"We are delighted with both these honors, because they acknowledge our drive to embrace our history and look to the future." Each stepped into their respective presidencies between February and August of last year. For two months every winter, students work with an organization or institution of their choosing, anywhere in the world, to apply what they have learned on campus and to focus what they study and make at Benningtonengaging the field that interests them without waiting for graduation. Schneider was well-liked, and being the new guy was a bit intimidating, Anarumo said. Through a genuinely distinctive education, Bennington cultivates a mindset for change, a capacity to break new ground, and the conditions for progress. For at least two years following her retirement Coleman will continue her involvement with the college as the first director of CAPA, upon the request of the trustees. Low 24F. In July 2019, previous Bennington President Mariko Silver resigned to become president and CEO of the Henry Luce Foundation and faculty member Dr. Isabel Roche led the college for a year in the interim. A noted scholar, practitioner and educator-activist, Dr. Rodriguez has 30-plus years of experience as an educator, faculty member, and administrator within California public higher education. Each stepped into their respective presidencies between February and August of last year. "Bennington College's historical architecture, brilliant restorations, and new buildings reflect Bennington's history of design and creativity," said Bennington College President Laura Walker. After leaving Bennington, he went on to serve as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the University of Massachusetts system, then as Chancellor of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. While the context surrounding Walker's departure from NYPR was considered during the search process, Stephens says that the Board felt satisfied that all of their questions had been answered by both Walker herself and reports resulting from investigations into sexual harassment at NYPR during her tenure as President. "I think we're off to a good start," Walker said. As Mariko said, the world needs more Bennington.". 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Some mixed winter precipitation possible. He received his undergraduate degree from Reed College, after which he did graduate work in economics at Columbia University and special studies at the London School of Economics and at Cambridge and Geneva Universities. Keeping students and employees safe and their institution afloat through the past year was the top priority for most first-year college presidents who stepped into their roles right before or during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coleman has been awarded honorary degrees from the University of Vermont, Hofstra University, and The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA). "Things are very uncertain and unpredictable now, and Bennington really needs to be more creative than ever. However, she sees many similarities with her work at NYPR and, before that, Sesame Workshop and believes that her unique resume may prove to be an asset in her role as president. Admissions applications have doubled since Coleman took over, topping 1,200 for the current freshman class. Political scientist Joseph Murphy was Benningtons seventh president. He received his undergraduate degree from Columbia College and a Masters degree in English from Columbia University. Her first challenge was to raise the $20 million necessary to purchase WNYCs licenses from the City of New York and to build its production capacity. 365 Dorset Street During her term, Isabel Roche led Bennington College through a year of exciting changes for the institution and unprecedented tumult in America. [16], In late 2017, charges of sexual harassment at NYPR came to light, with allegations leveled specifically against longtime host John Hockenberry, who had left the station earlier that year. "Throughout her career, she has ignited profound innovation, paving new paths in journalism, public broadcasting and the arts, and her fresh ideas are complemented greatly by a demonstrable ability to lead through change," Stephens continued. While at Bennington, Hooker oversaw a further refinement and integration of the winter internship term, which had been a central part of a Bennington education since its founding. Working in close collaboration with other team members of the Office of the President, the executive assistant works across functions and serves as a liaison with colleagues both internal and external to advance a broad range of projects and initiatives. His few weeks in Norwich dormitories were a morale boost for campus, he said. The top candidate must have an ability to handle sensitive and confidential information, prioritize competing work and deadlines, and produce highly accurate work. She also oversaw the ongoing work of the universitys long-standing Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, and the creation and launch of the Center for Immersive Media, a research center devoted to the exploration and understanding of new and emerging technologies. BENNINGTON - New Bennington College President Laura Walker brings a long career in fundraising and storytelling to the small liberal arts college, as well as controversy surrounding her departure from New York Public Radio where she served as president and CEO for more than twenty years, before eventually resigning amidst claims of sexual Walker's selection followed a search and interview process led by a committee made up of faculty, staff, and members of the board of trustees, according to the release. In all of these areas, fall term was a resounding success. He received a PhD from the Brookings Institution in Washington. In particular, Dr. Rodriguez has focused his career on educational policies that expand access to higher education and financial aid, advocacy for undocumented and low-income students and students with disabilities, and a keen focus on the leadership development of Latino and African American males. During her time there, she ended the tenure system and dismantled academic silos. President's Office | Bennington College President's Office Hours During term: M-F, 9:00AM-5:00PM Summer/FWT: M-F, 8:30AM-4:00PM Location Barn 101 Contact 802-440- 4300 Laura Walker President Barn 101 bio Paige Bartels Senior Advisor to the President Barn 101 Bio Elio Jahaj '18 Director of Special Projects Barn 101 Meredith McCoy Since her inauguration, the college has raised more than $175 million, has constructed six award-winning buildings including the most recent addition last year of the three-building Center for the Advancement of Public Action (CAPA). The college. The proof is in the outsized impact our alumni have on the worlds stage. In December, 2018, Walker announced that she would step down from her role at NYPR at the end of March, 2019. Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D., is the Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest community college district in the nation with nine, accredited colleges, over 200,000 student enrollments, and an annual budget of $5.8 billion serving nearly 900 square miles of Los Angeles County. Dean of Research, Planning, and Assessment, Associate Vice President, Institutional Initiatives (on temporary leave), Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and College Diversity Officer, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, Associate Dean of Career Development and Field Work Term, Vice President for Facilities Management and Planning, Vice President for Communications and Marketing, Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Center for the Advancement of Public Action. Enter your email below to receive job recommendations for similar positions. Dr. Rodriguez has been very active in higher education issues on a national level. "What I want to do at Bennington is identify and dive deep into our unique strengths to reach an even larger and more diverse audience in every way, to have more of Bennington out there," Walker said. Videoconference calls and socially distant small groups will never adequately replace in-person connections, Wallace said. Like us on Facebook. In an attempt to replicate the connections usually made in an on-campus restaurant or faculty lounge, Wallace started a general videoconference meeting for all South Arkansas employees on Fridays at 8:15 a.m. With schools allowed only minimal involvement in their . Bennington, VT. Posted: February 10, 2023. I would have adhered to the most pessimistic models more aggressively, Anarumo said. Neither Coleman nor Kornberg were available for comment Wednesday after the announcement was made. "Hiring Laura Walker is a strong statement from an institution formerly considered to be progressive," said Amelia Marsh, who graduated from Bennington in 2009 and has continued to pressure the College about Walker's appointment. ", "We were looking for someone who would not only lead and raise funds and do the other job-description related tasks of being president," added Brian Michael Murphy, a Bennington College faculty member who also served on the search committee. John Hockenberry, the retired host, who was accused of sexual harassment and bullying, said his "behavior was not always appropriate" and apologized. and both meet and comply with their provisions. Vermont Business MagazineBennington College President Laura Walker announced that Shelton Walker (no relation) has been appointed to the inaugural role of Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the College. McInnis, who started at Stony Brook July 1, tried to say yes to as many opportunities to meet safely with students and employees as she could during the first year of her presidency. After retiring from Bennington, he became the president of the University of Arkansas, Rutgers University, and, finally, the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Chance of rain 100%. During that time, Mount Holyoke completed a record-setting endowed scholarship challenge and the strongest 24-month fundraising period in the college's history. In her letter, Coleman identified a re-animation of the college's founding model -- to have students shape their own education and to assure a rich and complex dynamic between the college and the world -- in 1994 as one of her most profound moments at the college. And their success may be judged using the same yardstick: How well did they handle the COVID-19 pandemic? Laura Walker is in her first year as president of Bennington College. It . Woody Creek, COWoody Creek Distillers, Sekka Scher '90 On Sunday, Burkhardt, who was president of Bennington College from 1947-49 and 1952-57, died at his home on Monument Avenue. Though the COVID-19 pandemic led the Bennington College Board of Trustees to consider postponing their search for a permanent president according to Chairman Nick Stephens, also a Bennington alumnus, the college's leadership was compelled by a number of factors to begin their next chapter sooner rather than later. Seattle, WAPM Pediatrics, Matthew Clarke He is a founding member and serves on the Leadership Group for the Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, and is a former director of the Board of Higher Education and Workforce, both of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Walker will begin her term as president elect on July 1 and become president at the start of the following month, according to the college. She took office in July 2013 as the successor to Elizabeth Coleman. Then, not long after students returned from Field Work Term, the novel coronavirus began to assail the US, and Bennington College shifted to remote learning along with the rest of the country. Visitors to campus included Jackson Pollock, Hans Hofmann, Barnett Newman, Morris Louis, Adolph Gottleib, Joseph Cornell, Larry Poons, Isaac Witkin, William Turnbull, Kenneth Noland, and many othersmany of whom received their first solo exhibitions outside of the commercial galleries at Bennington. "Thanks to her courageous leadership, unwavering commitment to the founding values of the college, and her pioneering vision for a liberal arts education, Bennington is stronger than ever. Contact Luke Nathan at lnathan@benningtonbanner.com. SSE winds shifting to W at 10 to 15 mph. "This trademark skill and style was most evident at New York Public Radio, where Laura took a small, local news station and turned it into a media powerhouse, changing the way news is consumed on local and national levels. The Bennington community extends far beyond the campus, offering connections to alumni, colleagues, and employers around the world. "Significant and prompt disciplinary action was taken in most cases where violations were found," the report said. She and her team held virtual town halls, outdoor small group meetings and dozens of videoconference calls. You have permission to edit this article. Don't miss the big stories. While the capital projects were part of a long-term plan, the university was helped by low interest rates and very high equity in a high stock market, Daly said. Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D. Francisco C. Rodriguez, Ph.D., is the Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest community college district in the nation with nine, accredited colleges, over 200,000 student enrollments, and an annual budget of $5.8 billion serving nearly 900 square miles of Los Angeles County. She led on the day to day, and I led on the future, since Id be inheriting it, Daly said. And then the COVID impact -- real dislocation in terms of students losing their jobs or families losing their jobs.. In 1928, four years before the College would begin, Robert Devore Leigh was recruited by the Bennington College executive committee to serve as the first president of Bennington. Even after a year as president, he worries he won't be able to recognize the people he works with right away. She currently serves on the President's Council at Wesleyan University and holds fellowships at the Yale School of Management. "Especially post-`Me Too,' hiring a woman who demonstrably silenced minority employees about sexual and racial harassment is tone deaf.". I had things I really wanted to do in my first year, and it really just became survival mode, Anarumo said. Benningtons second president, Lewis Webster Jones, was an economist. From left to right: Maurie McInnis, Bentley Wallace, Mark Anarumo, Laura Walker and Kenneth Daly, (Courtesy of Stony Brook University, Bentley Wallace, Mark Collier/Norwich University, Bennington College and St. Thomas Aquinas College), Palestine supporters protest exIsraeli general's class at Chicago, Secretary Cardona harshly criticizes 'U.S. He co-chairs the Colleagues for Interstate Passports Future Advisory Group of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) and also serves on the Task Force on Community College Apprenticeships, a collaborative workforce initiative between the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the U.S. Department of Labor. Within the context of social upheaval, a global pandemic, and a "tectonic shift" in higher education, Walker says that she's excited nonetheless to continue doing what she does best achieving growth by zeroing in on an institution's strongsuits this time at Bennington College. A report by an outside law firm at the request of NYPR's board of trustees that was publicized in April 2018 found "offensive and at times discriminatorily harassing conduct by a small number of individuals, including hosts of shows and administrative staff" but did not find evidence of "systemic discrimination," which it defined as "pervasive discrimination or discriminatory harassment that is known and tolerated by senior management.". A former political analyst for the Department of State, Edward Bloustein received his undergraduate degree from New York University and later, on a Fulbright Scholarship, a bachelor of philosophy degree from Oxford. Full-Time. Under president Walker's leadership, Bennington College is in the midst of an immensely exciting and transformative period in its history and experiencing extraordinary growth. "The independent investigation concluded that Laura acted quickly and professionally to address all the issues that were raised," the message reads. 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