Writings & Remarks

March 2023

March 28, 2023

Tags Note to Parents

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from the Dean of Students Office! I write during the relative calm of spring break as our students get a well-deserved respite from their routines and before they return to close out the academic year. While the month of May seems far away, we know too well that the time will pass quickly. In the weeks ahead, students will begin their housing selections for next year, complete the process for studying away in diverse places, and learn of their selection for research opportunities or student employment for next year. Seniors are finalizing their theses and capstone projects, while awaiting the outcomes of graduate school and work searches. It is an exciting time on the Hill! And it even seems that spring is coming – right on cue!

As you may know, this is my first year as part of the “Hamily,” and I am excited and humbled at the opportunity to lead the Student Life division and lend strong advocacy to a robust and vibrant student experience. I’m grateful for the warm welcome I have received and the commitment to partnership and collaboration from so many people across campus. While I still get lost on campus from time to time, I’m learning quickly about those aspects of the Hamilton experience that cement our reputation as a leader in higher education, and those areas where we can do better to support our students’ successes. I hope that this and future opportunities to update you on the student experience will help to keep you informed, open channels of communication, and build a strong partnership! Please feel free to let me know what you would like to hear about the student experience and the best ways to engage you about our work.

We are committed to providing opportunities for member of our community to excel, and we continue to see evidence of that in the achievements of our students and staff. As examples, our men’s basketball team earned the coveted NESCAC championship title recently. Also, our women’s hockey team competed in the NESCAC championship for the first time in the team’s history and made it to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament! The successes of our students in earning prestigious Fulbright fellowships have caused us to be designated a top Fulbright fellowship producing institution – yet again! Regarding staff accomplishments, Barb Fluty, the director of our Health Center received the 2022 Vincent J. Lamparella Award for Perseverance & Leadership in College Health from the NY State College Health Association. Meanwhile, our Counseling Center received national media coverage for its work around peer counseling. These are but a few illustrative examples of instances where our students and staff are shining, and we are a proud and grateful community!

There are always opportunities for us to improve. I am awaiting the final report of an external review of our chaplaincy and its programs. Throughout my career, I’ve found that external reviews provide an instructive and objective process to benchmark our work and determine our alignment with best practice standards. I’m looking forward to the report’s recommendations on how we can improve our support for spiritual and religious life on campus.  We have also commenced work on an intentional plan to better support and strengthen the Jewish community on campus. Our Residential Life Office is undergoing renewal, reorganization, and rebranding that will lead to an enhanced Community Living Office. We plan to be more intentional about the educational programs and learning goals that occur within the residential structure, such that that our students see and feel equity of experience and a better sense of community. I will share more about this in the near future.  

In response to students’ concerns about social life on campus, I’ve welcomed a stronger partnership with the Student Activities Office to pilot new and varied social events on campus. We have launched a new schedule of activities to ensure that there are attractive and appropriate social activities of varying scales and themes for each weekend. Revised programming and new operating hours have returned the vibrancy to The Little Pub. Additionally, we began renovating the basement in the Sadove Student Center to create a functional, flexible space where students can gather, host events, and expand our social offerings. We expect the project to be completed this summer.

I hope you find this information helpful and that it offers some glimpse into the variety of ways that the student experience is evolving at our beloved institution. I look forward to sharing more with you in my next column.

Best regards,

Christopher D. Card
Vice President and Dean of Students