Nov. 30, 2006

A letter from the president

Dear Marietta College Students:

I know that this is a very busy time for you. I remember the stresses I felt as a student at this time of the semester, and my great relief when finals were over. Looking back, I also recall moments of study when the threads of courses came together and the big picture emerged, bringing new levels of understanding that made all of the work worthwhile. I wish for each of you such moments, and much success on finals exams and papers. Let me say that I am very sorry that my travels for the College prevent me from participating in the midnight breakfast this year, but I will be thinking of you.

The end of the semester and the calendar year provide time for reflection, and I would like to share with you briefly some of my thoughts about the state of Marietta College and of that community of which each of us is a part. It is customary to say that the state of the college is good, and I am glad that I can say that with a clear conscience. Let me give you five reasons for my pride in Marietta College and in our accomplishments together this year.

First, Marietta College is a place where teaching and learning are central, and fall 2006 provides many examples of that. We expanded our learning communities program to allow students and faculty to make connections across disciplines and courses. We organized a January term that will offer opportunities to learn in different environments and to consider such subjects as the nature of good and evil and the roles of gender in the workplace. Students who made the commitment of time and effort to produce investigative studies projects or participate in the McDonough Center’s Executive in Residence Communications Challenge demonstrated to us all the excellence that is achieved here. Forensics students, athletes, and musicians opened new worlds to us through their talents and represented Marietta College with skill and dignity. All of you who participated in these and other campus activities have made this a vital and interesting community.

Second, the new library is moving from dream to reality. We have the design, the expectation of groundbreaking commencement weekend, and much of the money we need to provide a modern, technologically sophisticated and comfortable library and center for teaching excellence that will serve you and generations of students well.

While it is sometimes frustrating that my travels fundraising for this and other projects take me away from campus so frequently, I know that those travels help build a bright future for our college and our community.

Third, the rediscovery of the Ohio Company deeds in the special collections of our library reminds us of the history and heritage of this College. Being part of something greater than ourselves, a city that has a spe cial place in our country’s history and a College that through the Long Blue Line connects generations of men and women to an idea, an experience, and a community is indeed special. You are building your memories and connections now, and they will endure.

Fourth, through careful management, ongoing fundraising, and investment of the endowment, we continue to secure the present and future of the College. We live within our budget, and we find ways to invest in such initiatives as the learning communities. We sometimes have to make difficult choices, and each of us can think of something we would like that we haven’t yet been able to fund, but we continue to move forward. The administration and the Board of Trustees feel a deep obligation to be sure that the education you receive is worth more than you pay, that we are able to provide appropriate financial aid, and that we continue to improve.

Fifth, we are working to address some problems that have arisen this year. While I am not proud of the problems, I welcome the opportunities to learn and to move forward that they present. We were disappointed that a higher percentage than usual of last year’s freshmen elected not to return to Marietta College this year. Through your response to an on-line survey, many of you helped us understand why you chose to stay at Marietta College, and we are using that information as well as direct contact with students who may be at risk of not returning to improve the College’s performance. Increasing our graduation rate is one of the goals of Higher Ground, our strategic plan, and we will devote time and resources to making progress in this area. I have also made it a priority to create a community that is welcoming to and supportive of students from diverse backgrounds, and have commissioned the committee on student life and athletics to make recommendations in that area.

Fall 2006 has been a time of progress and achievement at Marietta College. The biggest accomplishments are the personal, quiet ones that you have made in your classes and in your personal development, and we celebrate those as deeply and sincerely as the big gifts or the high-profile projects that move the whole College forward. We know that there will be challenges and setbacks in the institution’s life as there are in each individual’s experience, and that our success will be measured by the way in which we meet those challenges. I look forward to working with you next semester, and to the progress we will make together.

Best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season.

Jean A. Scott
President