Constance E. Manwell
513 Pickwick Village Way
Silver Spring, MD 20901

Karen Chimento
305 Franklin Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

Dear Constance and Karen,

Thank you for your letter describing alumnae concerns regarding the planning guidelines adopted by the Wells College Board of Trustees in Fall 2000. President Ryerson and I understand that a petition will be forwarded to her for review at the May board meeting. Please rest assured that it will be shared with the relevant committees and brought to the full board for discussion.

Let me take this opportunity to provide some perspective on the guidelines adopted by the board, since I believe there is considerable, widespread misunderstanding of the purpose of the document in question. In keeping with its ongoing fiduciary responsibilities, the Wells board has been addressing challenges similar to those shared by institutions of higher education throughout the country at this time. These challenges include: upgrading physical plant support to academic programs; allocating co-curricular activity among facilities to enhance the sense of community; renovating and replacing inefficient and, in some cases, dysfunctional buildings; providing better physical plant access and accommodation; reducing maintenance and operating costs; improving campus-wide architectural harmony. Thus, a conceptual document was developed to serve as a reference for ongoing planning to be conducted by the Wells community in addressing these challenges.

The planning document adopted in Fall 2000 is a set of guidelines. It will continue to evolve. The areas cited in the document, including the buildings you have listed in your letter, were outlined as points of concern that must be addressed for a variety of reasons. The board has not made specific decisions regarding any of the buildings mentioned in the document, with the exception of the new science building. The faculty committee addressing curricular and program planning has met with the architects, and there are continuous meetings with academic departments. Their discussions will continue to inform the evolution of the campus plan, as will the input of all interested constituencies, including Wells alumnae, students, faculty and administrators.

Thank you for taking the time to represent those alumnae who have expressed concern regarding the initial campus planning guidelines. Those guidelines were shared with the Wells community in order to highlight areas that must be addressed by the college, and feedback is welcome. We do not anticipate making additional decisions regarding the guidelines or specific buildings at this time, except as directly related to construction of the new science building. Nevertheless, your letter and petition will be given full consideration at the May meeting and will inform our discussions in the future.

This is a time of great positive momentum for Wells College. With the caring collaboration of the entire Wells community, we can help to ensure the right campus environment and physical plant to support our programs and traditions for the next century. Thank you, again, for your time and attention to the work of our alma mater.
 

Yours sincerely,
 
 

Patricia T. van der Vorm ‘70
Chair, Wells College Board of Trustees