Tuesday, March 31, 2015
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/closing-of-sweet-briar-college-signals-turmoil-for-higher-education/?fb_ref=Default&fb_source=message
Closing of historic Va. women's college signals turmoil for higher education
Monday, March 30, 2015
Letter to Roanoke Times by Daniel Gotlieb, prof at SBC: Keep the story and Sweet Briar alive
http://www.roanoke.com/opinion/letter-keep-the-story-and-sweet-briar-alive/article_6317fd3b-107b-5f87-9b29-eec63173d96e.html?mode=jqm
Excerpt: Right now there is a fight going on that matters. An excellent institution that helps to develop the kind of leaders and caretakers the 21st century world needs is under attack. The actions to close Sweet Briar College were taken by a secretive board without input except from mysterious "consultants." The financial situation hardly merits it (yes, I know the numbers) and is still not hopeless.
By DANIEL GOTTLIEB, Associate Professor Psychology, Sweet Briar College, AMHERST
Excerpt: Right now there is a fight going on that matters. An excellent institution that helps to develop the kind of leaders and caretakers the 21st century world needs is under attack. The actions to close Sweet Briar College were taken by a secretive board without input except from mysterious "consultants." The financial situation hardly merits it (yes, I know the numbers) and is still not hopeless.
By DANIEL GOTTLIEB, Associate Professor Psychology, Sweet Briar College, AMHERST
Sweet Briar College Alumna Filing Complaint aginst College and School President
http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/sweet-briar-college-alumna-filing-complaint-against-school-president/article_04202316-d6ef-11e4-ac68-0b8608e083cf.html?mode=jqm
Jessica Campbell 2007's personal lawyer has filed a complaint to stop the college from disposing of any assets and more.......This is separate from the Saving Sweet Briar group actions....
Jessica Campbell 2007's personal lawyer has filed a complaint to stop the college from disposing of any assets and more.......This is separate from the Saving Sweet Briar group actions....
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Parent of current student comments in a big way....
William Miller says:
After having spent the last four days on-campus (stayed at the inn) assisting my daughter in the impossible task of selecting a college that will match her course of study at SBC and fully accept her credits, several observations have come sharply into focus.
The overarching imperative that is driving this self-imposed train wreck is that a foundation handing out scholarships is much easier to run (at least in the mind of the board) than a women’s college in this new century. There are two requirements necessary to accomplish this. The college must die and it must die quickly, otherwise no funds will remain to fund the foundation. I doubt the alumnae will enthusiastically contribute to a foundation bearing the SB label after having just witnessed their alma mater die a quick, chaotic, and painful death.
SBC must die in order to convince a judge to modify the will. This is the answer to why the board has not appealed to the alumnae and faculty or asked a judge to lift the restrictions on the endowment (I am sure this will happen but only after SBC is dead). Given the language in the will, and the size of the endowment, I do not believe that a judge would support the quick death of Sweet Briar College that the board has envisioned.
Using this foundation imperative as a tool to evaluate the actions and messages of the board and administration, the following emerges.
Why the timing of the announcement in the middle of midterms, right before spring break, and after transfer deadlines? To create as much chaos and confusion as possible. If, in the middle of January, it was known that the only option was to close SBC, why not vote immediately? Why wait until the end of February? Faculty, students, alumnae, and parents if not in a panic may actually have time to question the decision and take action. Also allows time to modify by-laws ensuring the desired decision is reached.
Why continue the non-disclosure agreements of the board if the college will be dead in three short months? A key component of killing SBC is to control the message that the public, students, and faculty hear. Board members voicing their opinions confuse the message, which might delay SBC’s death (or interfere with establishing a foundation).
Why not wait until June when the consultants are due to report their findings on possible options to save SBC? They may actually find (although unlikely since boards of organizations tend to hire consultants that confirm what they already ‘know’; the echo chamber effect) an option that is feasible.
How long has this imperative been the plan, at least for some? Looking back much becomes suspect: the president resigning, lack of enrollment and development leadership, absence of meaningful appeals to alumnae and yes I have heard the excuse that analysis of alumnae and supporters indicated an insufficient amount of possible giving. Some things defy analysis especially involving humans (just ask an economist). If your college were dying, who would not try anyway?
Why the absence of transparency concerning raw financial data? Message control.
Why continue to lay new carpet and refurbish spaces (residence hall and inn)? To maintain the value of the physical plant. Greater value means more funds for the foundation.
Why finish the library? A key factor of chaos is surprise. Not finishing the library would clearly indicate that the college is sinking quickly. In addition, a finished building is worth more than an unfinished one.
Why the catalog entry reassuring prospective students and SBC stakeholders that the college is financially sound? See the library entry.
I could continue but in the cause of brevity, I leave you this. Students, alumnae, faculty, parents and other stakeholders, you are major casualties of a grand plan. Don’t believe me? Wait 3 or 4 years and examine the outcome of SBC’s suicide. Sweet Briar College is 245 (out of 650) on the Forbes college list (2014), a substantial component of which is measurement of post-graduation success (The list also provides a financial rating, SBC’s is an A). Of the 16 women’s colleges on the list, SBC is ranked 8th. Combine this with the unique value-adding aspects of a Sweet Briar education and you have ample justification for saving Sweet Briar. The question now: Is it too late?
NOTE: The above comments are found in the article linked below. (Admin)
y. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/03/academic-libraries/sudden-sweet-briar-closure-leaves-library-in-limbo/#_
The overarching imperative that is driving this self-imposed train wreck is that a foundation handing out scholarships is much easier to run (at least in the mind of the board) than a women’s college in this new century. There are two requirements necessary to accomplish this. The college must die and it must die quickly, otherwise no funds will remain to fund the foundation. I doubt the alumnae will enthusiastically contribute to a foundation bearing the SB label after having just witnessed their alma mater die a quick, chaotic, and painful death.
SBC must die in order to convince a judge to modify the will. This is the answer to why the board has not appealed to the alumnae and faculty or asked a judge to lift the restrictions on the endowment (I am sure this will happen but only after SBC is dead). Given the language in the will, and the size of the endowment, I do not believe that a judge would support the quick death of Sweet Briar College that the board has envisioned.
Using this foundation imperative as a tool to evaluate the actions and messages of the board and administration, the following emerges.
Why the timing of the announcement in the middle of midterms, right before spring break, and after transfer deadlines? To create as much chaos and confusion as possible. If, in the middle of January, it was known that the only option was to close SBC, why not vote immediately? Why wait until the end of February? Faculty, students, alumnae, and parents if not in a panic may actually have time to question the decision and take action. Also allows time to modify by-laws ensuring the desired decision is reached.
Why continue the non-disclosure agreements of the board if the college will be dead in three short months? A key component of killing SBC is to control the message that the public, students, and faculty hear. Board members voicing their opinions confuse the message, which might delay SBC’s death (or interfere with establishing a foundation).
Why not wait until June when the consultants are due to report their findings on possible options to save SBC? They may actually find (although unlikely since boards of organizations tend to hire consultants that confirm what they already ‘know’; the echo chamber effect) an option that is feasible.
How long has this imperative been the plan, at least for some? Looking back much becomes suspect: the president resigning, lack of enrollment and development leadership, absence of meaningful appeals to alumnae and yes I have heard the excuse that analysis of alumnae and supporters indicated an insufficient amount of possible giving. Some things defy analysis especially involving humans (just ask an economist). If your college were dying, who would not try anyway?
Why the absence of transparency concerning raw financial data? Message control.
Why continue to lay new carpet and refurbish spaces (residence hall and inn)? To maintain the value of the physical plant. Greater value means more funds for the foundation.
Why finish the library? A key factor of chaos is surprise. Not finishing the library would clearly indicate that the college is sinking quickly. In addition, a finished building is worth more than an unfinished one.
Why the catalog entry reassuring prospective students and SBC stakeholders that the college is financially sound? See the library entry.
I could continue but in the cause of brevity, I leave you this. Students, alumnae, faculty, parents and other stakeholders, you are major casualties of a grand plan. Don’t believe me? Wait 3 or 4 years and examine the outcome of SBC’s suicide. Sweet Briar College is 245 (out of 650) on the Forbes college list (2014), a substantial component of which is measurement of post-graduation success (The list also provides a financial rating, SBC’s is an A). Of the 16 women’s colleges on the list, SBC is ranked 8th. Combine this with the unique value-adding aspects of a Sweet Briar education and you have ample justification for saving Sweet Briar. The question now: Is it too late?
NOTE: The above comments are found in the article linked below. (Admin)
y. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/03/academic-libraries/sudden-sweet-briar-closure-leaves-library-in-limbo/#_
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Hampden-Sydney alums join Sweet Briar fight
Hampden Sydney Promoting a Fundraiser shop for Sweet Briar:
Sign up at this link to participate!
Faculty Propose Sweet Briar Shift Focus to STEM
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2015/03/27/faculty-propose-sweet-briar-shift-focus-stem
Be the only women's College to offer three year STEM degrees and "the college said that the board was committed to hearing out groups with ideas about the college's future and would meet with backers of this plan next month."
Be the only women's College to offer three year STEM degrees and "the college said that the board was committed to hearing out groups with ideas about the college's future and would meet with backers of this plan next month."
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Saving Sweet Briar Hires Certified Fraud Examiner to Examine Sweet Briar College Financial Records
Saving Sweet Briar, Inc., the non-profit group formed to fight the closure of Sweet Briar College, announced today that it has retained Steven Spitzer, a Certified Fraud Examiner, to conduct a forensic analysis of Sweet Briar College’s finances.
Troutman Sanders, the Richmond law firm leading Saving Sweet Briar’s
legal challenge to the college’s closure, will submit a formal request
for a number of financial records Spitzer will need to conduct his
forensic analysis.
The Architectural Significance of Sweet Briar
http://www.newsadvance.com/opinion/community_viewpoint/mcdonald-the-architectural-significance-of-sweet-briar-college/article_b09466d4-cf38-11e4-82e5-1fc9ef6e4f93.html?mode=jqm
Will continue to put together the strengths and opportunities for Sweet Briar while our lawyers work on stopping the closure..... how about a partnership with the School of Architecture at UVa? Let's be the best at historic building preservation, teach this, be number one at this.
Will continue to put together the strengths and opportunities for Sweet Briar while our lawyers work on stopping the closure..... how about a partnership with the School of Architecture at UVa? Let's be the best at historic building preservation, teach this, be number one at this.
Sweet Briar College administration will not resign, attorney says
http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/sweet-briar-college-administration-will-not-resign-attorney-says/article_0ba34034-d297-11e4-be5f-97fbfc8b324c.html?mode=jqm. More on atty general actions....
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
from
Message to Saving Sweet Briar Community: Moving Forward
- Posted on March 25, 2015
- Official Statements
Dear Saving Sweet Briar Community –
We know that many were counting down the hours yesterday until 4 p.m. awaiting the school’s response to the Troutman Sanders letter released Monday. We have learned that response has come through the media. The recap: The President and Board deny the allegations and will remain in their positions.
Rest assured our sisters (and brothers in arms). We are in for many ups and downs – as if we HADN’T already endured enough, we know. Our challenge is to harness the energy of the highs to weather the lows.
We HAVE had many victories:
The next few days/weeks may continue to be a series of ups and downs. While we know that there are many experts involved in this, it is still very challenging to sit back and be patient. And besides, sitting around and waiting was never really our style anyway, right?
So, what can you do?
Overturning the decision will not be undone overnight. What we know from history is that victory is never all or nothing and consists of winning not every battle, but instead the most important ones. We fight on.
We know that many were counting down the hours yesterday until 4 p.m. awaiting the school’s response to the Troutman Sanders letter released Monday. We have learned that response has come through the media. The recap: The President and Board deny the allegations and will remain in their positions.
Rest assured our sisters (and brothers in arms). We are in for many ups and downs – as if we HADN’T already endured enough, we know. Our challenge is to harness the energy of the highs to weather the lows.
We HAVE had many victories:
- We launched SavingSweetBriar.com within hours of the announced closure and have had nearly half a million pageviews in three weeks. The website link has been shared more than 30,000 times.
- While it is understandable that the media would cover the announcement of the closure of the college, we have managed not only to continue the conversation but change it to include the alumnae efforts and outreach. Media coverage has been overwhelmingly positive toward our efforts. Further, there are many conversations occurring on the national level about the future of higher education. Sweet Briar’s story is impacting those who may have never heard of the school before. The Diane Rehm show and The New York Times are helping bring our story and college to a national audience, and we hope this is only the beginning.
- Our alumnae network is connecting around the world, not only reaching out to current and graduating students to help but to each other. These connections will hopefully last long after the immediate situation has been resolved.
- A non-profit has been formed and is in the process of collecting the more than $3 Million pledged (501(c)(3) status is being sought with the IRS). In just three weeks, this is tremendous and is a reflection of a coordinated effort of an engaged group of women.
- Troutman Sanders, a well-respected law firm in Virginia with years of education law experience, was retained. Their expertise is an incredible asset in this fight.
The next few days/weeks may continue to be a series of ups and downs. While we know that there are many experts involved in this, it is still very challenging to sit back and be patient. And besides, sitting around and waiting was never really our style anyway, right?
So, what can you do?
- Continue to spread the word about the importance of Sweet Briar College in helping shape the woman you have become
- Write an op-ed to your local newspaper or any news outlet that has run a story about Sweet Briar. Topics to consider: the continued gender gap in executive level positions and the successes of women’s college graduates; how Sweet Briar taught you to be a leader; what riding a horse taught you about life; the success of alternative tuition models in higher education. Let your voice be heard.
- Convert your pledge into a donation. Saving Sweet Briar needs to have the financial backing of this group of alumnae to show the legal entities looking at this case that we have the ability to actually save the college.
- Consider writing up a proposal to submit to SavingSweetBriar.com. Lots of great ideas have been proposed over the last few weeks about the future of the college. Consider pulling these ideas into a formal proposal that could be presented to a future board for consideration. We will announce soon how to submit these on the site.
Overturning the decision will not be undone overnight. What we know from history is that victory is never all or nothing and consists of winning not every battle, but instead the most important ones. We fight on.
Sweet Briar College says president and board won't resign
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/lynchburg-bedford/sweet-briar-college-says-president-and-board-wont-resign/32000438 POSTED: 06:37 AM EDT Mar 25, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Sweet Briar Responds to Group Calling for President to Step Down
http://www.wset.com/story/28604795/sweet-briar-college-responds-to-group-calling-for-president-to-step-down
They refuse....
They refuse....
Amherst County attorney to Sweet Briar: Retain documents
"Amherst County Attorney Ellen Bowyer... is examining is whether the donated funds are being used for the purpose for which they were solicited.She referred to a section of state code that states the county attorney, in addition to the commonwealth’s attorney and the Virginia Attorney General, may bring “action” against any charitable organization if the attorney has reason to believe such organization has operated or is about to operate in violation of a chapter of state code that involves solicitation of contributions."
"...she has had communication with Sweet Briar’s legal counsel regarding the question of the use of recently donated funds. She said she has filed no legal action and is in the process of collecting information."
http://www.newsadvance.com/new_era_progress/news/amherst-county-attorney-to-sweet-briar-retain-documents/article_f8313e22-d1d1-11e4-affd-c7a7ad5f4f4a.html
Amherst County attorney to Sweet Briar: Retain documents
http://www.newsadvance.com/new_era_progress/news/amherst-county-attorney-to-sweet-briar-retain-documents/article_f8313e22-d1d1-11e4-affd-c7a7ad5f4f4a.html?mode=jqm
Opposition Mounts to Closure of Sweet Briar College
http://www.nbc29.com/story/28599910/opposition-mounts-to-closure-of-sweet-briar-college
Monday, March 23, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
NEW YORK TIMES!!
Very significant article. Good review of the situation and information on upcoming activities, specifically with the #SSB attorney and the VA AG.
Sweet Briar’s Imminent Closing Stirs Small Uprising in a College Idyll, 3/22/15
The decision to shutter the college, a women’s liberal arts school in Virginia, has stunned students, teachers and alumnae, some of whom are rallying to try to save it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/23/education/sweet-briars-imminent-closing-stirs-small-uprising-in-a-college-idyll.html?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad&_r=0
President Jones contact info - email him to stop the closure!
president@sbc.edu. Email I sent him:
Dear President Jones:Why are you standing so firmly for closure with such an outpouring against this from the community, the alumnae, the national and local press? What is the harm in giving us another chance to save Sweet Briar? Give us more time to see what we can make happen, we believe the landscape is different now. We are energized to help. Why waste more money on lawyers, and not on Sweet Briar?Your first mission is to manage Sweet Briar for success and not for closure until everyone now involved believes every rock has been overturned. Be our hero. You have the power to stop this infighting.I am SWEETBRIAR.
Best, Deirdre DeDe Conley, Class of '72
Chairman of the Board of Directors contact info - email him to stop the closure!
Paul Rice
President and Director, Retired
PEC Solutions, Inc.
Company Address
PEC Solutions, Inc.
12750 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, VA 22033
PEC Solutions, Inc.
12750 Fair Lakes Circle
Fairfax, VA 22033
Background
Mr. Rice was founder and President of PEC Solutions Inc., and served there until the company was acquired by Nortel Networks in 2005. He received a B.S.E. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and performed graduate studies at The George Washington University. During his career, Mr. Rice held a variety of senior engineering and management positions within the ADP/telecommunications industry. Prior to founding PEC in 1985, he held operating management positions with Computer Sciences Corporation for 10 years. Mr. Rice has lectured on topics including methodologies for performing cost/technical tradeoff analyses, strategic acquisition planning, enterprise process analysis, technology refreshment in Federal programs, performance benchmark development, and communications systems technologies. He served on the faculty of the GSA Trailboss Acquisition Manager's Training program and the Trailboss companion course for implementation management, and has addressed a variety of Government forums including GSA IRMCO, FOSE, FGIPC, The George Washington University Law Center, the National Contracts Management Association, AFCEA, and various state and local government technology forums. He has testified before the General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals on matters relating to information technology acquisition, benchmarking, and cost/technical tradeoff analysis in best value acquisitions. Mr. Rice currently focuses his efforts and philanthropy on educational and arts causes. He serves as a trustee for the UVa SEAS Foundation, The Sweet Briar College, The Highland School, and several local arts advancement organizations. His foundation has provided leadership funding for facilities including UVA's Rice Hall, the Highland Center for the Arts and Rice Theater in Warrenton, VA, The Prince William Cancer Center, and the Barrier Island Study Center in North Carolina. Mr. Rice resides with his wife and two children in Warrenton, Virginia.
Mr. Rice was founder and President of PEC Solutions Inc., and served there until the company was acquired by Nortel Networks in 2005. He received a B.S.E. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and performed graduate studies at The George Washington University. During his career, Mr. Rice held a variety of senior engineering and management positions within the ADP/telecommunications industry. Prior to founding PEC in 1985, he held operating management positions with Computer Sciences Corporation for 10 years. Mr. Rice has lectured on topics including methodologies for performing cost/technical tradeoff analyses, strategic acquisition planning, enterprise process analysis, technology refreshment in Federal programs, performance benchmark development, and communications systems technologies. He served on the faculty of the GSA Trailboss Acquisition Manager's Training program and the Trailboss companion course for implementation management, and has addressed a variety of Government forums including GSA IRMCO, FOSE, FGIPC, The George Washington University Law Center, the National Contracts Management Association, AFCEA, and various state and local government technology forums. He has testified before the General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals on matters relating to information technology acquisition, benchmarking, and cost/technical tradeoff analysis in best value acquisitions. Mr. Rice currently focuses his efforts and philanthropy on educational and arts causes. He serves as a trustee for the UVa SEAS Foundation, The Sweet Briar College, The Highland School, and several local arts advancement organizations. His foundation has provided leadership funding for facilities including UVA's Rice Hall, the Highland Center for the Arts and Rice Theater in Warrenton, VA, The Prince William Cancer Center, and the Barrier Island Study Center in North Carolina. Mr. Rice resides with his wife and two children in Warrenton, Virginia.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Part 2: Q&A with Sweet Briar College President James Jones
http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/part-q-a-with-sweet-briar-college-president-james-jones/article_955b2786-cf83-11e4-b0f8-b3c822f2ba88.html?mode=jqmFriday, March 20, 2015
Sweet Briar options to consider and reconsider by DeDe Conley and Class of '72
DeDe is out of the country, and can't easily post this. As she asks, please consider and reconsider her list of options, and add comments to it as you think of more options - they may be needed as this all evolves.
1) More
on line courses and other creative solutions to reduce expensive on campus
time. Why is it mandatory that you need four years to have a degree? Fast track
degrees. Partner with lesser expensive
state universities for summer school courses and more. Mid semester one month
course we had (SBC still has this?) make these paid internships to reduce
costs. insidehighered.com
suggests more "low residency" programs that could be offered to a
global audience.
2) Focus on strengths of a rural
campus, more courses/degrees on ecology, alternative energy, animal husbandry,
fisheries, botany, biology, horticulture, make this a specialty, become the
leader in this. SBC has to become number one at something other than campus
beauty.
3) Promote junior year abroad with
programs in India, South America and Asia, emerging, dynamic economies and
lower cost programs if outside the largest cities. If SBC does away with
language courses, it can not be a leader in junior yr abroad, offer on line
language classes, lots of interesting and effective tools on line, I am learning
Vietnamese this week with downloaded "Nemo". Chuc Mung Nam Moi! Happy
New Year! SBC can be number one in
junior yr abroad with focus.
4) Use solar power and renewable energy
sources, recycle water, compost everything, use recycled materials to build,
use organic material on the lawns and flowers, implement organic waste
management systems, teach how to do all these things, give degrees in theses
things, promote SBC as an environmental friendly campus, a leader in
environmental protection, a leader in virginia. Be number one in environmental
issues. Agriculture and Natural resource degrees are in the top 5 highest paid
degrees per usa today recently : feb 2015.
http://college.usatoday.com/2015/02/02/the-5-highest-paying-degrees-of-2015/
5) Sell Sweet Briar Roses and Boxwoods
on line and develop products with these
(cosmetics, perfume, herbal tea, I make Eglantine tea in France from my
garden..... ),,see wikipedia:
In addition to its pink flowers, it is
valued for its scent, and the hips that form after the flowers and persist well
into the winter. The tea made from the hips of this rose is very popular in
Europe and elsewhere, where it is considered a healthy way for people to get
their daily dose of vitamin C and other nutrients. A cup of rose hip tea will
provide the minimum daily adult requirement of vitamin C.[3]
<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_rubiginosa#cite_note-3> During World War II
<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II> the British relied on rose hips and hops
<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops>
as the sources for their vitamins A and C. It was a common British
wartime expression to say that: "We are getting by on our hips and
hops."[4 <http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_rubiginosa#cite_note-4>
In Tunisia, natural flower water is produced from its flowers. In Chile
<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile> , Spain and Argentina
<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina> , where it is known as
"Rosa Mosqueta", it can be found in the wild around the Andes
<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes>
range and is also cultivated to produce marmalades and cosmetic
products.
6) In the summer use SBC for tourism,
it is a beautiful resort like setting, sell programs for riding, birdwatching,
fishing, swimming, tennis, hiking, yoga retreats, cooking classes and more
7) Expand product offering from the
book store to sell on line, only a few tshirts, caps and mugs lately, I need to
replace my light weight sweet briar tshirt and matching pants/pajamas and they
are no longer offered...promote this with alumnae and public. Offer cool things
we can all buy to offer as Christmas presents, long scarves, fun socks, fanny
packs, travel stuff, back packs, pink and green made in Virginia from organic
materials jewelry, research what sells on LLBean....
8) Increase concrete educational use of
the art center, Cissy mentioned art conservation, become the best at art
conservation. Become the best at historic building renovation and conservation.
9) Reopen the dairy, sell nationwide
the best organic yogurt we all ever had promoting that profits to go to the
scholarship fund at SBC, Whole Foods would love this kind of product.....Make
this a real life business project for students to manage,for,course credit.
Teach dairy farming.
10) Partnerships with other nearby
Virginia and DC schools to expand academic opportunities at a low cost, adding
a draw of time at coed institutions, big city and rural locations (UVA,
Georgetown, Hollins? )
11) Partnerships with research and
think tank organizations who could benefit from a rural campus setting, for
example the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is on the Western
shore of the Chesapeake Bay (Edgewater, MD) and might find an inland property
of interest that is working with the students to become environmental experts.
In fact the SI has nine research centers (
http://www.si.edu/ResearchCenters). SBC
could become a training ground for any of these fields (from Art conservation
to Libraries to Biology and Astrophysics). So much could be done to make SBC a
unique institution of higher learning TAKING ADVANTAGE of it’s isolation and rural setting. From Cissy Gott.
12)
Add more masters programs, coed.
MBA.....
13) Partner with a
retirement/real-estate company to build retirement housing small apartments for
alumnae who could live on campus, be part of campus life, contribute and
benefit from academic and physical environment and services already available,
meals, laundry, medical, library, swimming pool, events and more, would just
need to arrange cleaning services.. A win win for all with all the land
available and a wonderful place to retire and still feel at home and connected.
14) Write the book Ellen Brown
mentioned on all our alumnae oral histories and sell through the book store and
amazon.com <http://amazon.com> .
15) Rethink a coed real world education
keeping a focus on empowerment, women's studies, opportunity and gender
equality.
16) Create an active alumnae council
informed and involved in major decisions. Composed of all past student body
presidents or their alternatives as logistics demand? More transparency, more communication to and
input from all alumnae.
17) Review majors offered, do we have
focus for the future following demographics of an aging population and the most
popular majors: health care, computer science, retirement home management,
accounting . Engineering, computer science, maths and sciences, business and
agriculture and natural sciences are the top five highest paying degrees today
per usa today on feb 15, 2015.
http://college.usatoday.com/2015/02/02/the-5-highest-paying-degrees-of-2015/. Healthcare, communication, social science and
humanities were the next four...Do we have too many majors at Sweet Briar as
some have said, more importantly do we have the right majors, do we have the
majors we can excel at and be number one? Question from insidehighered.com:
"What are the weakest academic departments and where are you spending
dollars on non-mission (and non-strength) related activities? "
18) Total merger, beyond just a
partnership, with another university or organization to add opportunities and
reduce costs. Using Edna Ann Loftus' experience at St. Andrews.
19) From Georgene Vairo: Have one of the Land Trust conservation
organizations buy SBC or give it to it, and then use the rest of the endowment
to keep it going. It could be dedicated
to environmental purposes, always an SBA strong point. Have education programs; perhaps even some
sort of science degree programs. Summer
programs like our sister plantation across the street. Keep the name Sweet Briar and keep
fundraising.
20) Reduce costs by increasing teacher
workload and increase student to teacher ratio to a more sustainable level.
21) Request that donors to SBC
endowment unrestrict money so that it could be used for most important needs,
no longer tied to specific areas. How about the money we donated for the
classroom computerization, is it all spent? If not, how do we get it put into
the general fund?
16) Use alumnae connections for more
paying internship programs which could be a real strength for SBC, be a leader
in internships, be number one in giving students real life experience with
internships, I never did an internship during college, there seemed to only be
a few available in govt at the time....at Marie Brizard where I worked
1986-1996, we constantly had French
recent college student interns, pd them 25,000 a year for two year contracts, plus the french govt helped with some
logistics. Summer Internships during college years would also be good for
making career decisions.
22) On twitter people are looking to
foundations like Bill Gates, Clintons, Oprah, movie stars, etc Will the new
legal team be following up with every possible foundation? We need a white
knight with deep pockets to give SBC the
time to implement a successful, long term, sustainable strategy. This will only
happen if SBC has a strong business plan for the future set very soon.
23) What Wilson College did to
avoid closure: Wilson College, founded
1869, is a private, Presbyterian-related, liberal arts college located on a
300-acre (121.4 ha) campus in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. For
144 years, Wilson operated as a women's college. In 2013 the college's board of
trustees voted to make the college coeducational beginning in the 2013-2014
academic year with male residential students beginning in fall 2014.Wilson
College has about 800 students from 17 U.S. states and 14 foreign countries. At
the time the Board made the decision to go Co-Ed the college had 316
undergraduate and 379 graduate students. [3] It's known for its Women with
Children program, which allows single mothers to bring their children to live
with them on campus, as well as for its veterinary medical technician and
equestrian programs, and the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, which
operates a 7-acre (2.8 ha) organic farm and a CSA (community-supported
agriculture) program that supplies community families and others with fresh,
organic produce.
Although it nearly closed its
doors in 1979, a lawsuit organized by students, faculty, parents and an alumnae
association succeeded in allowing the college to remain open, making it one of
the few colleges to survive a scheduled closing. (It subsequently adopted the
Phoenix as its mascot, to symbolize the college's survival.) Wilson remained
open as a women's college until 2013, despite the trend toward turning women's
colleges into coeducational institutions.
In 1982, Wilson began offering
a continuing studies program (now known as the Adult Degree Program) to meet
the needs of adults seeking post-secondary education. In 1996, the college was
one of the first in the nation to offer an on-campus residential educational
experience for single mothers with children. Beginning in summer 2006, Wilson
offered its first graduate-degree program, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
for certified elementary school teachers. The college currently offers six
graduate degree programs.
The first men to attend and to
graduate from Wilson entered at the end of World War II. Men later became able
to earn degrees from Wilson through the Adult Degree Program, although the
traditional undergraduate college remained a College For Women. In January
2013, the college's board of trustees voted to extend coeducation across all
programs; male commuter students were admitted in fall 2013, with the first
male residential students beginning in fall 2014.[5]
The college offers 28 majors,
40 minors, master's degrees in education, humanities, fine arts, accounting,
nursing and healthcare management, and a state-certified Teacher Intern
Program. Majors include Accounting, Biology, Business and Economics, Chemistry,
Elementary Education, English, Environmental Studies, Equestrian Studies,
Exercise and Sports Science, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, History and Political
Science, International Studies, Mass Communications, Mathematics, Philosophy
and Religion, Psychobiology, Psychology, Sociology, and Veterinary Medical
Technology.
Facilities include the Penn
Hall Equestrian Center, Helen M. Beach Veterinary Medical Center, and Fulton
Center for Sustainable Living, which operates a USDA certified organic farm and
demonstrates and educates about ways to live a sustainable life.
24) INDIANA FLETCHER's WILL:
http://www.businessinsider.com/sweet-briar-college-land-cannot-be-sold-according-to-founders-last-will-and-testament-2015-3.
Land can't be sold, but could be leased is huge! Another option! See entire
will at link.
Strategic Plan for SBC on SBC website
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SBC on the SBC website
http://sbc.edu/sites/default/files/%2A/justrecapslide.pdf Short version...
http://sbc.edu/strategicplan/?page_id=452 Full plan....
CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
http://sbc.edu/president/board-directors
http://sbc.edu/sites/default/files/%2A/justrecapslide.pdf Short version...
http://sbc.edu/strategicplan/?page_id=452 Full plan....
CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
http://sbc.edu/president/board-directors
FINANCIALS: From: Elizabeth Gold <egold6215@gmail.com To: Deirdre Conley <deirdreconley@bellsouth.net> Subject: Re: Link to financials is where for update?
Hi there, below is the summary. Llinks to the verbal summary and financials at the bottom. Let me know if you have any issues/questions/etc.Financials: As some of you know, I pulled together some financials.Elizabeth Groves Aycock and myself now have some thoughts on these, mostly in the form of ratios and things. My "summary" ended up being long (those who know me will laugh), so I've attached it below, along with the latest version of the financials and ratios used. The overview (also included at the top of the document):My takeaway here is that we have had a long, long, time to address our financial woes. One thing that is interesting to me is that Betsy Muhlenfeld stated that she was surprised at this decision – she has lead the college through two very turbulent market cycles that impacted the college significantly. To me this means that she felt the college was able to continue operations despite some financial hardship. Yes, 2009 was a catastrophic year for the college, in which an $18.6M loss in realized/unrealized gains/losses on long term investments contributed to a loss of $22.3M this year. Though 2009 was a bad year for the college, it did represent the highest dollar value of tuition received net of scholarships given in the past six years. In the two years after this catastrophic loss, 2010 and 2011, the college did have two decent years, in which our net profit was $4.8M and $10.3M, respectively. The primary issue here is that the health of college has been tied very tightly to the health of our investments. Removing all investment gains and losses shows that we’ve been operating in the negative for a long time.I don’t believe this means that the situation is necessarily unfixable at this time. I think the fact that we’ve been operating at a loss for such an extended period of time begs the question of why we didn’t hear about this earlier. Perhaps this is what was addressed in the strategic plan, but I suppose we can’t know those details. The consistency of this situation also makes severity of the action taken at this time and the decision to shut down the school with no notice more surprising. This decision after 2009 might not have been as shocking, but why now?I did notice (and I'm sure you all will notice) that some of the figures from the audited financials don't match the tax forms exactly. I'm guessing there are good reasons for this, but I do find it strange. Some high level info from the 990s forms is at the bottom of the Analytics tab in the Excel doc.Disclaimer: I don’t proclaim to be an expert here. My background: I have a BA in Economics, and an MBA with a finance and strategy focus, but I’ve been working primarily as a data analyst for the past four and a half years. I just started a new position as a financial analyst at the end of January, so I make no claims of expertise. That said, I can play with numbers a bit, and these are some observations.Please share and repost to the locked SBC groups if possible, and tag in the legal folks if you don't mind.gLink to Summary:Link to Financials (I recommend DL to Excel):
Sweet Briar closure not a sign of single-sex higher ed's demise
Women's college supporters point to tough market, not female-only model
http://www.educationdive.com/news/sweet-briar-closure-not-a-sign-of-single-sex-higher-eds-demise/376798/
More good info.
A Q&A on the closure of Sweet Briar College with the college's president.
http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/a-q-a-on-the-closure-of-sweet-briar-college/article_6b8f64a2-cead-11e4-acb3-1b26ceac8f63.html?mode=jqm
James Jones interview part One.....
Thursday, March 19, 2015
INSIGHTS ON SBC'S FINANCIAL DECLINE.
WHERE DID THE $MONEY$ GO?
NEXT NEW DEAL: The Blog of the Roosevelt Institute
...on the bonds, the swaps, the early retirement of debt...
http://www.nextnewdeal.net/millennial-pulse/sweet-briar-dilemma-will-predatory-lending-take-down-more-colleges
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
SBC Photos
This in from the Houston group -
Aaron Mahler, works with the College on Media Projects has made his photo library public to anyone who would like to use, print or do whatever with his photos. enjoy! http://photos.halfpress.com/sweetbriarcollege
Aaron Mahler, works with the College on Media Projects has made his photo library public to anyone who would like to use, print or do whatever with his photos. enjoy! http://photos.halfpress.com/sweetbriarcollege
WILSON COLLEGE - more details on what they did to survive:
23) What Wilson College did to avoid closure: Wilson College, founded 1869, is a private, Presbyterian-related, liberal arts college located on a 300-acre (121.4 ha) campus in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. For 144 years, Wilson operated as a women's college. In 2013 the college's board of trustees voted to make the college coeducational beginning in the 2013-2014 academic year with male residential students beginning in fall 2014.Wilson College has about 800 students from 17 U.S. states and 14 foreign countries. At the time the Board made the decision to go Co-Ed the college had 316 undergraduate and 379 graduate students. [3] It's known for its Women with Children program, which allows single mothers to bring their children to live with them on campus, as well as for its veterinary medical technician and equestrian programs, and the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, which operates a 7-acre (2.8 ha) organic farm and a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program that supplies community families and others with fresh, organic produce.
Although it nearly closed its doors in 1979, a lawsuit organized by students, faculty, parents and an alumnae association succeeded in allowing the college to remain open, making it one of the few colleges to survive a scheduled closing. (It subsequently adopted the Phoenix as its mascot, to symbolize the college's survival.) Wilson remained open as a women's college until 2013, despite the trend toward turning women's colleges into coeducational institutions.
In 1982, Wilson began offering a continuing studies program (now known as the Adult Degree Program) to meet the needs of adults seeking post-secondary education. In 1996, the college was one of the first in the nation to offer an on-campus residential educational experience for single mothers with children. Beginning in summer 2006, Wilson offered its first graduate-degree program, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for certified elementary school teachers. The college currently offers six graduate degree programs.
The first men to attend and to graduate from Wilson entered at the end of World War II. Men later became able to earn degrees from Wilson through the Adult Degree Program, although the traditional undergraduate college remained a College For Women. In January 2013, the college's board of trustees voted to extend coeducation across all programs; male commuter students were admitted in fall 2013, with the first male residential students beginning in fall 2014.[5]
The college offers 28 majors, 40 minors, master's degrees in education, humanities, fine arts, accounting, nursing and healthcare management, and a state-certified Teacher Intern Program. Majors include Accounting, Biology, Business and Economics, Chemistry, Elementary Education, English, Environmental Studies, Equestrian Studies, Exercise and Sports Science, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, History and Political Science, International Studies, Mass Communications, Mathematics, Philosophy and Religion, Psychobiology, Psychology, Sociology, and Veterinary Medical Technology.
Facilities include the Penn Hall Equestrian Center, Helen M. Beach Veterinary Medical Center, and Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, which operates a USDA certified organic farm and demonstrates and educates about ways to live a sustainable life.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_College_(Pennsylvania).
23) What Wilson College did to avoid closure: Wilson College, founded 1869, is a private, Presbyterian-related, liberal arts college located on a 300-acre (121.4 ha) campus in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. For 144 years, Wilson operated as a women's college. In 2013 the college's board of trustees voted to make the college coeducational beginning in the 2013-2014 academic year with male residential students beginning in fall 2014.Wilson College has about 800 students from 17 U.S. states and 14 foreign countries. At the time the Board made the decision to go Co-Ed the college had 316 undergraduate and 379 graduate students. [3] It's known for its Women with Children program, which allows single mothers to bring their children to live with them on campus, as well as for its veterinary medical technician and equestrian programs, and the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, which operates a 7-acre (2.8 ha) organic farm and a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program that supplies community families and others with fresh, organic produce.
Although it nearly closed its doors in 1979, a lawsuit organized by students, faculty, parents and an alumnae association succeeded in allowing the college to remain open, making it one of the few colleges to survive a scheduled closing. (It subsequently adopted the Phoenix as its mascot, to symbolize the college's survival.) Wilson remained open as a women's college until 2013, despite the trend toward turning women's colleges into coeducational institutions.
In 1982, Wilson began offering a continuing studies program (now known as the Adult Degree Program) to meet the needs of adults seeking post-secondary education. In 1996, the college was one of the first in the nation to offer an on-campus residential educational experience for single mothers with children. Beginning in summer 2006, Wilson offered its first graduate-degree program, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for certified elementary school teachers. The college currently offers six graduate degree programs.
The first men to attend and to graduate from Wilson entered at the end of World War II. Men later became able to earn degrees from Wilson through the Adult Degree Program, although the traditional undergraduate college remained a College For Women. In January 2013, the college's board of trustees voted to extend coeducation across all programs; male commuter students were admitted in fall 2013, with the first male residential students beginning in fall 2014.[5]
The college offers 28 majors, 40 minors, master's degrees in education, humanities, fine arts, accounting, nursing and healthcare management, and a state-certified Teacher Intern Program. Majors include Accounting, Biology, Business and Economics, Chemistry, Elementary Education, English, Environmental Studies, Equestrian Studies, Exercise and Sports Science, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, History and Political Science, International Studies, Mass Communications, Mathematics, Philosophy and Religion, Psychobiology, Psychology, Sociology, and Veterinary Medical Technology.
Facilities include the Penn Hall Equestrian Center, Helen M. Beach Veterinary Medical Center, and Fulton Center for Sustainable Living, which operates a USDA certified organic farm and demonstrates and educates about ways to live a sustainable life.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_College_(Pennsylvania).
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
TAKING A LESSON FROM WILSON COLLEGE!
Here's how an imploding Virginia college might actually be saved
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/sweet-briar-college-staying-open-wilson-college-lawsuit-2015-3#ixzz3UhpcNJnh
Here's how an imploding Virginia college might actually be saved
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/sweet-briar-college-staying-open-wilson-college-lawsuit-2015-3#ixzz3UhpcNJnh
Richmond Times Dispatch article:
Sweet Briar's Credit Rating was in question in November. Standard and Poor's rating revised from stable to poor.http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/article_f019700d-b8d8-51d6-a2bd-055ff2844aaa.html
Charlottesville's The Daily Progress provides details of Faculty vote.
http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/sweet-briar-college-faculty-passes-resolution-opposing-closure/article_100061b0-ccad-11e4-b45b-3ff72c35d68e.html
GOOD Bloomberg article with interesting stats.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-16/this-tiny-college-wants-to-close-its-alumni-won-t-let-it
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-16/this-tiny-college-wants-to-close-its-alumni-won-t-let-it
INDIANA FLETCHER's WILL: http://www.businessinsider.com/sweet-briar-college-land-cannot-be-sold-according-to-founders-last-will-and-testament-2015-3. Land can't be sold, but could be leased is huge! Another option! See entire will here.
Monday, March 16, 2015
INTERESTING...
http://blogs.swarthmore.edu/burke/blog/2015/03/15/save-sweet-briar/
Be sure to see Mimi Fahs '71 comments!
...from Class '69 website
Sue Scanlon's letter.
Member of SBC's Board of Directors.
http://www.sbc1969.com/2015/03/10/sue-scanlan-class-of-1969s-mover-and-shaker/
Sue Scanlon's letter.
Member of SBC's Board of Directors.
http://www.sbc1969.com/2015/03/10/sue-scanlan-class-of-1969s-mover-and-shaker/
SWEETBRIARCOLLECTIVE: http://sweetbriarcollective.com/future/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Amazing, rich, in depth ideas on this site, explore all the tabs, so much here to digest, lifts my spirits.
TV COVERAGE of SBC student welcome!
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Sweet-Briar-Students-296391361.html?device=tablet&c=y
http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Sweet-Briar-Students-296391361.html?device=tablet&c=y
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Blogging by the Class of 1972
Hello all~
This is a huge THANK YOU to Jill Johnson and MarySue Morrison for spending their time into the early morning hours to finish our Class notes and then getting this blog site up for the Class of 1972. They likely now must re-enter the lives they put on hold to prepare the notes and then suddenly be catapulted into a listening and sharing post for the thoroughly unexpected announcement by the SBC Board. JJ and MS, we are forever indebted to you!
We want to use the blogging site responsibly. We need to post encouragement, opinions and only facts that have been checked, or provide the source so the reader can evaluate the fact represented. There are a lot of ideas out there that we hope will be posted so we can use them effectively.
Many of us have different avenues for information. Let's share in order to be and remain up to date.
As we proceed, let's not get discouraged, but keep in mind that we have only recently learned of this decision that the SBC Board has studied for a long while, or not enough. We are joining with other alumnae to find out the facts and perspectives that led to the decision to close Sweet Briar. We have heard some reasons, but we want to know more about the finances and the plans, if any, the Board has for Sweet Briar. We want to know what is being done to help the faculty, uprooted in their career so suddenly. We want to know what plans are in place for the students. We want to know how this happened without us being told or asked to help.
Hold together, shine the light into the dark, undisclosed places, share and believe we can see this distressed time yield a different outcome, or a different direction.
Yours in the struggle, Marion
This is a huge THANK YOU to Jill Johnson and MarySue Morrison for spending their time into the early morning hours to finish our Class notes and then getting this blog site up for the Class of 1972. They likely now must re-enter the lives they put on hold to prepare the notes and then suddenly be catapulted into a listening and sharing post for the thoroughly unexpected announcement by the SBC Board. JJ and MS, we are forever indebted to you!
We want to use the blogging site responsibly. We need to post encouragement, opinions and only facts that have been checked, or provide the source so the reader can evaluate the fact represented. There are a lot of ideas out there that we hope will be posted so we can use them effectively.
Many of us have different avenues for information. Let's share in order to be and remain up to date.
As we proceed, let's not get discouraged, but keep in mind that we have only recently learned of this decision that the SBC Board has studied for a long while, or not enough. We are joining with other alumnae to find out the facts and perspectives that led to the decision to close Sweet Briar. We have heard some reasons, but we want to know more about the finances and the plans, if any, the Board has for Sweet Briar. We want to know what is being done to help the faculty, uprooted in their career so suddenly. We want to know what plans are in place for the students. We want to know how this happened without us being told or asked to help.
Hold together, shine the light into the dark, undisclosed places, share and believe we can see this distressed time yield a different outcome, or a different direction.
Yours in the struggle, Marion
KEEP ON FIGHTING! http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2015/03/saving-sweet-briar-seeks-to-keep-sweet-briar-college-doors-open New news on link. We must all keep positive and keep fighting to keep SBC open! Thirty years ago I got some great advice to make my end of year quotas: one of my bosses told me when I said I had tried every option "Go back to the people who said no in November" and he was right as conditions change and my team won big that year. So even if Jim Jones and the "previous" board thinks SBC tried everything, now is the time to try again, think harder, dig deeper, blast it out to the world, involve everyone. The outpouring from alumnae and more is surely changing the landscape. My first blog post ever! I am SWEETBRIAR. DeDe Conley
Our View: Sweet Briar Board Should Resign
.....numbers don't add up
www.roanoke.com/opinion/editorials/our-view-sweet-briar-board-should-resign/article_e4b317e4-200a-5081-b41f-4139f5e3969a.html
Friday, March 13, 2015
Marion Walker's Letter
Hello Roses,
The sad news of the college’s
closing has brought us as close as we have been since graduation on that
beautiful summer day in May, 1972. Back then the world was our oyster and as we
have lived, it has gotten smaller. Through all of these years our class has
distinguished itself with major donors of money and time, including our own Ginger
Upchurch Collier serving as Chair of the Board of Directors. Last year Ginger
was the graduation speaker. Georgie Vairo was the Distinguished Alumna in 1997.
Many others have served the college anonymously and well. Many of us have
contributed where we could. Thank you to each and every one of you for your
contributions over the years.
Standing at this sad gate to
her closing, we cannot but mourn the loss of the college campus we called home
so long ago where we were “formed” in many fine ways to be the citizens,
professionals, writers, mothers, grandmothers, wives and lovers we are and have
been. Our view of the world has been informed by a liberal arts education and I
for one believe it enriched and continues to enrich my life, and those around
me, beyond all measure.
If some predict the demise of a
liberal arts education is what brought SBC low, then my mourning is all the
greater as we become a nation of “citizens” missing a broad grounding in living
well, true and successfully. In watching the exchange of emails in the last
week, I related to the feelings of desperation at the reality we cannot deny,
and cheered at the spirit to think of ways to carry on. The die appears to be
cast as the college we knew and have loved. The future uses of the campus are
still murky and likely undecided.
There is a 1987 graduate who is
an attorney and hired a law firm to assist in monitoring events. She has asked
some others to join her as a support – Georgie, Jill and I are going to be on
that list and will keep you informed of any developments over time…and it will
take time.
Jill and MarySue have devoted much time in working tirelessly to
develop a communication structure for the Class. We now have a majority of our
class emails. We don’t have them all and could use help in searching for the
missing. You do know that Jill and MarySue are not paid and have been giving us their time, effort,
and techno-knowledge to make sure everyone who wants to be included in
information distribution can be. Jill set up the private Sweet Briar
College Class of 1972 Facebook Group some years ago and we now have 63 members.
She and MarySue have quickly developed this blog, as you can now see. (They
also assembled and edited a second set of Notes so we could have more readable and
enjoyable text about our classmates
in the Final Sweet Briar Magazine.) Thank you Jill and MarySue!
If you can make it to Reunion –
the last on the week-end of May 29th-31st – please
come. If you cannot make it, raise your glass with us all who must bid farewell
to a place – that really special place – we have always felt was ours. There
were certainly many causes for the failure of SBC to endure, but we, her legatees,
have and must. How fortunate we were some of those who were able to go to
college there.
Those wonderful memories are
the scent of the rose we bear as Sweet Briar’s legacy. (Yes, I suppose the poor
memories are the thorns…) We must not wilt with disappointment; we need courage
now.
Hopefully you will accept me as
the President of the Class in perpetuity, as Georgie suggested. I accept. (Also
an unpaid position for which I am most grateful!) Stay tuned because we have
not had our 50th Reunion. We will have it – we know not where –
but it must be. Stay healthy!
I don't know exactly where we
are going. But, I do know we will go together.
Cheers for the Class of
’72!
Marion
Marion F. Walker
Of Counsel
2323 2nd Avenue
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Washington, DC
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