President Conner and administrators brief College staff

During the final staff meeting of the fall semester, Skidmore staff received important updates on the Campus Master Planning process, the College’s endowment, a likely COVID-19 booster vaccination policy for employees, and the winter flexible work benefit, among other topics. 

To open the meeting on Friday, Dec. 3, President Marc Conner expressed his gratitude to all staff for their efforts during a challenging but remarkable fall semester. “One thing I’m particularly proud of for this fall is we have done more than just keep things going, we have moved things forward — important things for our campus, for our students, for the College — in so many ways.” 

One of the biggest areas for progress has been in Campus Master Planning, he noted. 

Amber Wendland from the architectural firm Ayers Saint Gross shared an update on that process, which has now entered the design stage, in the “envision and test” phase. In three sessions for faculty, staff, and students held on Monday, Dec. 6, the firm presented specific ideas for campus changes that could be implemented both in the near future and over the next 10 to 20 years, including building projects, new housing, and potential reorganization of spaces. 

Wendland also outlined the six planning principles that are guiding the process — integration, flexibility, belonging, wellness, humility, and stewardship — and the main objective for scenarios, “to prioritize the student experience and academic success while being fiscally responsible and upholding sustainable development practices by using resources effectively.” The slides she shared during the meeting have been posted to the Campus Planning webpage. 

Well over 250 participants have engaged in the process so far, in dozens of forums for the entire campus community, meetings with targeted stakeholders, briefings with leadership, and conversations with members of the local community, Wendland said. For those who have not yet had the opportunity to weigh in, now is a great time to get involved, she said, as the process moves toward the drafting of a final plan. Invitations to future forums will continue to be shared via email.  

President Conner provided an update on the College’s endowment, which is currently valued at approximately $500 million, up $200 million from a decade ago. The one-year return for FY’21 was over 40%; to put that in perspective, one-year returns for the past 10 years have fluctuated from a loss of 3% to a gain of over 40%. Endowment per student currently stands at about $200,000, and endowment spending for FY’21 is approximately $20 million, each an impressive improvement from the previous year. 

Conner emphasized that when reviewing investment options, the College seeks diverse investment managers. Investment selection is based on factors that include performance, principles of environmental, social, and governance (ESG), diversity, and manager experience. 

While investment returns have been encouraging, there has been little in the way of major gifts to the endowment, Conner noted, which is the best way to grow an endowment over time, he said. 

Interim Human Resources Director Sarah Delaney Vero, on behalf of the COVID-19 Logistics Working Group, announced that the College will most likely require that all employees receive the COVID-19 booster shot once they become eligible, in line with the Centers for Disease Control recommendation.  

An official policy will soon be distributed to all employees that will specify timing of the requirement and the process for submitting proof. Exemptions for medical reasons and sincerely held religious beliefs will once again be considered. 

Vero also discussed the winter flexible work benefit, originally shared in an email to employees on Nov. 24. “This was created in response to you,” she said. “It’s a pilot program, and I do encourage both employees and supervisors to be creative and collaborative in developing flexible work options that work best for their department or program.” 

The policy will apply during the period between Dec. 13 and Jan. 21, and eligible employees seeking a flexible work arrangement are asked to submit a written request to their supervisor and/or department head using the Winter Flexible Work Request form. 

Following our return to full on-campus operations on Jan. 24, HR will survey employees on the benefits and barriers experienced and will use that information to consider further development of the flexible work arrangement at Skidmore, Vero said. 

President Conner also provided an update on the search for a new vice president of communications and marketing. The search committee has been formed, the search firm Storbeck has been selected, a job ad and description will soon be posted, and campus visits and an appointment are expected by the spring.  

In addition, he reminded staff that Skidmore Cares is this week, Dec. 6-10; he welcomed all the new employees on the call; and he offered best wishes for the winter break. “I hope you can find a little time for self-care and some contemplation. Think about what we’ve done and what is to come,” President Conner said before sharing a few lines of poetry from William Wordsworth. 

And in reflecting on this fall semester, he offered this: 

“Think of how much we’ve accomplished, and we will continue to look forward. I’m in awe of what we’ve done together. I hear from students how much they value their support network and the College. On the whole, we’ve given our students a remarkable fall semester, and I want to make sure you know that.”