Unreleased campus master plan is approved; 3 professors get tenure
Last weekend, the Swarthmore Board of Managers gave three professors tenure and five promotions, approved the 2014-2015 budget and approved the as-yet unreleased campus master plan. The approved budget includes funding for plans to increase student charges by three percent and increase the size of the student body by 20 students to 1,450.
The board approved an operating budget of $137.7 million for the upcoming 2014-2015 fiscal year, up from $128.1 million this fiscal year and $124.3 million in 2011-2012. This is consistent with a steady increase for the past ten years — in 2005-2006, the college’s total expenditures were $106.4 million.
To account for this, student charges in 2014-2015 will increase three percent from $57,870 to $59,610, the budget summary reports. Tuition will increase from $44,368 to $ $45,700,* the student activities fee will increase from $350 to $360, and room and board will increase from $6,748 and $6,404 to $6,950 and $6,600, respectively. The board states that it is committed to serving students from all economic backgrounds. Accordingly, no changes to the college’s financial aid policy, summer earnings contributions or term-time work should be expected.
The expected enrollment next year is 1,450 students, up from 1,432 this year and 1,414 in 2010. According to the board’s budget summary, the college is hoping for 405 first-year students and 10 transfer students next fall for an increase of 20 students.
While the increased expenditure reflects a larger student body, it is also a six percent increase in expenditure per student. Total college expenditures will increase from $89,455 per student in 2013-2014 to $94,965 in 2014-2015, according to figures provided by the college.
According to the budget summary, some of the increases in spending will go to facilities capital projects, which will now be back at pre-2008 levels after a three-year freeze and a slow recovery. The college is currently planning a number of large construction projects, including a new science building, the Town Center West inn and restaurant complex, and the Quaker Matchbox fitness/theater building already under construction next to the Ware Pool. In addition, to house the larger student body, the planned Dana/Hallowell connection will add space for 70 to 75 more students. The board has allocated a total of $10.8 million for capital expenditures over the next year, with $9.3 million reserved for facilities projects and $1.1 million for technology capital projects.
The increased budget also makes room for four new tenure track positions, new staff positions for “student life program needs” and to meet Margolis Healy’s recommendations, new Title IX and Clery Act programs. The budget summary also reports that faculty and staff salary increases are “expected to meet compensation goals,” with “no significant changes in benefits […] anticipated.”
In addition to the approved budget, three professors were granted tenureship and five were promoted to full professorship.
Rachel Buurma ’99, English, Andrew Danner, computer science and Daniel Grodner, psychology, were promoted to the title of associate professor with continuous tenure. Professors Amanda Bayer, economics, David Cohen, astronomy, Tia Newhall, computer science, Sunka Simon, German studies and film and media studies, Thomas Whitman ’82, music, were all promoted to the title of full professor.
*This number was edited from $44,500 to reflect a correction made to the college’s budget summary.
