Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff Members,

On behalf of Board of Managers Chair Gustavo Schwed ’84, I write to share a summary of the September Board meeting. The full Board met on campus on Sept. 18-19, while several committees met beforehand via Zoom. 

This was Gus’ first meeting as chair and Lauren Glant ’83’s first as vice chair. It was also the first meeting for managers Jeremy Brest ’90 and Colin Convey ’97, and the first for Thomas Hartnett ’94, P’26, since he stepped away from the Board in 2023. I'm grateful to Gus, Lauren, and our new managers for their leadership and willingness to volunteer their time and effort to the College.

My thanks to Student Government Organization President Annie Liu ’28 and Interim Vice President Art Keys ’27, as well as Assistant Professor of Art Jody Joyner and Head Women’s Tennis Coach Jeremy Loomis for serving as student and faculty board observers. I also want to thank the academic department, division, and program chairs who joined the managers for small dinner conversations Friday evening. The managers appreciate spending time in conversation with faculty, staff, and students, and several managers remarked that these small gatherings were among the highlights of their weekend on campus. 

While the Board discussed a variety of important topics during its meeting, I want to highlight the decision to approve the recommendation to rename Old Science Hall to Edley-Morgan Hall. The Board enthusiastically endorsed the recommendation, which, as I mentioned in my announcement to campus, came from the good, hard work of the students, faculty, and staff members who served on the renaming task force. Once again, let me express my gratitude to everyone who contributed to this important project, with special thanks to Associate Professor of Psychology Cat Norris for chairing the task force and taking time out of her leave to attend the Board meeting and lead a presentation on the renaming process.

Last spring, Vice President for Advancement Sarah Pearson and Vice President for Communications and Marketing Andy Hirsch partnered with the higher education research and marketing firm SimpsonScarborough on an alumni market research project focused on increasing alumni giving and engagement. SimpsonScarborough presented the key findings to the Board, including that alumni generally have a positive view of their student experience, have a strong sense of pride in Swarthmore, and feel connected to the College. They also report feeling well-informed about what's happening on campus today. In addition, the findings highlighted opportunities to strengthen relationships with alumni and donors, particularly by building trust and better demonstrating the impact of their giving.

The Board continued its ongoing discussion of the challenges and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence (AI). That conversation included presentations by Provost and Dean of the Faculty Rich Wicentowski and Chief Information Technology Officer Jason Parkhill, who discussed the integration of AI into academic and administrative areas, as well as ways that AI intersects with academic integrity and student expectations. Rich and Jason noted the creation of two new Collegewide committees — a Faculty Committee on AI and a Staff Working Group on AI — to help the campus community navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Vice President for Finance and Administration Rob Goldberg updated the Board on the work of the Government Affairs Task Force, which monitors federal policy changes that affect higher education funding, research, and international students. Rob and Associate Vice President for Advancement Josephine Burri also shared updates on the reimagining of Cunningham Park and the plans to renovate Lamb-Miller Field House (also known as the Athletics, Recreation, and Wellness, or ARWell, project), including current designs, fundraising progress, and community engagement.

Rob also provided an update on the Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget, as the Board continues to focus on the fiscal challenges I’ve mentioned on several occasions, including in the Board summary I shared with you in May. Rob observed that the College continues to slow expense growth, with a goal of eliminating a multimillion-dollar budget deficit within the next two years.

On a more positive note, as I wrote when I announced Sarah Pearson’s retirement, fundraising for the College increased by $9 million last year, reaching $34 million in gifts and new commitments. Annual giving to the Swarthmore Fund surpassed $8 million last year for the first time in more than 15 years, with a goal of reaching $10 million by the end of Fiscal Year 2030. 

The Board discussed both the Academic Freedom Policy that the faculty approved this past spring and ongoing work to develop the College’s Freedom of Expression Policy, with a stated goal of approving policies this year that defend these principles that are core to our mission, while also protecting the College’s ability to sustain regular operations.

As always, the managers left campus with a deep appreciation for the intellectual curiosity and creative spirit that forms the foundation of our individual and collective work. On behalf of the Board, thank you for all you do to support our students, one another, and the College's mission.

Sincerely,

Valerie Smith
President
Roy J. and Linda G. Shanker Presidential Chair