February staff meeting considers draft Campus Master Plan, other important topics
Skidmore College President Marc C. Conner hosted the first staff meeting of the spring semester and 2022 calendar year and offered updates on important initiatives, including ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19, the Racial Justice Initiative, progress toward admissions targets, and the final phase of the Campus Master Planning process.
The Friday, Feb. 4, meeting featured a detailed presentation by Kevin Petersen of Ayers Saint Gross, the firm that is leading Skidmore’s effort to draft a new Campus Master Plan for approval by the Board of Trustees in May.
Petersen noted that the Skidmore community was entering the final phase of the process, which began nearly a year ago. He and President Conner encouraged all Skidmore community members to participate in a survey to help determine the priority of future projects and assess how they support other institutional priorities such as sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
The draft Campus Master Plan considers new construction projects, renovations, and landscape improvements on campus. The plan would support the renewal of academic buildings, update classrooms, and create additional spaces for collaboration. It would also enhance students’ experience at Skidmore by improving facilities for student support, promoting DEI in all campus spaces, enhancing athletic and recreational opportunities, and improving residential life. Projects under consideration include new residential, athletics, and academic buildings; extensive renovations to existing buildings; the relocation of the Greenberg Child Care Center; and new campus entrances and other landscape projects.
“I'm really pleased with how this collaborative Campus Master Planning effort is coming into focus. I'm also excited about how future-oriented it is. For the past year and a half, we've been so focused on the present situation under COVID-19,” President Conner said. “It's exciting to be looking in an aspirational way toward our future.”
Petersen’s presentation and a link to the survey can be found on the Campus Master Planning website. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, Feb. 18.
The Campus Master Planning process is also a top priority for Skidmore’s trustees, who are returning to campus for the February Board of Trustees meeting, which again will be held in person. The president also discussed other important topics, including Skidmore’s successful return to campus for the spring semester despite high community levels of COVID-19. He also pointed to other recent successes, including a gift that will support renovations to Scribner Library and a nearly $1.2 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support Skidmore’s Black Studies Program and Racial Justice Teaching Challenge.
Conner also noted encouraging signs in recruiting the incoming Class of 2026: More than 13,000 prospective students (a new record) applied for admission to Skidmore. The number represents a strong showing from international students along with a 13% increase in domestic applicants since last year.