A Message from the President of Mills College By Elizabeth L. Hillman Just as we were about to send this issue to print, President Hillman sent the following memo to students, faculty, staff, and alumnae/i via email about the College’s plans going forward. -Ed.
Breaking News: The Future of Mills Since 1852, Mills College has brought
While Mills’ role as a degree-
transformative learning opportunities
granting college will end, its
to many by breaking barriers, forging
mission
connections, and changing lives. Today,
intends to continue to foster
because of the economic burdens of
women’s leadership and stu-
the
structural
dent success, advance gender
changes across higher education, and
and racial equity, and cultivate
Mills’ declining enrollment and budget
innovative pedagogy, research,
deficits, Mills must begin to shift away
and critical thinking by creat-
from being a degree-granting college
ing a Mills Institute housed here
and toward becoming a Mills Institute
on campus. Over the next few
that can sustain Mills’ mission. The
months, Mills faculty, trustees,
Mills College Board of Trustees, after
staff, students, alumnae, and
careful consideration, has decided that
other stakeholders across our
after fall 2021, Mills will no longer enroll
community will consider poten-
new first-year undergraduate students.
tial structures and program-
We will focus our resources on building
ming for a Mills Institute. We
degree pathways for our continuing stu-
will provide regular updates as
dents, and supporting the new first-year
the design of the Mills Institute
undergraduate, transfer, and graduate
evolves. At the same time, Mills
students who will join us this fall. Mills
is pursuing promising discus-
will most likely confer its final degrees in
sions with other academic insti-
2023, pending further consideration and
tutions to continue the College’s mission.
apprised as we assess options and build
action by the Board of Trustees.
We also will keep you informed about
pathways for transition. Since it began as
those discussions.
a small seminary in Benicia, California,
COVID-19
pandemic,
We will begin to transition our aca-
will
endure.
Mills
demic programs by creating options and
Our goal is to deliver an exceptional
Mills has brought learning and inspira-
degree pathways for all Mills students.
academic and co-curricular experience
tion to those who might not otherwise
The Provost’s Office, working under the
to our students for at least the next two
have found it. The next chapter in Mills’
guidance of Mills’ accrediting agency,
academic years, with Mills faculty and
history will do likewise, serving Mills’
the WASC Senior College and University
staff at the heart of that experience.
educational mission and sustaining its
Commission, will develop plans for
Additional information will be provided
commitment to equity. We will need
each degree program that Mills offers,
in the coming weeks regarding academic
everyone’s help to navigate a successful
enabling students to either earn a Mills
opportunities for students. Similar plan-
transition and write that next chapter.
degree or transfer to another college or
ning will be launched to develop transi-
university. Our Admissions Office will
tion plans and opportunities for faculty
support students who choose to pur-
and staff.
sue transfer opportunities outside Mills
[This] news signals the end of an era in
through agreements with peer institu-
Mills College’s history. It may provoke a
tions. Mills is committed to working
variety of reactions and emotions in you,
with these institutions to provide our
as it has in me. I also expect you will
students with streamlined admission
have many questions, some of which I
processes, financial aid support, and
will not yet be able to answer. Mills takes
pathways to degree completion.
seriously our obligation to keep you
We will include much more about these developments in the summer issue of the Quarterly. Until then, visit mills.edu/announcement for the most up-to-date information.
SPRING 2021
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