Strategic Plan

Foundations for Hamilton's Next 200 Years

IV. Action Items

Priorities for Planning

  1. An academic program that is rigorous, challenging, and relevant to a new generation of students
  2. Student services that encourage and support personal development and responsibility
  3. Financial aid that meets the demonstrated financial need of every student, and a long-term goal of being need-blind in admission
  4. An inclusive community whose demographics reflect those of the coming generation of faculty and college-bound students


Core Values

1.   Education for self-direction: the open curriculum challenges students to acquire a broad liberal arts education.

A. Advising and Curricular Programs, Policies, and Procedures
  • Convene a task force, working with the Committee on Academic Policy, to review the following (DoF):
    • A concern about disparities in advising
    • A decline in the number of students taking courses with a quantitative literacy component
    • A rise in average grades
    • A perception that department offerings and student curricular choices favor depth over breadth
    • The ability of juniors and seniors to enroll in courses outside their concentration
B. Co-Curricular Programming
  • Evaluate the reallocation of existing space for the creation of a cultural education center (VPA&F, DoF, DoS, VPIT)
C. Athletics and Physical Education Program
  • Pursue full integration into NESCAC for all intercollegiate athletics teams (DoF, DA&FA)
  • Expand partnerships between physical education and academics (DoF)
D. Academic Facilities
  • Complete construction projects already under way (VPA&F)
  • Continue with planning and design for new projects (VPA&F, VPIT)
  • Undertake a fuller study of campus use in the summer (All)
  • Pursue summer academic workshops, seminars and institutes that make use of academic buildings, reflect institutional emphases, and take advantage of faculty strengths and expertise (DoF)
     

 

2.   Self-direction demands a self-governing community: to the extent possible, constituencies ought to be self-regulating -- students regulating students, faculty governing faculty, administrators and staff self-regulating -- as well as interlocking, to assure responsible, inclusive, and effective exchange and interaction.

A. Community Building
  • Review the way all students are acclimated to campus (DoS)
  • Reexamine the four classifications of employee groups (VPA&F)
  • Continue progress toward a campus population whose diversity reflects the coming generations of employees and students (All)
B.   Governance Policy and Procedures
  • Evaluate the work of all committees to ensure transparency, inclusiveness and representation (DoF, VPA&F, DoS, EAP)
  • Pursue new governance structures and a more inclusive governing organization (VPA&F)
C.   Co-Curricular Social and Residential Facilities
  • Convene a task force of faculty and students to make recommendations for increased opportunities for co-curricular faculty and student engagement (DoF, DoS)
  • Pursue athletics facilities that can be completed through the plant renewal budget or through fundraising (DoF, VPA&F, VPC&D, VPIT)
D. Sustainability
  • Implement the recommendations of the Green Team and fulfill the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (VPA&F, VPIT)
     

 

3.  Self-direction and self-governance require dialogue and debate: development opportunities should be provided to all students and employees, ensuring that Hamilton is an educational institution for all.

A. Effective Communication
  • Increase communications vehicles that contribute to full participation in the life and functioning of the College (All)
B.   Student Development
  • Establish a task force to review how students are acclimated to Hamilton (DoS, DoF)
C.   Faculty and Staff Development
  • Invest in new and continuing employees (All)
     

 

4.   An education centered on self-direction, self-governance, and thoughtful argument makes for effective engagement with the world.

A. Diversity and Access
  • Meet the demonstrated financial need of every student (DA&FA, VPC&D)
  • Become need-blind in admission (DA&FA, VPC&D, VPA&F)
  • Increase the percentage of students and employees of color (All)
B.   Scholarship and Creative Activity
  • Compensate faculty based on teaching, research and service (DoF)
  • Support faculty scholarship that leads to publication and presentation (DoF)
  • Increase opportunities for student research and presentation (DoF)
  • Consider the establishment of summer conferences and programs that reflect institutional priorities (DoF, VPA&F, VPIT)
C.   Employee Satisfaction
  • Be the employer of choice for all employees (All)
    • Maintain competitive salaries for all employees
    • Ensure clear processes for evaluation and compensation
    • Provide support for spouses/partners of talented new hires in finding employment
    • Review health insurance subsidies for retirees and long-term disability policies
D. Community Service and Outreach
  • Support initiatives that encourage civic engagement (DoF, DoS, VPIT)
  • Create and sustain partnerships with the Town of Kirkland and Village of Clinton (VPIT)