The Board of Trustees held its winter meeting from February 14-16 on the Lawrence University campus in Appleton, WI. Ahead of the meeting, the Board was provided with materials to prepare for conversations on campus. Included in the materials were administrative reports from the president’s cabinet and the observers representing the Faculty Governance Committee, and the Lawrence University Community Council (LUCC).
The meeting began with a reception and dinner with students on Wednesday, February 14. Students who had completed an internship or research experience had the opportunity to share how their experience impacted their course of study and further prepared them for their life after Lawrence. Students agreed that their peers should begin to seek out internship and research opportunities early in their time at Lawrence to maximize career exploration and skill-building opportunities. In attendance were Lawrence students from both the college and the conservatory, trustees, members of the president’s cabinet, and observers.
During the meeting, reports were delivered from the President and the Chair of the Board followed by an update on pertinent data from the 2017 Fact Book. Topics included public perceptions of higher education, including a conversation about legislative affairs and connections with local representatives on important issues, and
suggested future partnerships and commencement speakers for Lawrence. The Academic and Student Affairs Committee provided an update on the Life After Lawrence Task Force, the results of an external review of the office of career services, and proposed work expected to take place to further aid students in preparing for their
lives after college.
In the course of the meeting, the Board:
• Set the Comprehensive fee for the 2018-2019 academic year
• Approved the granting of an honorary degree to of the 2018 Commencement speaker.
• Approval of the Promotion of Celia Barnes to the rank of Associate Professor of English and award of tenure
• Approval of the promotion of Alison Guenther-Pal to the rank of Associate Professor of German and award of tenure
• Approval of the award of tenure to J. Copeland Woodruff, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Opera Studies
• Approval of the promotion of Kurt Krebsbach to the rank of Professor
The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for May 16-18, 2018 on the Lawrence University campus in Appleton, WI.