Video: President Elect Mitchell B. Reiss Addresses Washington College Community

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In the Footsteps of Founding Patron George Washington, Ambassador Mitchell B. Reiss (Ret.) to Serve as 27th President of Washington College

Chestertown, MD -- The Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College, founded in 1782 with the patronage of the nation's first president, has selected Mitchell B. Reiss, 52, who has served as a U.S. Presidential envoy, ambassador, policymaker, lawyer, author and university professor, to be the College's 27th president.

Reiss will assume the presidency on July 1, 2010, succeeding Baird Tipson, who since 2004 has led the liberal arts college, which is Maryland's first institution of higher learning and the nation's 10th oldest.

"I am deeply honored to have been selected as Washington College's next president," said Reiss. "This is a remarkable and impressive institution. It does something both rare and important. It provides young men and women with the opportunity to think critically, express themselves persuasively and listen respectfully to the views of others. These skills are the very best possible preparation for understanding our world, for contributing to our society and for achieving personal balance and well-being. This is as true in the 21st century as it was when the College was founded in the 18th century. My wife Elisabeth and I are excited to be joining the Washington College family."

In announcing Reiss's selection, Albert J.A. Young, a Bel Air, MD, attorney and alumnus who chaired the search committee, observed that the College and Reiss have connected at a propitious moment. "Thanks to a recently completed $100 million construction effort that has transformed our campus, a pivotal acquisition of property on the Chester River to expand our presence on the waterfront, and a commitment to sound fiscal management, Washington College is poised to make a great leap,” Young said. "Mitchell Reiss, with his sterling academic credentials and rich and varied career experiences, is just the person to continue to move us forward. The search committee is thrilled to secure such a talented, capable leader."

Reiss currently serves as diplomat-in-residence at The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, where he has also served as vice provost for international affairs, dean of international affairs, director of the Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies, professor of law at the Marshall-Wythe School of Law, and professor of government.

Taylor Reveley, President of William & Mary, saluted Reiss's appointment. "Washington College has chosen splendidly for its next president," he said. "Mitchell Reiss's accomplishments as a diplomat and as a dean, professor and scholar at William & Mary have been extraordinary."

From 2003 to 2007, Reiss served as President George Bush's Special Envoy for the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the role in which he attained the rank of ambassador. For his service, the State Department honored him with its Foreign Affairs Award for Public Service. He has also served the U.S. Department of State as director of policy planning, where he reported to Secretary of State Colin Powell and helped develop U.S. foreign policy, with special emphasis on Iraq, North Korea, China, Iran and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Earlier in his career, Reiss helped managed the start-up and operations of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO), a multinational organization designed to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program; he was also KEDO's chief negotiator with the North Koreans. Reiss was a Guest Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., where he started the Center's nonproliferation and counterproliferation programs. He practiced corporate and banking law for three years at the firm of Covington & Burling and was Special Assistant to the National Security Advisor as a White House Fellow in 1988-89. He has served as a consultant to the Office of the Legal Advisor at the State Department, the General Counsel's Office at the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the Los Alamos and Livermore National Laboratories.

Reiss has published widely on issues of international trade, security and arms control, has provided expert commentary to national and international media, and is a frequent speaker on these topics at conferences domestically and internationally. He has authored three books: the forthcoming Negotiating with Evil: Why States Engage with Terrorist Groups; Bridled Ambition: Why Countries Contain Their Nuclear Capabilities and Without The Bomb: The Politics of Nuclear Nonproliferation. He has served as a co-editor and as a contributing author for more than 20 books, and is published frequently in leading academic and foreign policy journals and in the news media.

Reiss is a cum laude graduate of Williams College, where he competed in intercollegiate tennis and squash. He earned a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University, and received a certificate from the Academy of International Law at The Hague, Netherlands. He holds a doctorate of philosophy in international relations from Oxford University and a juris doctorate from Columbia University. Born in Dayton, Ohio, he grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. Reiss is married to the former Elisabeth Anselmi, whom he met when he was studying at Oxford and she was performing as an actress in the West End of London. Married for 23 years, they have two children, a son Mathew, 19, who is a sophomore at Brown University, and a daughter Michael, 16, who is a high school junior in Williamsburg, Virginia.

About Washington College

Founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, Washington College was the first college chartered in the new nation and today ranks among the nation's top 100 selective liberal arts colleges. The College enrolls approximately 1,200 undergraduates from 35 states and 40 nations. With a student to faculty ratio of 12 to 1, the College emphasizes the transformative power of small classes and close connections between professors and their students. Among the College's distinctions are the following:

· The Sophie Kerr Prize, the largest literary undergraduate prize in America, and one element of a flourishing community of student writers supported by the Rose O'Neill Literary House

· The Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows which funds projects and research independently initiated by students

· The C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, an institute that sponsors the annual George Washington Book Prize for the year's best work on early American History

· The Center for Environment and Society, which uses the College's setting in the Chesapeake Bay region as a learning laboratory to shed light on the reciprocal relationship between humankind and the natural world.
· The Goldstein Program in Public Affairs and its Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture sponsors lectures, student participation in models and conferences, and projects that bring student and faculty together with leaders experienced in developing public policy.

The College is located in Chestertown, MD, named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's most distinctive historic communities, approximately 90 minutes from Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.

College President Baird Tipson Announces Retirement

Letter from President Tipson

Dear Students and Colleagues,

When I came to Washington College in the summer of 2004, I was determined to continue the remarkable progress that the College had made over the previous decade. I wanted to preside over academic innovations, co-curricular initiatives and facility enhancements that would ensure the College's success well into the 21st century. I am tremendously proud of our achievements over the past five years and convinced that, despite the current economic crisis, Washington College will continue to thrive.

At the same time that I anticipate a strong future for Washington College, I have been planning for my own. After careful consideration and in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Visitors and Governors, I have decided to retire at the end of the next academic year. Such a schedule will allow time for a thorough search and orderly transition for my successor. Planning will begin at the upcoming meeting of the Board of Visitors and Governors, with a search committee named soon afterward.

Serving as your President has been immensely fulfilling. I will continue to devote my full energies to presiding over the College as long as I am here. I will be nearly 67 when I step down, ready to enjoy reading, writing, and perhaps volunteering in some area of higher education, in addition to spending time with my new grandson.

While I look forward to the next stage of my life, I know I will miss all of you. I expect to seize every chance in my remaining time on campus to participate in the activities—academic, athletic, and artistic—that have enriched me since my arrival. Thank you all for your ongoing efforts in support of Washington College.

Sincerely,

Baird Tipson
President

Letter from Ed Nordberg

To the Members of the Washington College Community:

The accompanying letter from Baird Tipson, which announces that the coming academic year will be his final one as Washington College's 26th President, affords me the opportunity to express my gratitude and that of the Board of Visitors & Governors for the numerous contributions he has made to our College, campus and community.

Since Dr. Tipson's arrival in 2004, Washington College has attained many notable achievements, including the installation of a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, inclusion in the Princeton Review's Guide to the Best 366 Colleges, and the launch and early success of the George Washington Book Prize. Signs of our institutional vitality continue to strengthen, despite challenging economic times. This past fall, the College welcomed its largest entering class ever with 417 new students and launched a new Presidential Fellows initiative. The number of applicants for admission next fall has more than doubled, from 2104 last year to 4484 this year. Dr. Tipson's tenure has been marked by celebration of the College's 225th Anniversary and the adoption of a new strategic plan, Toward Eminence. New academic initiatives have resulted in re-imagining the first-year experience, the addition of minors in Black Studies, Dance, and Justice, Law, and Society. The innovative Chesapeake semester launches this fall. Endowments were secured for a new faculty chair in Art and Art History, faculty development, and an investment program enabling students to test their financial acumen with real portfolios. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the College its largest federal grant ever.

Nowhere will Dr. Tipson's mark be more enduring than in his transformation of our historic campus. Starting with the development of a new campus master plan, he has guided the renovation and expansion of the Gibson Center for the Arts, the renovation and expansion of the Hodson Hall dining and student center, the construction of Chester and Sassafras Residence Halls, the construction of Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium (recognized as one of the top ten lacrosse venues in the nation), the construction of Athey Ball Park, the addition of a new research vessel and the purchase and restoration of the Patrick Henry Fellows Residence. He has laid the groundwork for the College's future expansion on the riverfront with the signing of an option to purchase five acres on the Chester River to accommodate a new boathouse, environmental laboratories, classrooms, recreational facilities and student residences.

In Chestertown and beyond, Dr. Tipson has been an engaged citizen and leader. He established the Vincent Hynson Scholarship, enabling more local minority students to attend the College. He created the President's Medal and President's Service Awards honoring citizens from the community as well as College faculty and employees. In the region, he has served as a trustee to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Mid-Shore Community Foundation, St. Martin's Ministries, the Maryland Independent College and University Association, the Independent College Fund of Maryland, and the Centennial Athletic Conference. He has established a national presence in higher education as a member of the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the National Collegiate Athletic Associations' Presidents Council, and the Wye Faculty Seminar; and as a charter signatory of the President's Campus Climate Commitment and the Amethyst Initiative.

The task before us now is to find a new president worthy of the example set by Dr. Tipson. As the Board of Visitors & Governors gathers on campus April 16 - 18, we will commence the process of searching for Washington College's 27th president. Our plan is to identify and secure the services of a nationally known search consultant without delay, and to empanel a representative committee, drawn from the ranks of trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and students, to conduct a search that will result in a recommendation of a candidate or candidates to the Board of Visitors & Governors sometime during the fall semester. I will ask the leadership of this committee to enter into conversations with the College community before the end of the current semester, most likely through a series of structured listening sessions where all will have an opportunity to share their thoughts on the desired qualities of our next president.

Please join me and my fellow trustees in sharing with Dr. Tipson your appreciation of the contributions he has made to ensuring the continued success of Washington College.

Sincerely,

Edward P. Nordberg '82
Chair

Washington College Announces 2009-2010 Tuition Increase

To Washington College Families,

In my nearly 40 years as a teacher and administrator, I cannot recall a time that has been more challenging or uncertain for our nation’s economy or for higher education. Like most colleges and universities, both our endowment and private gifts for current operations have declined. The impact of these contractions is likely to be felt for several years.

Despite the challenges presented by these constraints, we have developed a budget for the coming academic year that is guided by four principals: preserve the quality of the academic experience for our students; identify and secure opportunities to achieve increased operational efficiencies; maintain faith with our faculty and staff, who make our students’ success possible, and limit increases in tuition and fees in recognition of economic concerns and challenges faced by the families of our students.

I believe we have succeeded in meeting all four goals. At their winter meeting late last month, the Board of Visitors and Governors approved the smallest percentage tuition increase in 34 years. For next year, charges for tuition, room and board will increase by $1,625 or 3.95%. I realize that any increase will present a challenge to most families. Our student financial aid office stands ready to help students and parents explore options for low-interest loans and opportunities for external scholarship support.

Despite budgetary constraints, I am pleased to report that we have made significant improvements to life on campus and will continue to see progress next year. Last fall we opened two beautiful new residence halls. In January, we installed a wide-area emergency broadcast system to enhance student safety. A recent grant from the Mellon Foundation will allow us to inaugurate a “Chesapeake Semester” this coming fall. We will also re-open a greatly expanded Gibson Center for the Arts and a new dining hall and student center. Clearly, the days ahead will bring excitement and opportunity.

My colleagues and I recognize the tremendous sacrifices that families make to send their student to Washington College. We remain committed to providing the kind of liberal arts education that will only appreciate in value over a lifetime.

Sincerely,

Baird Tipson
President

Statement from Washington College President Baird Tipson regarding the Amethyst Initiative

Along with more than 100 college and university presidents nationwide, I have signed my name to the Amethyst Initiative statement. Launched this past July, the Amethyst Initiative is made up of higher education leaders from across the United States who support a thoughtful, measured public debate on lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18.

Alcohol is a pervasive aspect of American campus life, an integral part of student socializing. A significant number of our underage students—men, women, Greek, non-Greek—drink, drink often, and believe they have a right to drink. To them the current law is hypocritical, and its existence undermines the respect that all citizens ought to have for any law.

The 21-year-old drinking age has created a dangerous student culture of clandestine drinking. I believe that young people old enough to defend their country and to vote are old enough to consume alcohol responsibly. The 21-year-old drinking age prevents us from modeling responsible drinking. We need to begin a conversation about the legal age at which people may purchase and consume alcohol.

Baird Tipson
President
Washington College

August 19, 2008

Washington College to Acquire Land for Expansion of Waterfront Programs and to Invest in Quality Development at Stepne Manor Site

Chestertown, MD — The executive committee of the Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College has approved an agreement to acquire 75 acres of land located on the western edge of Chestertown in partnership with Leroy Kirby, Jr.

The agreement, which President Baird Tipson signed on Monday, June 30, grants the College an option to purchase a 5-acre parcel on the Chester River, contiguous to its existing boathouse, for the development of an expanded waterfront presence. Ownership of this property would allow the College to develop, over time, coherent waterfront programs which would respect the natural beauty of the river frontage. Public access to the area would be greatly enhanced, particularly during the summer months when the College is not in active session. The College would also become a passive investor in a partnership owning the inland 70-acre parcel located north of Route 289, commonly known as Stepne Manor. Kirby would be the managing member of that partnership.

Stepne Manor has long been discussed in town planning meetings as a potential site for development of a new neighborhood that would incorporate the design and planning aesthetics of the historic district of the town. The College intends to sell its interest in the property to Kirby once he receives necessary approvals to proceed with development of the new neighborhood.

"This somewhat complex agreement allows Washington College to accomplish two of its most important goals," explained Baird Tipson, president. "Our strategic plan calls for us to recognize that our setting in Chestertown, amid the beauty of the Chester River and the Chesapeake, is a significant institutional advantage, one that will continue to help us realize our ambition to be one of the nation's most distinguished and distinctive liberal arts colleges. An outstanding waterfront presence will become a critical component of our attractiveness to students. This agreement also promises to enable us to influence the character and quality of what is developed on the Stepne Manor site, which has been identified by the Town of Chestertown as an appropriate location for new residential housing. Because Chestertown is an enormous asset to us, we will seek to do our part to ensure that this town's unique appeal is preserved and sustained for future generations. A carefully-planned residential neighborhood, working from and extending the town's existing street grid and incorporating timeless principles of tasteful design, will be far preferable to the clumsy, insensitive development that has become increasingly common on the upper Eastern Shore."

Tipson emphasized that the College will preserve and improve public access to the waterfront. While specific plans for the waterfront site have yet to be developed, the College has long identified a need for expanded space for academic programs and research vessels, including a new home for its Center for the Study of the Environment and Society, as well as expanded space for its rowing and sailing teams and for water-oriented recreation programs. Tipson added that the agreement does not change the College's possible interest in the former Armory Building, subject to the Town of Chestertown's determination as to its optimal utilization.

"We look forward to collaborating with the Town of Chestertown and Kent County in making the most of this opportunity," Tipson said.

June 30, 2008

Open Letter to Members of the Alumni Community

During our recent Reunion/Commencement weekend, we learned that some members of the Washington College alumni body had received a promotional mailer advertising a local real estate development. The mailing piece referenced Washington College Alumni and featured the official logo of Washington College. This created confusion about the source of the mailing and led some people to assume that Washington College was endorsing real estate sales. The owner of the development has apologized to Washington College for the unauthorized use of our logo, but in case anyone who may have received the mailing is in doubt about our policies, let me make clear:

• Washington College does not sell or give away information from its alumni database to any individual or group for any purpose, commercial or otherwise.
• Washington College is not endorsing or promoting the sale of waterfront properties to its alumni.
• The logo of Washington College is a registered trademark which may not be used for any purpose without the permission of the College.

In this age of electronic communication, it can be difficult to identify the source of information. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to set the record straight.

Baird Tipson, President
Washington College

June 3, 2008

Alonzo and Virginia Decker Bequeath $4.3 Million to Washington College

The estate of Virginia G. and Alonzo G. Decker, Jr. will provide $4.3 million to Washington College, President Baird Tipson announced today. In recognition of the gift and in consultation with the Deckers' personal representative, the College will dedicate the main theatre in the newly renovated Gibson Performing Arts Center in honor of the Deckers and will create two new endowed scholarships—the Alonzo G. Decker, Jr. Scholarship for business management students and the Virginia G. Decker Scholarship for students in the performing arts. The Deckers also provided $100,000 to create an endowment to support the Virginia Gent Decker Arboretum on campus.

"Although not graduates or parents, the Deckers cherished Washington College and provided exemplary leadership for it," President Tipson said. "In addition to the many ways they helped to transform the College during their lifetimes, this gift will ensure that their legacy extends even farther to provide student scholarships, support the arts, and beautify the historic campus they loved."

Remembered by colleagues at the College as a leader of great intelligence, vision and kindness, Mr. Decker inspired others with his enthusiasm for the "joy of giving." "Don't give until it hurts," he was known for saying, "Give until it feels real good." Former President and Chief Executive Officer of The Black & Decker Corporation, he was a member of the Board of Visitors and Governors of the College from 1982 until his death in 2002. Mr. Decker, along with Washington College trustee emeritus James Price P'84, led in the 1980s Washington College's Campaign for Excellence that raised more than $43 million for scholarships and faculty support, academic computing and new facilities, including construction of the Decker Laboratory Center. Mr. Decker and Mr. Price also served together as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Campaign for Washington's College that raised more than $103 million and ended in 2003. During that Campaign, the Deckers created the Alonzo G. and Virginia G. Decker Chair in the Natural Sciences.

A Baltimore native and son of a co-founder of The Black & Decker Manufacturing Company, Mr. Decker began his career with the power tool company in 1922 at the age of 14. With an electrical engineering degree from Cornell University, he joined the company full-time as consulting engineer in 1930, working his way through most departments and eventually becoming chairman of the board. During the 1930s, he served as an engineer in research and manufacturing. In 1940, he was elected to the board of directors, followed by his election as executive vice president in 1956, president in 1960, and chief executive officer in 1964. Four years later he was named chairman of the board. During his ten years as chief executive officer, the company enjoyed its greatest period of growth. Today, Black & Decker is a world leader in the production of portable power tools, with offices in 50 countries. In addition to Washington College, Mr. Decker served on the boards of Johns Hopkins University, Hopkins School of Continuing Studies, and the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Throughout their 53-year marriage, Mr. Decker's wife, Virginia, steadfastly supported her husband's well-known love of philanthropy. At Washington College, he founded the Alonzo G. Decker, Jr. Society to attract and recognize major College benefactors. Along with her husband, she participated in numerous campus events, and she was an integral part of the festivities when he received the Award for Excellence in 1986 and an honorary Doctor of Public Service in 1997.

After her husband's death, Mrs. Decker maintained her friendship with the College, returning to campus to attend lectures and meet with members of the Friends of the Virginia Gent Decker Arboretum, named in recognition of her long-time support and her love of nature. In 2006, at the age of 90, she cut the ceremonial ribbon celebrating the completion of the construction and renovation of the College's $26 million Decker-Dunning-Toll Science Center.

Like her husband, she will be remembered on campus for her love of Washington College and the Eastern Shore, as well as her great compassion, kindness, and generosity of spirit. To honor her memory, the College dedicated a descendant of the historic Wye Oak on the campus lawn on Arbor Day, Friday, April 25, 2008, the same day a memorial service was held in her honor in Baltimore.

Mrs. Decker grew up in the Chestnut Ridge area of Baltimore County. She was graduated from Towson High School in 1933 and later took continuing education courses at Goucher College. In 1948, she married Mr. Decker, a director and officer of The Black & Decker Corporation. Over the next 30 years, they traveled on behalf of Black & Decker, visiting 13 countries on five continents. Later, they often hosted the Corporation's directors and officers at Money Point Farm, the Deckers' home on the Sassafras River in Cecil County, until Mr. Decker's death in March 2002.

In addition to her involvement at Washington College, Mrs. Decker served on the Board of Directors of The Keswick Home for years and as a Director of the Johns Hopkins University School of Continuing Studies.

June 3, 2008

Board of Visitors and Governors Approves Tuition Increase for the 2008-2009 Academic Year

Chestertown, MD — Washington College's Board of Visitors and Governors has approved a 5.74 percent increase to the College's tuition and fee schedule for the 2008-2009 academic year. Under the Board's plan, tuition for full-time students will increase by $1,815 to $33,385, while the basic charge for on-campus housing will rise by $200 to $3,650. Basic board fees will increase by $190 to $3,530 and the Student Service Fee will increase by $30 to $620. The total cost for tuition, room, full board, and fees for 2008-2009 will be $41,185.

The 5.74 increase in total costs is somewhat lower than last year's increase of 6.28 percent.

"Like many other institutions, Washington College is feeling the impact of the rising costs for energy and health care on our operating budget," said Baird Tipson, President of the College.

"Even in these tight economic times, we are moving ahead with a number of important projects. Two new student residence halls are scheduled to open for use in time for the fall semester. An expanded and full renovated Gibson Performing Arts Center is expected to reopen this time next year. Finally, a dining pavilion is under construction on campus for student use in academic year 2008-2009, while Hodson Hall is offline for a thorough renovation and expansion. The new Hodson Hall will reopen in August 2009. These state-of-the-art facilities will be a tremendous boon to student life, but they do come with a higher operating cost."

Tipson noted that while the College continually works to offset the actual cost of a college education through fundraising, grant writing, and endowment income, tuition still plays the predominant role in covering the annual costs of maintaining and operating the institution, and Washington College is competitively priced.

"While we advance the College's position as one of the nation's great small liberal arts colleges, we remain competitive in our tuition and room and board costs," Tipson added. "Even after extensive renovations and updates to our residences, our room and board costs are the third lowest among 79 similar institutions. Likewise, our combined tuition, room and board charges fall exactly in the middle when compared to this group of leading liberal arts colleges."

Scholarships and financial aid offset the actual tuition cost by an average of 36 percent. According to the College's financial aid statistics for 2007-2008, 82 percent of students receive merit or need-based institutional aid. When combined with federal, state and private scholarships, grants and loans, Washington College students receive an average award of $16,466 per student.

"Ultimately, parents and students have to weigh these factors against the successful outcomes of the intensively personal and challenging education that Washington College provides," Tipson said. "Our commitment to our students is clear, and our graduates know the benefits for years to come."

March 3, 2008

Baird Tipson Elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities

Washington, D.C. — The membership of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) has selected Baird Tipson, president of Washington College, to the NAICU Board of Directors.

NAICU is the leading national association representing private higher education, serving as the unified voice of nearly 1,000 independent college and university presidents, and specialized, state, and regional association executives. NAICU member institutions enroll nine of every 10 students attending a private college or university in the United States.

Members of NAICU's board of directors set the association's agenda on federal higher education policy; actively encourage support of NAICU priorities and initiatives; and oversee the association's financial administration. Members serve three-year terms.

"Baird Tipson was selected by his peers because of his expertise in the field, proven leadership, and commitment to America's college students," said NAICU President David L. Warren. "He assumes his responsibilities at a time of great challenge and transformation for American higher education."

"The federal budget deficit, growing student financial need, increasingly competitive global economy, and today's culture of accountability are among the dynamics affecting higher education" Warren said.

Tipson has been president of Washington College since 2004. Prior to joining the university he served as president of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He served as President of the North Coast Athletic Conference and as president of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Board. He also is past president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio.

Tipson is currently Chairman of the Centennial Athletic Conference, and is a member of the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, the Independent College Fund of Maryland, and Maryland Independent College and University Assocation.

In addition to serving as President, Tipson also is a professor of religion at Washington College. He and his wife Sarah have two grown children.

January 29, 2008

Washington College President Tipson Joins Nationwide Effort, Signs Climate Commitment Pledge

Chestertown, MD, July 9, 2007 — As part of a nationwide incentive to further the cause of environmental sustainability, Washington College President Baird Tipson has joined with leaders of more than 300 institutions of higher learning in signing the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

Building on the growing momentum for leadership and action on climate change, the Presidents Climate Commitment provides a framework and support for America's colleges and universities to go "climate neutral." With 319 signatories to date, it is a high-visibility effort to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to neutralize greenhouse-gas emissions, and to accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth's climate.

Launched in December 2006, the Commitment recognizes the unique responsibility that colleges and universities have as role models for their communities and in training the people who will develop the social, economic and technological solutions to reverse global warming.

Washington College's signing of the Commitment reflects the increasing momentum of its environmental initiatives, spearheaded by the Center for Environment & Society. Located in the historic Custom House along the Chester River, the Center supports interdisciplinary research and education, exemplary stewardship of natural and cultural resources, and the integration of ecological and social values. Ecologically minded students are active in the Student Environmental Alliance, and the College is gaining renown both regionally and nationally for its "George Goes Green" environmental-sustainability campaign.

In addition to Washington College, other Maryland schools that have signed on to the Commitment are Frostburg State University, Goucher College, Howard Community College, McDaniel College, Mount St. Mary's University and the University of Maryland, College Park.

"When Washington College was approached about participating in this Climate Commitment, we were eager to take part," Tipson said. "With campaigns such as 'George Goes Green,' the students and staff at our Center for Environment & Society had kept the campus community focused on environmentally friendly initiatives, and the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Visitors and Governors had already decided that future campus buildings would meet strict environmental standards. By banding together with colleges and universities across the country, the College becomes part of an initiative that can help direct everyone's attention to the importance of addressing the challenge of global warming."

By signing the Commitment, Tipson has pledged that Washington College will eliminate its greenhouse-gas emissions over time. This major undertaking is fivefold: 1) completing an emissions inventory; 2) within two years, setting a target date and interim milestones for becoming climate neutral; 3) taking immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by choosing from a list of short-term actions; 4) integrating sustainability into the curriculum and making it part of the educational experience; and 5) making the action plan, inventory and progress reports publicly available.

"We, the undersigned presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities, are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects," the Commitment reads. "While we understand that there might be short-term challenges associated with this effort, we believe that there will be great short-, medium- and long-term economic, health, social and environmental benefits, including achieving energy independence for the U.S. as quickly as possible."

Heather Spurrier Joins Washington College Development Team

Chestertown, MD, June 21, 2007 — Washington College is pleased to announce the appointment of Heather Spurrier as Associate Director of Development for Major and Planned Giving.

A graduate of Washington College (Class of 2000), Spurrier also has a J.D. (2003) from the University of Maryland School of Law. She is returning to Chestertown by way of the Rockville-based law firm Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A. As an associate of the firm, she worked on estate planning and administration as well as commercial litigation.

Previously, Spurrier was the Everett Intern at Ashoka, an Arlington, Virginia-based global association of entrepreneurs developing solutions to urgent social problems. There she formulated a step-by-step legal process for implementing shared parks in urban areas, created policy recommendations for city leaders to develop community green space, and encouraged and motivated community members toward that same goal.

"We are all very pleased that Heather has joined the advancement team," said Jeffrey Appel, Director of Development Programs at Washington College. "Her legal background and the fact that she's an alumna of the college make her a perfect fit for this vital role. In addition, she brings a new and exciting perspective to our gift planning program."

Since graduating from Washington College, Spurrier has remained an involved alumna, serving as Alumnae Relations Advisor and Chapter Relations Advisor to Alpha Omicron Pi, and as the Class of 2000 Agent. She also has been a fundraising participant for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and a fundraising organizer for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

"I am excited to once again be a part of the Washington College community," said Spurrier, "and I look forward to working with alumni and friends of the College."

James Manaro Appointed New Senior VP for Finance and Administration of Washington College

Chestertown, MD, May 29, 2007 — Washington College is pleased to announce the appointment of James Manaro as the new Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration.

Manaro, who has more than 30 years' experience in the budgetary/financial field, was chosen after an extensive national search to find a replacement for longtime Washington College finance VP H. Louis Stettler III, who is retiring this summer.

"From the moment of his first encounter with the search committee, Jim Manaro impressed everyone with his vision, energy and good sense," said Washington College President Baird Tipson. "Not only will he draw on his extensive experience, but he will also help us take advantage of the unique opportunities created by our 225-year tradition of education in the liberal arts and by our location in historic Chestertown. Jim will be a worthy successor to Lou Stettler, who retires after a decade of unselfish service."

Manaro most recently has been Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. At Clarkson, Manaro was responsible for the management of $282 million in assets and supervised 155 employees. He also served as treasurer of the Board of Trustees and as liaison for four board committees.

"Washington College is very lucky to attract someone of Jim Manaro's capabilities and background to follow on the fine work of Lou Stettler," said Stephen T. Golding, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration at Cornell University. A Washington College alumnus (Class of 1972), Golding serves on the College's Board of Visitors and Governors, and headed the search committee that ultimately selected Manaro.

"Jim has a demonstrated track record of higher education financial management and administration, and will be an outstanding addition to the superb leadership team President Tipson has assembled to run the College at such an important time in its evolution," Golding said.

Washington College, currently celebrating its 225th anniversary year, has plans in the works for a number of expansion-and-improvement projects, including a renovated and expanded performing arts center, a fully remodeled dining facility, and two additional on-campus student residences.

Manaro earned a baccalaureate of science degree at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a master's degree in public policy and administration from SUNY Stony Brook's Averell Harriman College. After serving as a budget analyst in the Congressional Budget Office, he was Associate Deputy Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, then Financial Manager for the City of San Francisco, and then Assistant to the Vice President for Finance at Yale University. He also served as Vice President for Institutional and Public Finance at the Student Loan Marketing Association ("Sallie Mae") and, prior to helming the finances of Clarkson University, was Vice President for Finance and Treasurer at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania.

"I look forward to working at Washington College, such a prestigious institution," said Manaro. "It's a terrific opportunity for me to be joining the great team established by President Tipson."

Message from President Tipson

Chestertown, MD, April 16, 2007

The terrible news of the shooting rampage at Virginia Tech University has stunned all of us here at Washington College. Our profoundest sympathies go out to our friends and colleagues at Virginia Tech, and our prayers are with the victims and their families.

College Calls for Nominations for President's Medal and Distinguished Service Awards

Deadline for Nominations: November 30, 2006

Chestertown, MD, October 12, 2006 — Baird Tipson, President of Washington College, today called for nominations for the annual President's Medal and the President's Distinguished Service Awards, which recognize employees, as well as community members and organizations, for meritorious service to Washington College and/or Chestertown and the greater Kent County community. The College is accepting nominations until Thursday, November 30, 2006. The award recipients will be honored at the College's George Washington's Birthday Convocation on February 23, 2007.

The President's Medal recognizes the accomplishments of an individual or an organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of Washington College and/or the region. Last year's recipients were Ruth Briscoe, Nancy Dick, Jim Siemen, the Chestertown Volunteer Fire Department, and the Kent Family Center.

The President's Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership, and service by faculty and staff of Washington College. Last year's recipients were Louis Saunders, Joachim Scholz, and Laura Johnstone Wilson.

Nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by the President's Awards Advisory Committee. Please review the rules and criteria below before submitting nominations.

Nomination Rules & Criteria

Individuals may be nominated in either or both award categories. Nominees will be considered for an award only in the category for which they have been nominated. Individuals serving on the Awards

Advisory Committee are not eligible for nomination. Nominations in both categories are due by November 30, 2006. Nominations should include a cover sheet with the following information: (1) the name of the nominee; (2) the award for which the individual or organization is being nominated; and (3) the name of the nominator.

The President's Medal

The recipient of the President's Medal will be an individual or organization with an exemplary record of sustained and acknowledged contribution to the quality of life in Chestertown, Kent County, and/or at Washington College. The candidate's career or organization's work should be distinguished by a dedication to the fulfillment of the ideals represented in the Washington College mission statement and by service to their fellow human beings. Particular emphasis will be placed on contributions that have had a wide-ranging positive influence on Chestertown and the Washington College community.

Eligibility: Any individual or organization may be nominated for the President's Medal. A nominee should have at least five years of demonstrated service.

Nomination Materials: A letter of nomination should be submitted, clearly indicating why the individual or organization should be so honored and how the individual or organization exemplifies the criteria for this award. A résumé, curriculum vitae, or brief background sketch of the nominee should accompany the nomination letter. At least two, but no more than three, seconding letters of nomination may accompany the nomination or may be sent under separate cover. In subsequent years, nominations submitted in the past two years will automatically be reconsidered; however, updated information is encouraged.

President's Distinguished Service Awards

The President's Distinguished Service Awards recognize exceptional performance, leadership, and service by an employee of Washington College. The recipient of this award will have a record of exemplary performance and distinctive contributions to the operation of an administrative, academic, research, or service unit on campus. He or she will have clearly demonstrated initiative toward the improvement of the College's programs or campus activities and will have shown commitment to the campus community as a whole.

Eligibility: Any member of the faculty or staff who has been employed by Washington College for at least five years (in any of one or more capacities) may be nominated for a President's Distinguished Service Award. No more than five awards will be given annually. The awards will be distributed equitably between salaried and hourly employees.

Nomination Materials: A letter of nomination should be submitted, clearly indicating why this individual should be so honored and how the individual exemplifies the criteria for this award. A résumé, curriculum vitae, or brief biographical sketch of the nominee should accompany the nomination letter. At least two, but no more than three, seconding letters of nomination may accompany the nomination or may be sent under separate cover. In subsequent years, nominations submitted in the past two years will automatically be reconsidered; however, updated information is encouraged.

Deadline for Nominations: The deadline for the receipt of nominations and supporting materials for both the President's Medal and President's Distinguished Service Awards is Thursday, November 30, 2006. Nominations or supporting materials received after that date will not be considered.

Nominations should be sent to President's Awards Advisory Committee, c/o President's Office, Washington College, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620.

In Memoriam: Former College President Charles H. Trout

Chestertown, MD, September 27, 2006 — Charles H. "Chuck" Trout, President of Harcum College and former president of Washington College, died on September 27, 2006, of complications from blood cancer. He was 70.

Dr. Trout served as President of Washington College from 1990-1995 and continued to be an active member of the Chestertown community after he assumed the presidency of Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, PA, in 2002.

Officials at Harcum College credit Dr. Trout with revitalizing the two-year college, nearly doubling enrollments and building robust programs in nursing, radiologic technology, sports management and criminal justice, as well as increasing fundraising by seventy-five percent and enhancing facilities with new labs, classrooms, and a dental clinic. He also resurrected Harcum's intercollegiate athletic program.

"Higher education in general and Harcum College in particular has lost a champion," said Dennis S. Marlo, Chair of the Harcum Board of Trustees.

At Washington College, Dr. Trout is remembered for his early recognition that historic Chestertown and the surrounding Chesapeake Bay watershed posed tremendous opportunities for students as "a learning laboratory." The Chesapeake regional studies program he initiated during his tenure was a forerunner of the College's environmental studies major and the Center for the Environment and Society. He also envisioned a center for the study of American history, an idea brought to fruition a decade later with the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience.

Dr. Trout's legacy at Washington College includes a more diversified student body, a sabbatical program for junior faculty, and programs in behavioral neuroscience and gender studies. A sports enthusiast, he was responsible for a number of initiatives that enhanced the intercollegiate athletic experience for undergraduates, especially women. Under his leadership, the College joined the Centennial Conference as a charter member.

His years at Washington College were also marked by a number of important physical changes to the campus—construction of the Benjamin A. Johnson Lifetime Fitness Center, renovation of Hodson Hall, and significant landscaping, including the removal of interior parking.

"Many of Chuck Trout's initiatives have been responsible for some of our greatest successes," current Washington College President Baird Tipson said. "He laid the groundwork for our centers in American history and the environment, and his decision to join the Centennial Conference placed Washington College within a solid group of athletic and academic peers. He cared deeply about diversity issues and was willing to take risks to attract a more diverse student body."

After leaving Washington College, Dr. Trout and his wife Katherine spent a year in Kenya through the Teachers for Africa program. In their time there, Mrs. Trout built the first freestanding primary school library in the Western Highlands and Dr. Trout oversaw the largest school fundraiser in the history of West Kenya, raising enough to bring running water and electricity into the boarding school, build a new academic wing with two large classrooms and a library, construct a new cookhouse, and erect the school's first permanent dormitory.

Educated at Amherst College (B.A.) and Columbia University (M.A. and Ph.D.), Dr. Trout began his teaching career at The Hill School in Pottstown, PA, and The Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. He joined the faculty of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, in 1969, where he became chairman of the history department. While at Mount Holyoke, he was named a National Endowment for the Humanities Senior Fellow and a Charles Warren Fellow at Harvard University. He moved to Colgate University in New York, in 1981, where he served as provost for a decade before assuming the presidency of Washington College.

A social historian, Dr. Trout was the author of Boston, The Great Depression, and the New Deal, as well as dozens of articles, papers and reviews. He was at work on a book about his experiences in Africa at the time of his death.

Dr. Trout was chairman of the board of World Education in Boston and served on the board of Sultana Projects in Chestertown. A gardener, gourmet cook, and avid golfer, Trout will be remembered for his infectious enthusiasm and buoyant spirit. "He was full-steam ahead with everything he did," his wife Katherine said.

In addition to his wife, Katherine Taylor Trout, Dr. Trout is survived by two sons, Nicolas H. Trout of Virginia Beach, VA, and Benjamin C. Trout of South Portland, ME, and a daughter, Katherine D. Griffiths of Cambridge, MA, as well as five grandchildren.

A candlelight vigil in Dr. Trout's honor was held in front of the president's house on the Harcum campus on September 29. A public memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 21, at 10 a.m. at the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 625 Montgomery Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 (www.bmpc.org). There will be a reception immediately following the service at the President's House on the Harcum College campus, located directly across the street from the church.

Board of Visitors and Governors Approves Tuition Increase for the 2006-2007 Academic Year

Chestertown, MD, March 10, 2006 — Washington College's Board of Visitors and Governors has approved a 4.74 percent increase to the College's tuition and fee schedule for the 2006-2007 academic year. Under the Board's plan, tuition for full-time students will increase by $1,410 to $29,640, while the basic charge for on-campus housing will rise by $250 to $3,250. Basic board fees will remain unchanged at $3,200, and the Student Service Fee will be held constant at $560. The total cost for tuition, room, full board, and fees for 2006-2007 will be $36,650.

"We have held back making an increase as large as last year's 7.5 percent but, like many other institutions, Washington College is feeling the impact of the rising costs for energy and utilities on our operating budget," said Baird Tipson, President of the College. "With the opening of the John Toll Science Center during the last year, we have brought more than 40,000-square-feet of new facilities online. In March our newly renovated Dunning-Decker Science Complex will open for classes and research. These state-of-the-art facilities give our students a competitive edge, but they do come with a higher operating cost."

Tipson noted that while the College continually works to offset the true cost of a college education through fundraising, grant writing, and endowment income, tuition still plays a vital role in covering the annual costs of maintaining and operating the institution, and Washington College is competitively priced.

"While we advance the College's position as one of the nation's great small liberal arts colleges, we still remain competitive in our tuition and room and board costs," Tipson added. "Even after extensive renovations and updates to our residences, our room and board costs are in the lowest 10 percent when compared with 100 like-sized institutions. Likewise, our tuition rate falls exactly in the middle when compared to this group of liberal arts colleges."

Scholarships and financial aid also offset the actual tuition cost by nearly 36 percent for a vast majority of Washington College students. According to the College's financial aid statistics for 2005-2006, 85 percent of students receive merit or need-based institutional aid, with an average award of $13,000 per student.

"Ultimately, parents and students have to weigh these factors against the successful outcomes of the intensively personal and challenging education that Washington College provides," Tipson said. "Our commitment to our students is clear, and our graduates know the benefits for years to come."

President's Address to the Kent County Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast

Chestertown, MD, January 16, 2006

Baird Tipson's Speech at the Rock Hall Fire House

[I recognize that the Chester Valley Ministerial Association was moving a little outside-the-box when it asked me to be this morning's speaker. When I told several of my friends that I had been asked to speak, they all said, "oh," and that "oh" meant, "what gives you the credentials to speak about Martin Luther King, Jr.?" So I want to begin by saying how grateful I am to be offered this chance to give the address this morning. I am honored that you have given me your ears, honored to have been asked by the Chester Valley Ministerial Association, and above all honored to have a chance to speak about one of the great Americans of my lifetime, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.]

As we Americans have come together to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, too often we succumb to the temptation to simplify. We think of Dr. King's remarkable "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington, and we imagine that in that speech were contained the hopes and fears of all Americans. We imagine that America recognized in Dr. King someone who could put into words a basic American value: that people should be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. We imagine that citizens and their leaders came to see the light, and that racial discrimination would shortly disappear.

But anyone who looks carefully at the events of those years comes to a different conclusion. Far from being universally admired, Dr. King was under constant attack throughout his lifetime, attack so unremitting that it required his utmost resolve just to continue his work. Yes, the goals he worked for were high goals, but the forces that opposed him were powerful. As we attempt to follow his example, we have to recognize that the struggle continues to be hard and the goals elusive. Like Dr. King, we cannot afford to lose heart.

Let me take us back forty-one years to December, 1964, about a year after the March on Washington [August 28, 1963]. Dr. King has just arrived in Oslo, Norway, to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. It had to be one of the crowning events of his career. Dr. King was not just thefirst African-American to be awarded this honor, he was also the youngest person ever to be receive it. A preacher from the segregated south was speaking to a distinguished audience that included the King and Crown Prince of Norway. But Dr. King did not bask in the glory of the moment. "Why [is] this prize awarded to a movement which is beleaguered and committed to unrelenting struggle," he asked, "a movement which has not won the very peace and brotherhood which is the essence of the Nobel Prize?"

"Only yesterday," he pleaded, "in Birmingham, Alabama, our children, crying out for brotherhood, were answered with fire hoses, snarling dogs and even death... only yesterday in Philadelphia, Mississippi, young people seeking the right to vote were brutalized and murdered." The following day, he concluded his formal Nobel lecture at Oslo University by proclaiming that "mankind's survival is dependent upon man's ability to solve the problems of racial injustice, poverty, and war." These were not the words of a satisfied man. These were not the words of a man who believed that the fight was won, that it would be all downhill from there, that he could now turn his attention to other things. Dr. King understood that there would be no cheap victories, that nothing less than "unrelenting struggle" would be required, and that final success lay many years in the future.

And so it proved. A few weeks before he and his party left for Norway, FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover called Dr. King "the most notorious liar in the country." We know now that Hoover and the FBI conducted persistent behind-the-scenes efforts to discredit Dr. King. Whenever he saw the opportunity, Hoover would send secret reports to politicians, branding Dr. King a communist agitator and dangerous radical. Hoover also deliberately kept the FBI from preventing much of the violence visited upon the civil rights demonstrators by the Ku Klux Klan and its sympathizers. [I personally believe that the abuse of power by the leaders of the FBI during the King era must rank as one of the most disgraceful incidents in American history.]

But King also faced criticism from within the civil rights movement. The student leadership of SNCC and CORE called him too middle-class, too committed to an outmoded strategy of non-violence, too willing to trust white politicians. Those of you who have heard Malcolm X's famous "Speech to the Grassroots" know that Malcolm called Dr. King a dupe of the Kennedys and denounced non-violence as unmanly. [It was on November 24 of that same year that Malcolm X returned from Africa, already denounced as a traitor by Louis Farrakhan and marked for assassination by the Nation of Islam. The assassination came just a few months later.]

For many other African-Americans, on the other hand, including the NAACP, Dr. King was far too radical. Although he was proposed for an honorary degree at Morehouse College, for example, the College declined, because Dr. King had been in jail too often, and giving him a degree might hurt the College's fund-raising.

What about our political leaders? Even after Brown vs. Board of Education, the Eisenhower administration tried to keep aloof from the struggle to achieve equal rights for all Americans. And even though African-American voters were widely credited as having made the difference when they swung to John Kennedy in the 1960 election, Kennedy, too, was careful not to be seen as getting involved. Why? Because both parties were more concerned not to lose the votes of white segregationists in the South than they were to enforce the law. And their concern was not misplaced. It was Democratic support for civil rights, under the leadership of President Lyndon Johnson, that began the process of alienating conservative white southerners and led to the Republican control of the South that we have today. So despite some visible exceptions, Dr. King's urgent requests for protection for civil rights workers usually went unanswered.

Why am I taking us back to 1964? Because I want us to remember that the Dr. King we often like to remember, presiding over a unified civil rights movement and uniting most Americans behind the vision of non-violence and loving those who persecute you, never existed. Dr. King's life was a constant struggle, full of ups and downs, and for every peak—such as the March on Washington or winning the Nobel Peace Prize—there were valleys, when his segregationist opponents or his civil rights critics seemed to get the better of him.

How were things in Kent County? Let me start right at home. For the first one hundred and seventy five years of its history, Washington College was a segregated institution. Shortly after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision, in 1954, The New York Times asked college presidents across the country when they expected real desegregation to be effected in their region. President Daniel Gibson responded "in 100 years," or in any case "no sooner than 50 years." The first African-American student, Thomas Morris, was not admitted until 1958, after faculty members put pressure on a reluctant Board, and the number of African-American graduates by 1967 can be counted on the fingers of one hand (One of these graduates, Dale Adams, '65, is now on our Board of Visitors and Governors, as is Norris Commodore, '73, who grew up right here in Kent County).

On the other hand, when the "Freedom Riders" come to Chestertown in the mid-sixties (especially from Quaker schools like Swarthmore and Haverford), they were welcomed by some students and members of the faculty. The community reaction was more mixed; Pat Vickers Smith remembers that her sheriff father advised people to avoid getting involved with "outsiders"; and although resistance never reached the level it did further south, some local citizens did react violently by assaulting those who were marching to protest segregation in public accommodations, leading to at least two criminal trials. The movie theatre was still segregated late into the 1960s, and the Kent County schools were among the last in the country to integrate. Segregation died hard in Kent County.

This slow pace should not surprise us. Citizens of the Eastern Shore have always been especially cautious to accept ideas from "outsiders." When the Governor of Maryland, J. Millard Tawes, called a special session of the Maryland legislature to consider a bill that would outlaw racial discrimination in inns, hotels, and restaurants, the entire Eastern Shore delegation lined up in opposition.

So I give you a picture of a Dr. King who was constantly being attacked, openly and secretly, by white segregationalists, by less moderate African-Americans, by more moderate African-Americans and whites, and by the federal government. How did he persevere?

Let's ask first what Dr. King wanted. What was the goal of the "Civil Rights Movement," as Dr. King understood it? Some of you might answer, "integration," but that's not quite true. Dr. King himself was more likely to speak of equal justice for all Americans, the dignity of every person, and self-respect.

When asked in what areas of life unequal treatment persisted, he was most likely to answer, in jobs, housing, schools, voting, and access to public accommodations (hotels, restaurants). Remember his Nobel Prize speech. Dr. King did not confine his remarks to "racial injustice," he was just as concerned with poverty and war. Dr. King did not come late to side with the poor, nor was his outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War inconsistent with his larger message. He always saw the connection between poverty and lack of opportunity. So Dr. King never dreamed that a single event—passing a civil rights bill, electing a certain person, something like winning the Super Bowl—would mean victory. He imagined a protracted struggle, and he believed he would be killed long before the end.

If we want to imagine Dr. King's dream for Kent County, I think it would look something like this. I believe Dr. King would certainly want all of us to respect each other, to be kind to one another, and in a Christian way, to love each other.

[I have to admit to you that it has been very difficult for me to prepare for this talk. Not because of the time to do the research; I enjoy history, and I was pleased to have a reason to go back and learn even more about Dr. King and the civil rights movement. No, it's been emotionally difficult. I think I've been depressed for the past several weeks, and I'm sure my family and my co-workers have been wondering why I seem so low in my mind. It's because I'm ashamed, ashamed that so many of my fellow Americans during the King years could have been so cruel, so just plain mean, mean to people who were acting with Christian non-violence simply to gain justice and respect, and ashamed that the rest of us didn't do more to help. I wonder, as Dr. King must have done, whether his faith in white Christians was misplaced, whether all their belief was ultimately hollow.]

But I know it wouldn't have been enough for him to know that we were all just friends. He'd ask about our schools: do all students, children of recent immigrants as well as long-timers, black as well as white, succeed at the same rate? He'd be pleased that anyone can stay in any hotel or eat in any restaurant, but can everyone afford those hotels and those restaurants? He'd want to know whether good jobs are available to everyone, whether anyone can succeed with enough hard work. He'd want to know whether everyone had access to good, affordable health care. I can't believe that Dr. King would be pleased that the gentrification of Chestertown has forced many low- and moderate-income people, black and white, to live elsewhere because they can't find affordable housing.

So I can't imagine that Dr. King would say that the Civil Rights Movement was over in Kent County, and I hope we wouldn't, either. But would he have let his disappointment overcome him? Would he have thrown in the towel? No one who has studied Dr. King's life can say that he would. Because Dr. King's personal struggle was fueled by convictions that lay deep in his soul. These convictions often found expression in words drawn from his seminary and graduate study, but they were rooted in his experience in the African-American church. In other words, Dr. King's struggle was a deeply Christian struggle. I want to conclude by holding up three Christian principles that governed his struggle.

First, and most famous, was his commitment to non-violence. Yes, this was a tactic, learned from Mohandas Ghandi, a Hindu, a strategy to force oppressors to confront their own behavior and to expose it to the world. But Dr. King made it thoroughly Christian. It was Jesus who said, "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you [Matt. 5:43]."

Second, even more deeply Christian, was his belief in redemptive sacrifice. Those struggling for the good would be called to suffer, should expect to suffer, but through that suffering would come healing. Dr. King endured hardship, jail, and arrest because he believed that through these experiences he and those around him would further God's purpose to heal the nation.

Third, Dr. King believed in God's providence, that God had a purpose not only for his own life but for all of history, and that God's purposes could only be good. On those occasions, and there were many, when Dr. King was tempted to lose hope, he would fall back on his belief that in some way known only to God, things were working together for good.

Dr. King was no fundamentalist; he would be much too liberal for today's "Christian right," and one does not have to be Christian to share these convictions. But he did believe that all Christians, white and black, would come to see that his struggle was at its heart deeply Christian, that they would come to identify with it, and together all people of faith—Christian and non-Christian—would continue the struggle. Thank you.

C. V. Starr Center Director Ted Widmer Accepts New Position at John Carter Brown Library

Chestertown, MD, January 12, 2006

Message from President Tipson

As some of you might have heard by now, Ted Widmer has resigned his position as Director of the C. V. Starr Center, effective June 30, 2006, to accept the position of Director and Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library, located at Brown University. The John Carter Brown Library is an internationally renowned collection of primary historical sources pertaining to the early history of the Americas, serving scholars from all over the U.S. and abroad. Though I am very sorry to see Ted leave Washington College, I understand why he would view this as a unique opportunity to pursue his work in early American history and to return to his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.

In the just-released C.V. Starr Center newsletter, Ted describes the difficulty of his decision to leave and his affection for Washington College:

"When I think of Washington College and Chestertown, I often feel sorry for my colleagues at bigger universities. No institution is perfect, but in many ways this small college and town felt like an academic paradise, closer to the contemplative spirit that colleges were supposed to encourage when they were first created, a Virgilian Arcadia just far enough away from Washington to be interesting. The Starr Center has tried hard to reflect in new ways on the old ideas at the center of our national experience, and I feel enormous pride in our achievement."

Ted has assured me that his relationship with Washington College will not end with his departure. In addition to helping us locate good candidates for his successor, Ted is envisioning cooperative projects that would help deepen the network of support for Washington College and the C. V. Starr Center. He has offered to serve on the Center's advisory board and will certainly return as a frequent visitor.

As inaugural director, Ted has laid a solid foundation for the C. V. Starr Center. Thanks to his efforts, Washington College is off and running as an important locus for the study and celebration of the American experience. I am immensely grateful for his dedication to that task and know you will join me in wishing Ted, Mary, and Freddy all the best in their new home.

We will begin a national search as quickly as possible to identify a successor for Ted. Provost and Dean Joachim Scholz will chair the search committee.

Christopher Ames Appointed New Provost and Dean of the College

Chestertown, MD, January 6, 2006

Message from President Tipson

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Christopher Ames as our new Provost and Dean of the College. Dr. Ames, who is currently the Provost and Senior Vice President at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, will bring significant experience and expertise in both teaching and administration to Washington College. He will begin his new position on July 1.

In an exceptionally strong pool of candidates, Christopher Ames stood out. We are eager to welcome him and his wife, Lauren, to Chestertown.

A graduate of the University of Texas-Austin with a Ph.D. in English literature from Stanford, Dr. Ames has had a long academic career distinguished by numerous awards and fellowships and by the publication of two books and many articles on twentieth-century literature and film. At Oglethorpe he worked hard to achieve gender and racial diversity within the faculty while elevating scholarly expectations and opportunities for development and collaborative research. He also served as a policy-maker, participating in campus master planning, marketing and campaign strategy, board development, and residential life issues.

Prior to his arrival at Oglethorpe in 2001, Dr. Ames was the Charles A. Dana Professor of English at Agnes Scott College. In addition to a fifteen-year teaching career there, Dr. Ames ran the Agnes Scott Writers' Festival, bringing authors such as John Updike, Jamaica Kincaid, and Joyce Carol Oates to campus.

"I am thrilled to be joining the faculty and administration of Washington College," Dr. Ames said in accepting the appointment. "Washington College has impressed me as an excellent liberal arts college with a truly distinctive character that takes advantage of its history, its location and its strong faculty. I look forward to working with President Tipson and the faculty to implement the new strategic plan and to enhance the college's strengths and national reputation."

I commend the Search Committee for their tireless dedication to the important task of finding a successor for Dean and Provost Scholz. Joachim has done a masterful job and will be a difficult act to follow. I feel certain Dr. Ames is up to the challenge.