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Dear members of the º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù community,

Mount Holyoke hosted the fall meeting of the Board of Trustees from Oct. 24–26, 2024. The Board welcomed six new members to their first meeting as trustees: W. Rochelle Calhoun ’83 P’13, Mary Ann Deignan ’84, Hope Giles ’87, Maria Kochiras ’85, Liz Sevigny ’23 and Lale Topcuoglu ’99.

President Holley and her team presented plans for operationalizing MHC Forward, including four cross-campus working groups and a presidential task force that she has convened for the 2024–25 academic year. The groups are charged with creating operational plans for initiatives in five key strategic areas: career readiness and exploration, graduate education, strategic enrollment, student outcomes and supporting MHC’s transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) community. The campus community will receive updates on the groups’ work early in the spring semester. The Board will receive updates and provide feedback through its standing committees, a number of which were restructured to align with the goals of MHC Forward. The new committees include the Academic Excellence Committee; the Student Experience Committee; and the Development, Alum Relations and Strategic Communications Committee.

Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer Carl Ries shared with the Board the work being done to develop a . Through a process that will engage the Mount Holyoke community, comprehensive campus planning will integrate the planning and utilization of the College’s physical assets with our curriculum, student cocurricular and residential life and staff and faculty experience. Climate planning and accessibility will be top of mind. The result will be a framework, or guide, that will facilitate future decision-making around existing College assets, new buildings and campus grounds. As part of their work on this topic, the Board visited several sites on campus to better understand current facilities needs, including Clapp Laboratory, Rooke Theater and Pearsons and Brigham residence halls.

In partnership with Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Marcella Runell, the Student Government Association (SGA) organized a student panel for the trustees. Panelists described what drew them to Mount Holyoke, their academic and cocurricular interests, and the opportunities and challenges they’ve experienced as students. Afterward, the Board was delighted to have a reception and dinner with the panelists and other student representatives. We thank the SGA for their time and insights.

A number of Board members were able to attend LEAP Symposium sessions and tour the Art Museum. The Board meeting coincided with Family and Friends Weekend, so trustees were also treated to Fall Fest and other opportunities to enjoy our beautiful campus and to engage with students, faculty, staff, families and friends.

Formal actions of the Board included:

• Approval with congratulations of the fall conferral of degrees for those undergraduate (9) and graduate students (24) recommended by the faculty.
• Approval of a slate of honorary degree candidates whom President Holley can choose to invite to the 2025 or a future Commencement.
• Approval of a capital budget for FY26, which includes funding for the Energy Master Plan, Summit ERP Project, Kendall Complex locker room and gym renovations, initial phases of select residence hall renovations and academic and residential space improvements.

We thank everyone for their work on MHC’s strategic future and for their deep commitment to our mission as the leading gender-diverse women’s college, a commitment that remains steadfast.

Sincerely,

Sally Durdan ’81, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Danielle R. Holley, President