The college decided to close its graduate campus, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), leaving us surprised at the speed of this decision and cautiously optimistic about what it will mean for Middlebury’s future. After facing large budget cuts and changes to workplace benefits, students and staff at Middlebury have recently campaigned for the closure of the Institute, building on an idea that has been on the minds of some faculty members for several years due to MIIS’ financial strain. Last spring's walkout, various op-eds from faculty and students in The Campus, and our own Editorial Board’s call for the closure of MIIS crystallized the desire for change. We commend President Baucom’s quick decision to heed the voices of our most forthright faculty, staff, and students. It is one that will shape his legacy and our perception of him as a decisive leader. But we will not waste a moment before asking what this will mean for the college going forward besides a partially salvaged budget and an unsettled definition of what our school really is.
While we see the dissolution of MIIS as an important step forward to address the budget deficit, we hope that the President will be explicit and forthcoming when deciding where to take us next. The drain of Middlebury’s finances to MIIS has long acted as an institutional scapegoat for the leadership in Old Chapel. Without this financial black hole, the administration has the opportunity to redirect funding back towards Vermont based-resources. We believe reversing the budget cuts, particularly the compensation cuts for our hard-working faculty and staff should be the first step — not another new building or dining hall scanning system. However these changes may look, we expect President Baucom to be transparent about the timeline surrounding Middlebury’s new windfall. Will today's first year students see concrete changes — smaller class sizes, more satisfied faculty, and fully staffed dining halls — by the end of their time here, or will it take several cycles of students to feel the benefits of this capital? These decisions and the extent to which we are informed on them will be essential to establishing trust between Baucom’s administration and our community.
Letting go of MIIS also raises the question of where Middlebury’s identity stands. We hold a fine line between a small liberal arts college and a globally focused institution. For years, the college has branded us as “The Big M.” The soon-to-be-outdated homepage on Middlebury’s website still touts “Vermont”, “Monterey, California” and “The World” as three equally relevant aspects of the college. While our Vermont campus should always take priority, we don’t believe the closure of MIIS should influence the growth or lack thereof of Middlebury Language Schools and Schools Abroad. These are opportunities associated with our school that many of us are proud of, and we want to see those programs expanded in a thoughtful, collaborative and effective way. To us, this conflict has highlighted what makes Middlebury's branding stand out — that is, the balance between providing a global education while still being “the town’s college.” Where the MIIS budget goes will define where Middlebury is headed and what kind of college it ultimately wants to be in the coming years.
The board acknowledges MIIS students who face uncertainty around their education. We hope Middlebury will preserve valuable skills from MIIS in several internationally focused disciplines — skills that are still relevant and needed — and transfer those skills and see them spread to our campus in Vermont, whether that be through the introduction of new interdisciplinary courses, or through hiring new professors on our campus. We expect President Baucom to see this as a critical opportunity to enrich Middlebury’s academic environment.
In the past, Middlebury students have often felt defeated when clashing ideologically with the administration. In spite of this, the quick turn around from the spring semester to this recent announcement shows that this administration is willing to listen and act on the concerns of the people who feel these changes the most. President Baucom has been seen chatting up new students and parents on move-in day, and has made a new Instagram account as the Middlebury College President. We hope that this is not only performative, and that he continues to make an effort to listen to the voices of students, faculty, and staff. Authentic communication must remain a long-term commitment of his administration, not just a temporary performance while confronted with this issue. This next chapter will define Baucom’s legacy here at Middlebury, and we hope that it is characterized by its honesty.
