With the start of every school year comes inevitable change as a new wave of students and faculty arrive, setting the tone for the coming year. This fall, however, the College is set up for even more momentous change than usual. With President Liebowitz and Dean Collado leaving at the end of the year and the end of J-term, respectively, we are hiring into positions that will dictate what Middlebury will look like when we come back for our 10th reunion. The future of Middlebury is further in flux due to the Board restructuring and the conversations we are having about identity.
In an all school email on Sept. 4, President Liebowitz announced a new identity system for Middlebury, bringing all programs — the College, Monterey, Breadloaf, the School for the Environment, the Language Schools and the study abroad programs — under the same umbrella by adding “Middlebury” to their official names.
President Liebowitz and the administration have repeatedly emphasized the importance of preserving the undergraduate program — the flagship of the Middlebury brand — as the community undergoes these changes. We strongly agree that the College must be the heart and soul of the Middlebury brand.
In this vein, we must find innovative ways to extend these opportunities to Middlebury College students. Continuing J-term courses in Monterey and scholarships to Breadloaf are just a few ways. As all of Middlebury’s programs grow and solidify, they should also grow in cohesion and access so we start to think of them seamlessly as an extension of the programs we already have access to on campus. These programs could be another selling point for Admissions and expand what a Middlebury education could look like.
As we learned last year with the linguistic errors in the grandfathered-in Latin courses of Middlebury Interactive Languages, we must tread carefully to ensure that the Middlebury brand retains its strength. As we expand, all of Middlebury-branded ventures must continue to be held up to the same high standards we have for the College, for the value of our diplomas depends on Middlebury’s reputation. One example of this is our commitment to inclusion and diversity. The College is need-blind for most students in the admissions process, and we want to be sure that these other programs, which often carry a similarly high price tag, are held to the same financial aid standards. We want all of Middlebury to be accessible, not just the part that is easily advertised.
Thus far, the programs have increased the value of our education. Often when we tell people we go to Middlebury, they comment on our strong language programs or leadership in environmental initiatives. Continuing to leverage this brand is a smart business decision and will impact us far past commencement as we add a BA to our resumes.
As we restructure the Board of Trustees and hire a new President and Dean of the College, we must further reflect on the values that matter most to us as a community and the values we would like to be perpetuated in the coming decades. For many of us, this includes our commitment to diversity of all kinds, internationalism, environmentalism, and the future of liberal arts education.
For example, in hiring Dean Collado’s replacement, we must remember that as a member of the inaugural Posse class and as a woman in higher education, she has brought a wealth of experience to the position of Dean, championing diversity and inclusion initiatives and anti-discrimination policies for both students and faculty. Continuing her legacy is imperative as we hire our next round of leaders, insofar as attracting a wider range of students is a priority in our branding discussions. Recruiting diverse talent in our students, faculty and administrators must be a priority.
In President Liebowitz, we had a President who was not only a great fundraiser, but also kept abreast of issues on campus by inviting students over for lunch or dinner and commenting on the Campus online. We want the next President to listen to the student voice as well.
We at the Campus will come out swinging this year to bring up-to-date coverage on all of these changes and lend our voices to the campus dialogue. But while we try to encompass a range of opinions on campus, ultimately we are only 30 voices on issues where everyone has their own ideas. We will do our best to facilitate this discussion, but we are all responsible for impactful discussions on the kind of education we would like to receive and the community we would like to foster. Do you want internships for credit and other opportunities for applied education? A return to the strict liberal arts education? Do you want to change the AAL credit, build a multicultural center, or extend Thanksgiving Break?
We challenge everyone to lead us into this new era at the College. The Campus works for you, after all. Stay informed by reading the Campus, MiddBeat, beyond the green and other campus news sources. Participate in the discussion by submitting op-eds or talking with your classmates about their opinions. We are responsible for future generations of Middlebury students, and this year more than any other, we must speak out.
Artwork by NOLAN ELLSWORTH
