The Board of Trustees held its fall meeting on October 16-18, 2024 on Lawrence’s Appleton campus and via Zoom conferencing for those unable to attend in person. We also welcomed two new term trustees to their first meetings – Lisa Becket ’88 and James Gandre ’81.
The Board was provided with materials which contained updates from all areas of the institution, including the Faculty Committee on University Governance (FCUG) and the Lawrence University Community Council (LUCC). Ahead of the in-person meeting, the Audit Committee and Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee met virtually. The Investment Committee and Trustee Governance Committee continue to meet virtually off-cycle.
The main topics of discussion included: campus updates, the 2023-24 enrollment cycle, new brand creatives, Lawrence at Night, and continued conversation regarding the proposed campus recreation center.
The following committees met in-person last week: Academic and Student Affairs, Development, Enrollment, and Finance. In the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, the committee heard more in-depth reports from FCUG, LUCC, Athletics, as well as an update on the academic program review. The Development Committee focused on the campaign. The Enrollment Committee took a deeper dive into our fall enrollment and our overall enrollment strategies. The Finance Committee discussed a recommendation for the comprehensive fee for next year and projections for the current fiscal year.
New this year, we held two Bi-Committee meetings. The purpose of the Bi-Committees is to provide space for open dialogue between committees on key topics. During the Fall meeting, ASA and Finance discussed the timelines for the academic program review and the athletics review; Development and Enrollment focused on the interconnection between our development efforts and enrollment.
At the Formal Board meeting, the Board voted on items coming out of Committees and approved the following:
- Approved the comprehensive fee for the 2025-26 academic year, which will be communicated to students and families as we approach financial aid packaging.
- Approved a gift counting policy for the campaign.
- Approved a Board Statement on the Conservatory of Music (attached).
This update is also posted on our website here. Over the past several years, board updates have been shared in in-person Town Halls. Moving forward, updates will be emailed to the campus community and shared on the website.
Board Statement on the Conservatory of Music
The Board of Trustees joins the Lawrence community in celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Conservatory of Music. We honor its rich academic and cultural heritage, recognizing the Conservatory’s exceptional role in educating and training musicians and artists who have made significant contributions to their fields. We also applaud the faculty for their ongoing innovation in the curriculum that will help lead us into the future and express our gratitude to outgoing Dean Brian Pertl.
The Board remains committed to the Conservatory’s future as part of its overall investment in the University. Over the past two years, we have hired ten full-time faculty members in the Conservatory, are renovating Harper Hall, have added a performance space in Fox Commons, and approved new soundproofed faculty offices and rehearsal spaces in the West Campus building that is currently under construction.
As part of this commitment, last spring the Board and the University administration jointly agreed to conduct a comprehensive and inclusive search for a new Dean to lead the Conservatory into its next chapter. We reaffirm that decision today. We urge the search committee and the entire Lawrence community to work collaboratively in selecting a leader who will advance the Conservatory’s mission and vision within the University.
We remind all members of the Lawrence community that our collective future depends on mutual respect and collaboration. It is important to embrace differences of opinion with civility. The Board of Trustees expects that all actions and discussions will foster respect and collaboration, and any behavior that threatens or undermines our campus culture will be addressed. Working together we are confident that the future of the Conservatory and the University is bright.