. You provided the resources – over time and in direct response to the pandemic – that enabled Hamilton to push forward in the midst of uncertainty and demonstrate its resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. The College spent more than $15 million of unbudgeted money (see pg. 20) to open and operate safely, and those funds were available because of your generosity and because Hamilton has carefully stewarded for many years the resources you entrusted to the College. This issue of Impact provides evidence of the College’s strength, resilience, and growing stature.

The impact of alumni and parent support may never have been more evident than in the past 18 months.

Thank you,

Stephen I. Sadove ’73, P’07,’10,’13

Chairman Emeritus Board of Trustees