| Dear Lawrentians: As we move into the final week of winter term, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the strength and resilience of our campus community. I am incredibly proud of the many ways Lawrentians continue to shine and excel. Lawrence was recently recognized as a top producer of Fulbright recipients, the second such recognition in seven years. Four recent graduates have been selected as Fulbright recipients this year, an accomplishment that reflects the academic rigor of a Lawrence education, the meaningful and successful guidance of our faculty and staff, and the commitment of our students to lifelong learning and global citizenship. A special thanks to Claire Kervin, assistant professor of English and director of fellowships advising, and the Fulbright Campus Committee for supporting our students as they navigated one of the most competitive fellowship programs in the nation. I’m thrilled to announce that Lawrence University will also be home to the newly established Alpha-Rho-Mu chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national honor society for history. The establishment of this chapter will allow our history students and faculty to better connect with scholars across the nation, open new research and publication opportunities for history majors, and contribute to a stronger sense of community and fellowship in our history department. Thanks to Brigid Vance, associate professor of history, for leading this effort and for serving as the chapter’s first faculty advisor. I look forward to inductions this spring! Congratulations are also due to Kivie Cahn-Lipman, Lawrence’s new cello professor, who released the premiere recording of The Gentle Shepherd by Allen Ramsay earlier this month. The Gentle Shepherd, first published in 1725, is widely considered to be the first Scottish opera, and the reconstruction of this work presented several technical challenges—the largest being it was published without a score! Thank you, Kivie, for continuing to expose our campus community to works that challenge our conceptions of musical canon. Stansbury Theater was graced by yet another seminal work this month; on March 9, director Copeland Woodruff and conductor Kristin Roach led their students in a performance of The Consul, an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti—almost 75 years to the day of its premiere in March of 1950. While this is not the first time The Consul has been performed at Lawrence, the cast and crew breathed new life into this historic story, demonstrating that the Conservatory’s legacy remains vibrant and robust well into its 150th year. It was a masterful performance; I’m grateful to you all. In the world of athletics, our Vikings continue to hone their competitive edge. Three student-athletes on our men’s fencing team—Cristobal Perez Fourcade, Eli Freyre de Andrade, and Thomas Craley—are all headed to the NCAA Championships after stellar finishes in last Saturday’s NCAA Midwest Regional. Congratulations, all! This weekend also marked the inaugural home opener for our men’s lacrosse program, which bested the Northland College Lumberjacks in spectacular fashion on Saturday, with a final score of 22 to 5! Women’s lacrosse also brought home a victory from Franklin College, beating the Grizzlies 12-11 on Sunday. Go Vikings! While the changing of the seasons brings renewal, we also find ourselves navigating federal actions that are already impacting higher education institutions across the country. Recent executive actions have raised concerns about the future of funding for colleges and universities, particularly regarding the potential revocation of federal support. Sixty institutions have received letters indicating forthcoming investigations into their policies and programs, and two institutions—Columbia University and the University of Maine system—have already seen a collective $500 million in grants and contracts suspended. While Lawrence has not received such a letter, we are actively monitoring the situation and preparing for any necessary responses. To that end, we have taken proactive steps to ensure we remain informed, prepared, and steadfast in our mission: Government Relations Task Force: Led by Alison Scott-Williams, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, this newly assembled group—comprised of staff, faculty, and students—has been meeting since January to track updates from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches and ensure that our community is informed of any potential implications for Lawrentians. Emergency Council for Academic Affairs: Originally formed during the pandemic, this council will be called together early in the spring term by Provost Blitstein to further inform our institutional response and ensure the continuity of our academic mission. Student Information Sessions: In Week 9, Chris Clarke, Vice President for Student Life, and Eric Schacht, University Counsel, offered an information session to student leadership about the potential impacts of federal actions. This presentation will be repeated in the spring term with updated information to ensure that our students remain informed and prepared. Please also know that while the Department of Education announced a significant reduction of force (RIF) last week, federal financial aid programs that support our students and their families—federal student loans, Pell Grants, and other forms of federal aid—have not been affected at this time. Per a March 14 letter published by the Office of the Undersecretary of the Department of Education, “continuity of operations for Federal Student Aid (FSA) is both a statutory and critical function of the Department. Accordingly, no employees working on core functions of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or student loan servicing were impacted by the RIF.” If you have concerns about financial aid awards, please reach out to the Office of Financial Aid. We know that many students’ summer internship plans have been negatively affected or revoked in the last several weeks. The Career Center team has been working closely with faculty across the institution to ensure that we can support students whose summer opportunities may have been lost. If your summer plans have been affected by recent executive actions, please contact the Career Center directly. I also ask departments across campus to evaluate their needs over the summer months to determine whether your office is positioned to support a robust student internship. For guidance on establishing internship parameters, please contact your supervisor and the Career Center. I know that moments like this—where uncertainty looms large and the most vulnerable among us are targeted—can feel overwhelming. But Lawrence has always been a community rooted in care, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to one another. Whatever challenges lie ahead, we will face them together, resolute in our mission, ready to champion our values and ensure Lawrence remains a place where all can thrive. If you need additional support, please know that the following offices are available to provide resources and guidance: Dean of Students Spiritual and Religious Life Wellness Services International Student Services Human Resources (the Employee Assistance Program) Thank you for all you do to make this community strong. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more, and in the meantime, I encourage you to lean on one another, extend kindness, and find solace in the strength of our shared purpose. Wishing you all a safe, restful, and restorative spring break. With gratitude, Laurie A. Carter President |