President Wippman’s Writings & Remarks

Last week our community experienced the tragic loss of one of our students, Isaiah Carpenter-Winch. His passing left many of us confused, frustrated, and helpless. We have received numerous emails from community members asking how we can better address mental health issues and foster a stronger sense of wholeness and connectedness in our community. Now is a time when we can each pause to ask what we, as individuals, can do to support and enhance our community while at the same time address as an institution the societal issues that affect the lives of our students.

I am writing with deep and profound sadness to inform you that Isaiah Carpenter-Winch, a junior from Cambridge, Massachusetts, was found dead earlier today on campus.

The Trump administration today announced that it would begin to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, with a six-month window during which Congress may act to continue the program. DACA protects nearly 800,000 "Dreamers" — undocumented young people who entered the country before age 16. The DACA program enabled many promising and talented young people to attend college and begin careers. Despite the assurances they received, their future may now be in doubt.

Welcome to our new students, faculty and staff, and welcome back to those of you who are returning to College Hill for your second, third and fourth years or, in the case of some faculty and staff, your second, third or fourth decades. With the exception of move-in day last Tuesday, when an enthusiastic band of colorfully costumed Continentals greeted our new students by dancing, cheering and holding up cardboard signs, the campus was quiet this summer.

On Tuesday, we welcomed the class of 2021 and our new transfer students. One of the joys of working at a place like Hamilton is witnessing the warmth and enthusiasm of the newest members of our community as they get to know each other, the College, and the community.

I write with the sad news that Life Trustee Joe Anderson '44 died during the night. He and his wife Molly recently celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary. They had two children, including Rick ’76, whose daughter is a member of the Class of 2016.

This spring three committees of faculty, staff, students, and trustees engaged with the Hamilton community in generating ideas for Hamilton’s strategic planning process. These committees were focused around issues of student success, academic vision, and transformative ideas for the College as a whole. The process generated hundreds of ideas and suggestions. Thank you to everyone who took the time to engage in this process, most particularly the members of the three committees and their chairs—Monica Inzer, Marianne Janack, and Onno Oerlemans.

Thank you for welcoming board members and reunion participants to campus last weekend. Preparing for more than 1,300 visitors less than three weeks after commencement required an extraordinary effort—from cleaning residence halls to mowing lawns to serving countless meals and delivering outstanding programs. I heard many visitors say they have never attended a better reunion. Many thanks for showing Hamilton at its best.

In December, I convened a Sexual Misconduct Working Group and asked it to review the College's sexual misconduct policies and practices. The working group met with numerous groups and individuals on campus. Although concluding that our current policy is in most respects "comprehensive and consistent with current law and best practices," the working group has made a number of valuable recommendations. Its report is available online.

I am pleased to announce that Hamilton will begin partnering with QuestBridge, a national organization that connects talented, high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with highly selective colleges and universities. Six other NESCAC colleges and six of the eight Ivy League institutions are among QuestBridge's 38 current members.