May 7, 2019: Spring Board of Trustees Update

Dear Colleagues,

I write to share with you a summary of our annual spring Board of Trustees meeting, which took place on campus and concluded on Friday, April 26. My thanks to our faculty colleagues who participated in the various committee meetings.

During the Board meeting, the trustees engaged in a two-hour discussion about the University’s Strategic Plan, carefully reviewing and discussing the draft plan that the faculty endorsed on April 16. Following those conversations, the trustees voted unanimously to approve the plan without modifications.

I want to express again my gratitude to all of those who dedicated a significant amount of time and energy to the strategic planning process. As I look back at our early iterations of the plan in comparison to what has now been endorsed by the faculty and approved by the Board, it’s quite impressive to see how it evolved and strengthened throughout the past year. That’s a testament to the deep engagement from so many faculty, staff and students, including those who challenged the University to be bolder and even more aspirational. I look forward to our continued collective efforts as we develop the processes by which we will execute the plan.

Among the most significant pieces of regular business addressed each year during our spring meeting is the adoption of the University’s budget. The Board approved the fiscal year 2019-20 budget, which takes effect July 1. Budget managers will be able to review approved budgets for their respective areas in Workday in mid to late June. As previously communicated, the 2019-20 budget includes an overall increase of 2% to the University’s faculty and staff compensation pools and a 0.5% increase to the compensation pool to be used for promotions and market adjustments.

Once again, a number of areas across the University had to reduce operating, capital and/or personnel expenses to achieve a balanced budget. As we’ve discussed a number of times, including throughout the strategic planning process, to meet our aspirations and thrive in an increasingly competitive environment, our current financial model is not sustainable. While the adoption of a new financial plan, as articulated in the Strategic Plan, will guide our resource allocations and strategic investments, we must remain committed to staying within the approved University budget and exercise fiscal restraint. An extensive report from Planning & Budget that will soon be released provides significant context for this year’s budget and our financial challenges more broadly.

The Board also engaged in a conversation regarding the University’s adjudication processes for addressing potential violations of the Student Code of Conduct and Sexual Misconduct policy so that it could better understand Bucknell’s efforts to uphold its expectations for members of our community and to seek to protect the health and well-being of our students.

I was able to announce to the Board that we have secured a significant seven-figure endowment to support programs within Student Affairs. We will use these funds for health, wellness and leadership development programs for our students, such as the Outdoor Education & Leadership program, which recently hired a new director and is now searching for an assistant director. To honor the donors, Lance and Julie (Crenson) Fritz, both from the Class of 1985, the Dean of Students position will henceforth be named the Fritz Family Dean of Students. We believe that this is only the third endowed position for a chief student affairs officer in the country.

Vice President for Enrollment Management Bill Conley led a productive discussion around the recruitment of the next class, the Class of 2023. Applications were down about 4% from the previous year but still well above five years ago. We will have a firm accounting of the class within the next few weeks.

Bill also provided an overview of the University’s five-year test-optional pilot policy, which will begin with the class applying for enrollment in fall 2020. There will be helpful information on our website to assist students in deciding whether or not to submit their scores. In light of the recent admissions scandals that have impacted other institutions, Bill provided a summary of the checks and balances in place at Bucknell as they relate to admitting student-athletes. Allow me to take this opportunity to mention that Bill was invited to discuss these and related issues on WITF’s “Smart Talk” radio program. You can listen to the interview by visiting our Bucknell in the News page.

The session closed with an overview of retention trends and Bill’s observations that our opportunities to increase retention are two-fold: 1) reducing the number of students permanently departing after their first year and 2) ensuring those on requested or required leave are supported in their return to Bucknell.

I am happy to report that that Board elected six new trustees: Frank Davis ’82, P’13; Annie Drapeau ’88; Alexandra Jung ’92; Bridget LaCroix ’09; Jordy Leiser ’06; and Scott Perricelli ’94. Their terms will begin July 1. You will note that this is a particularly large class of new trustees and that includes a number of more recent graduates. Additionally, current trustees Brenda Earl ’81, Erika Stanat ’90 and Robin Zafirovski ’79, P’09 have been approved for new five-year terms effective July 1 and David Maurrasse was approved to serve until June 30, 2022, when he reaches 15 years of trustee service. The Board also voted to elect to emeritus status Ken Freeman ’72, who served on the Board for 17 years, including nine as chair. As I noted previously, Laura Kinney ’81, Larry Klock ’69 and Nancy Prial ’80 will conclude their time on the Board effective June 30. They will be eligible for emeritus status in July 2020, pending a vote of the Board. To each of these trustees, I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude for their loyal service to Bucknell.

As we do each spring, we also held our annual Faculty Recognition Dinner, which is one of my favorite events of the year. I know our trustees look forward to the evening as well and they appreciate the opportunity to join us in recognizing the outstanding achievements of our faculty colleagues.

This year, we celebrated the promotion of 21 faculty colleagues who either received tenure or achieved the rank of full professor effective with the start of the fall semester of academic year 2019-20. Congratulations to the following individuals for earning tenure:

  • A. Matthew Amthor, Assistant Professor of Physics & Astronomy
  • Song Chen, Assistant Professor of East Asian Studies
  • Van T. Cyr, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
  • Abby Flynt, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
  • Anna Kell, Assistant Professor of Art & Art History
  • Jeffrey Langford, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
  • Heidi Lorimor, Assistant Professor of Linguistics
  • Chinelo Okparanta, Assistant Professor of English
  • Anna Paparcone, Assistant Professor of Italian
  • Or Rogovin, Assistant Professor of Modern Hebrew Language
  • Andrew Stuhl, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
  • Mizuki Takahashi, Assistant Professor of Biology
  • Allen Tran, Assistant Professor of Sociology & Anthropology

And to the following colleagues for promotion to full professor:

  • Matthew D. Bailey, Associate Professor of Analytics & Operations
  • Elisabeth Guerrero, Associate Professor of Spanish
  • Timothy Raymond, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
  • Nathan C. Ryan, Associate Professor of Mathematics
  • Linda Smolka, Associate Professor of Mathematics
  • Janice M. Traflet, Associate Professor of Accounting & Financial Management
  • Joseph V. Tranquillo, Associate Professor of Biomedical and Electrical Engineering
  • Peter R. Wilshusen, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies

I am pleased to share that the Board also confirmed the tenure and appointment as a full professor for Elisabeth Mermann-Jozwiak, our incoming provost. We look forward to officially welcoming Elisabeth to Bucknell in July.

We also took time to recognize and thank 11 faculty colleges who are retiring from Bucknell, including:

  • Maurice Aburdene, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Mark S. Bettner, Professor of Management
  • Charles Clapp, Professor of Chemistry
  • Richard Fleming, Professor of Philosophy
  • James Hutton, Associate Professor of Mathematics
  • Craig Kochel, Professor of Geology
  • Saundra Morris, Professor of English
  • Robert Needham, Associate Professor of Management Practice
  • James Orbison, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • John Rickard, Professor of English
  • Harold Schweizer, Professor of English

Their contributions have helped shape our University and inspire generations of graduates.

We also paused during the evening to show our gratitude to Interim Provost Robert Midkiff. It is impossible to quantify the ways in which Bucknell is stronger today due to Robert’s leadership and tireless dedication to Bucknell. He was instrumental in several significant advancements throughout the past year, including the creation and endorsement of the Strategic Plan. On behalf of the Bucknell community, I extend my sincere gratitude to him and I look forward to his continued leadership and partnership moving forward.

In closing, with the end of the academic year upon us and Commencement less than two weeks away, I know the demands on your time are great and I thank you for all that you do for our students. Our work to create an even stronger, more distinct Bucknell continues in earnest — work that I look forward to engaging in together.

My best,

John