President Wippman’s Writings & Remarks

Board of Trustees Meeting

December 2, 2022

Tags Board Meeting Updates

Dear Members of the Hamilton Community,

On Friday, Dec. 2, the Board of Trustees held its annual winter meeting in New York City in conjunction with the 1812 Leadership Circle Weekend.

The committees on Investments, Budget, and Buildings, Grounds, and Equipment met in person that morning, while the Committee on Advancement met virtually in advance. Mike Klapmeyer, associate vice president for facilities and planning, updated attendees on campus construction projects and the College’s efforts to revise the Landscape Master Plan and begin development of a new Comprehensive Master Plan.

In one plenary session trustees heard from professors Rob Martin, Karen Brewer, and Frank Anechiarico ’71 about faculty teaching load, the work of the Committee on Academic Policy, and innovations in experiential learning. Next, Professor Mark Bailey, Assistant Professor Nadya Bair, Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty Nathan Goodale, and Vice President Joe Shelley presented a vision for the College’s Digital Gateway program and collaborative space for digital learning and innovation.

The formal board meeting was held after lunch. In my remarks, I shared that the College and the Service Employees’ International Union (Local 200 United) finalized a new contract to represent Facilities Management staff members. Trustees passed resolutions to continue moving forward with the multi-year Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project and capital renewal projects such as the geothermal installation for Root Hall.

Later that evening more than 370 Hamilton alumni, parents, and friends gathered at Gotham Hall to celebrate leadership donors and the College’s progress toward the $400 million campaign goal. I was honored to be part of a panel with past presidents Gene Tobin and Joan Hinde Stewart for a conversation with Tom Schwarz ’66, past interim president and life trustee at Hamilton. Quinn Jones ’23 shared her personal story about how her grandfather’s love for Hamilton inspired her path, and we concluded with the traditional singing of Carissima.

The next Board of Trustees meetings are scheduled to take place on campus, March 3-4, 2023.

David