Message to Parents

 

Letter to Parents and Families on the Implementation of the Strategic Plan
Virginia Hill Worden ’69, Interim President; William A. Coulter, Dean of the College and Sarah L. Swager, Dean of Students
September 14, 2006

Dear Families of R-MWC Students,

As you know, the announcement of the adoption of the Strategic Plan by our Board of Trustees last Saturday means that we will be admitting men in the fall of 2007 and enhancing our curriculum toward a concept of “global honors.” Students, alumnae and many others have received this news with an expected mix of strong emotions. We are working diligently to provide support to all our students through this difficult time. Also expectedly, there are students who are protesting the decision. While most of the protests have been very peaceful, we have received some reports of students who are feeling pressured by the protesters to join the demonstrations, and we are working to stop that tactic. Some students are boycotting their classes, although classes continue to be held, and we are urging students to continue to go to class even if they are involved in other aspects of the protest. Whether your daughters are participating in the protest or not, please know that the staff and faculty are offering their support to the students in numerous ways. We are confident that a positive routine will emerge very soon. Until that happens, we sincerely apologize for any inconveniences your daughter may be experiencing.

There are some exciting ways your daughters can play a significant role in planning for the future of the College, and we hope you will encourage them to get involved as active participants. The faculty has already begun to develop ideas for curricular development of the “global honors” concept that are exciting and far reaching, and we are now ready to involve students intensely and deliberately in all aspects of our Strategic Plan. We have also included some frequently asked questions we have received from students and others with their answers below.

 

Strategic Plan Implementation

The Implementation Process will be guided by a Steering Committee composed of the president-elect of the Board of Trustees, the president of the College, chairs of the six implementation groups (defined below), and at-large members from the many institutional constituencies. Some of the Working Groups will also include parents. The implementation process will begin immediately, and we hope many students will want to be a part of the planning process. The leadership opportunities available to students in shaping the future of the College are historic and exciting.

There will be six Working Groups formed. All of these groups will have faculty, staff, trustees, alumnae and student members. The Working Groups will also solicit additional input from the various College constituencies throughout the process. The Working Groups are:

• Curriculum/ Pedagogy
• Student Recruitment/ Admissions Strategies
• Communications/ Marketing/ Branding
• Co-Educational Environment/ Campus Life
• Business Plan
• Alumnae Connections

Each Working Group will be provided a specific charge by the Steering Committee. We anticipate that each Working Group will present its draft report to the Steering Committee by the conclusion of the fall term in December 2006.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions we have heard a number of times in recent days. There are additional FAQs on the College website as well.

Q: What will my diploma say?

A: Any student who is currently or formerly enrolled at the College is entitled to a diploma that reads “Randolph-Macon Woman’s College” upon the completion of her degree. We will also make available upon request a separate diploma for those who wish to have one with the new name of the College on it.

Q: Will the College ring change?

A: We will involve students in any decisions regarding an adjustment of the design of the ring to incorporate the new College name. We anticipate that students will want the overall look of the ring to remain similar to what it is now, but we will seek their opinions on that. The current R-MWC ring will continue to be available.

Q: How many athletic teams for men will be started, and what will they be?

A: Within three years our goal will be to have six men’s teams—that is the minimum sport-offering requirement by the NCAA. At the same time, we will add women’s teams to insure increasing opportunities for both men and women. The actual teams we will begin to form for men will be determined in the next few weeks.

Q: What implications does co-ed have for the plans for the new PER facility?

A: The planning for this building started several years ago with the goal of having two gyms (at the request of the PE faculty) as well as enhanced locker room space, etc. Although co-education was not discussed at the time, the facility that was designed will easily serve both genders and the addition of new sports teams.

Q: What does “global honors” mean, and how is that different from what we already do?

A: The concept of “global honors” was developed deliberately to draw upon the strengths we already have within the faculty and the curriculum, so it is not surprising that it sounds like something we already do. As our faculty defines and implements the global honors experience, it will build on the College’s acknowledged academic rigor. The Global Honors experience is designed to energize students individually from the very beginning of their time at the College. Throughout their college career, they will continue to take responsibility for their own learning, and no matter what their major or minor they will ask ‘how does this matter in the global context?’

 

We are now ready to energetically move forward with the implementation of our Strategic Plan, and we hope you will want to join us in that endeavor. If you are interested in being involved in the planning and implementation process, we would love to hear from you. Please send your name to any one of us, and we will begin our work together as soon as possible.

 

Sincerely,

Virginia Hill Worden ’69
Interim President

William A. Coulter
Dean of the College

Sarah L. Swager
Dean of Students