At the end of October, the office of President Val Smith released their current draft of Swarthmore’s next strategic plan entitled “Sustainable Swarthmore”. This plan outlines four broad goals for the college’s future: “build a rigorous and transformative liberal arts education for
The admissions decisions mailed out by the college last week mark a decrease in applications to the college and a dip in selectivity for the class of 2018. While applications from the college steadily increased from 6,547 in 2011 to 6,614 in
According to the college staff reports, in 2011 the college employed 699 full-time employees. Of these, according to Director of Institutional Research Robin Huntington Shores, 242 were full-time professional administrators, while only 162 were tenured and on-track faculty members at the college.
In keeping with its reputation as a leading liberal arts college, Swarthmore announced its intention to create a new Institute for the Liberal Arts in its strategic plan, which came out in December 2011. Barely a year later, the college has secured
This past Tuesday afternoon, Swarthmore administrators and Strategic Planning Council Members gathered in the Scheuer Room to present their developing nascent ideas for the “Campus Master Plan” to an open student forum Swarthmore students and to receive feedback from the forum. The
One of the most admirable aspects of the final Strategic Directions document is its emphasis on core values and Swarthmore’s culture. The Strategic Plan bases its concrete recommendations on an identification of Swat’s core values in Rebecca Chopp’s words: “Our singular commitment
In previous columns covering the Strategic Directions plan released this winter, I have focused on the problems and weaknesses of the strategic plan, from the lack of a community center to the inclination towards boosting Swarthmore’s ranking over more substantive changes. However,
At the Olympics, few athletes compete for the Bronze medal. There is no question that a Bronze medal is a high honor, and Olympians who return home can be justly proud of a third place finish. But the true goal has always
One of the most interesting, and potentially controversial, aspects of the Strategic Plan is the suggestion that Swarthmore slowly increase its student population by about 200 students over a span of many years. The increased revenue from students would allow for increased
Jackhammers, nail guns and saws will fill the campus soundscape this summer. Swarthmore is planning a series of construction projects that will update Worth Health Center, Parrish Hall, the Lang performing Arts Center, Hicks Hall and Papazian Hall. The projects are part
