Washington College President Mitchell Reiss hosted a small dinner for community leaders in Hodson Hall on March 31 to discuss the state of Washington College and community involvement.
It is hard to believe that I am completing my ninth month as President of Washington College. Elisabeth and I are enormously grateful for the warmth and generosity with which we have been welcomed by this community.
While I have been busy focusing on the College, its faculty, staff, students, and alumni, Elisabeth has met many of you at the Hynson-Ringgold House, been seen riding alongside Margo Bailey in the Chestertown Halloween Parade, and dancing in Horizon’s Dance with the Stars contest at the Kent School. These are the types of events that make living in Chestertown such a delight.
Before coming to Washington College, I thought I had a good sense of what makes this institution so special. Each day, in small ways and large, I find additional evidence that attest to the College’s strengths and growing distinction. If you will permit me a moment to boast, I would like to highlight a few of these for you. Last fall:
• Washington College welcomed its largest and most diverse freshman class in the school’s 228-year history. The class of 2014 had the highest high school GPA and the most impressive SAT/ACT profile in a decade. Forty percent were members of the National Honor Society, and 25 percent of our in-state students were recognized as Maryland Distinguished Scholars.
• Three Washington College alumnae were among the 24 educators chosen by their districts as Maryland’s 2010 Teachers of the Year. Many of these teachers got their start right here in Kent County as a part of Washington College’s partnership in teacher education with Kent County Public Schools.
• The Princeton Review declared Washington College to be one of the best schools in the nation. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named Washington College one of the 100 best values among private liberal arts colleges in the nation for 2010-2011. And Washington College rose 19 positions in the 2011 edition of the U.S. News & World Report annual Best Colleges rankings and was in the top ten of the nation’s “Up-and-Coming” liberal arts colleges.
• A study by the National Science Foundation determined that Washington College ranked #24 in the nation in terms of per capita production of undergraduates who go on to earn degrees in engineering or PhDs in the sciences – ahead of other fine institutions such as Brown, Duke, Amherst, Carnegie Mellon, Franklin & Marshall and U.C. Berkeley.
In addition to having a growing profile nationally, the College has an impact locally as well. We are home to 1,400 students, employ 490 staff, and have a total operating budget in excess of $50 million. A conservative estimate of the impact of Washington College’s payroll and other spending on the economies of Chestertown, Kent County, and the State of Maryland is $125 million per year.
A recent survey of students, faculty, and staff reveals that an estimated 28,000 hours was performed with local schools and non-profit organizations over the past year. This translates into 450, forty-hour workweeks of volunteer service devoted to people and causes in our community.
Washington College has weathered the recent economic downturn in relatively good shape. Although we have a dozen staff positions that remain vacant through attrition, no employee lost their job involuntarily. Similarly, although we have not provided across-the-board salary adjustments in the past two years, no employee has seen their take home pay reduced as a result of mandatory furloughs or increases in the cost of health insurance. Our decision to preserve the jobs and pay of our employees came at the cost of reductions in a number of College programs and initiatives. At all times, we strived to protect our workforce and preserve the educational experience of our students. At the same time, we have absorbed the debt service, depreciation, and operating costs associated with four major capital projects representing 183,000 gross square feet of new construction at a cost of more than $60 million. Throughout these trying years, we have maintained balanced budgets. We are a strong and vibrant employer, we believe we are a good and constructive neighbor, and we look forward to growing with Chestertown and Kent County well into the future.
Looking to the future, we anticipate our gradual growth in student enrollment will reach 1,500 as early as this fall, and then perhaps grow larger in the following years. To support this enrollment, we have authorized three new faculty hires and six new staff hires for fiscal year 2012, with comparable hires likely in fiscal year 2013. Growth projections would mean the hiring of at least 25 additional faculty and 40 or more additional support staff members. Combined, our projections are that the College’s full-time employment could grow by 20 percent or more over the next decade.
As we anticipate this larger enrollment and workforce, we are exploring options to provide the necessary offices, classrooms, and residence hall space. An important first step will be the acquisition of the Kent County Board of Education property. We thank the County Commissioners for accepting our offer, and we look forward to finalizing this transaction in the near future. We anticipate constructing a new building of a similar size and scale to the current building on the existing footprint. The open space along Campus Avenue and Philosopher’s Terrace will provide much needed recreational field space, as the College’s master plan calls for future construction of student residence halls on existing recreational field space on the main campus. When not in use for College purposes, we expect to make this field space available for community recreational purposes. We envision this project enhancing the streetscape of Washington Avenue and adding long-term stability for this neighborhood.
The College is also poised to be a major contributor to the efforts within Chestertown to breathe new life into the waterfront. Just as the Town is contemplating the future of the Chestertown Marina, the College’s recent acquisition of the Alger Oil and Crop Production Services properties permit us to extend this rejuvenation of the waterfront beyond Wilmer Park toward Radcliffe Creek. We envision building a new College boathouse and at least one other facility on this property. Before these plans can proceed, however, the College must address the brownfield issues of petroleum and other chemical hazards that remain on these sites from the previous users. This remediation work will be completed by next winter. It is likely that the boathouse will be the first phase of this project.
We are also anxious to see the rails-to-trails project completed, as we see this as a safe and convenient way for students to run or bike to our waterfront campus. We have been working with Bill Ingersoll to apply gentle pressure on State officials to secure the necessary approvals for the project.
We hope that the College’s next major capital project will be a $6 million renovation to Miller Library. I will have a better sense of whether this is feasible in a few days, after the State legislature has completed its budget deliberations. This project will fully update the HVAC system for the building, as well as create new spaces for academic support services and group student project work. The first phase would be to install a geo-thermal field under the Campus Green this summer. Next summer, we would hopefully complete the work on the inside of the facility.
There is little doubt that we find ourselves in very challenging times. My colleagues and I follow the discussions of Town, County, and State budgets and marvel at the challenges that confront our elected officials. We appreciate all that you do to sustain and strengthen the quality of life within Chestertown and Kent County that has long made this such a hospitable setting for our nation’s first college.
I am optimistic regarding our collective future. The College is in healthy financial shape and remains a vital educational institution. We are committed to working with the leadership of Chestertown and Kent County to build an even brighter future for us all.
John Murray says
There is no doubt that Washington College is the jewel in the crown of Chestertown. The College is a major employer and a wonderful partner in the enhancement of Chestertown and Kent County. Thanks are due to all the staff of the College and the students who make strong contributions to the life of this community.
Steve Payne says
Some of the Drama students came and helped the Prince Theatre Playmakers put on some Freeze Improv in front of the theatre last Friday night. It was Cold too!.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He_5IxUA3vc
Hugh Silcox says
Who could have foretold that President Reiss’s vision for the College’s relationship with Chestertown included rejection of the town as a suitable venue for awarding the nation’s largest undergraduate prize?