Dear Alumnae,
In a few short months we as seniors will join you in the ranks of Chatham College for Women alumnae. The aim of this letter is to share our confusion, disappointment, and hurt over some reactions to the recent announcement regarding the Board of Trustees’ proposal towards considering a coeducational undergraduate program. This letter does not represent a specific stance on the announcement.
We are not here to say whether we support or are against a coeducational undergraduate program. The Class of 2014 Executive Board is speaking directly to the alumnae we are about to join. We are not here to accuse and berate you. We sympathize with you and your frustrations. We just want to say the way that some are reacting does not square with our view of world ready behavior.
Our frustration stems from a couple of sources. First, having a petition to withhold donations when only 22% of alumnae donate. We recognize that financially, times may be tough. As a board, we have a goal of increasing this when we graduate. This is abysmal because the Class of 2014 is striving to raise funds for the betterment of Chatham. This view is hurting the community you are vowing to save. If your target is the administration please note that the rest of the school is deeply affected as well. We are in the process of fundraising for a senior gift and it is disappointing to see that we have lost support in our efforts to renovate Rea Coffeehouse into a functional space for future students while still preserving its historical integrity. Be mindful that this has an impact on the Chatham community as a whole.
Secondly, the general tone of a significant number of alumnae that has been heard lacks that of acceptance, respect, and open mindedness. As World Ready Women we are taught to be respectful of diversity and to listen to varied opinions. As class leaders we were elected to represent all opinions and views. The general tone has made students uncomfortable and discouraged them from voicing their opinions.
We find it amazing that so many alumnae have come out of the woodwork to fight for what they believe is right. We are proud to join your ranks. We just hope that all of us can take all the passion and fervor that is out there and channel it towards positive solutions and respectful dialogue. Although our generations and classes may be different we should uphold the same core values that Chatham instilled in us: women’s education, diversity, sustainability, and global awareness. We are different but very much the same, which is why united we must stand. We look forward to building a better Chatham University with you.
We deeply appreciate and thank you for taking the time to listen to us.
Sincerely,
Class of 2014 senior Senate members
*Edited 2/27/14: From Class of 2014 senior Senate members rather than CSG
Dear CSG, and any students who would read this,
I’m very sorry to hear that you have the impression that we alumnae as a whole are not supporting you well. It pains me to read this, because it makes me feel like we are making general assumptions about each other, especially since our two groups have had so little interaction with each other. Let me address each point in kind, if I may try to speak on behalf of my fellow alumnae…
First, the petition to withhold funds from the college. I myself, and many other alumnae for that matter, were aware of its existence, but we do not support that sort of measure at this time. I believe only 27 people have signed that petition. It’s not indicative of our group as a whole. At the moment, we are trying to gather as many questions and data and ideas as possible to see how we can preserve the all-women’s nature of Chatham’s undergrad program. There have been plenty of great ideas for action, but mostly at this point we are still trying to understand the nature of the problem, and right now, we don’t believe we have the full information needed to be sure of our alternative solutions to the enrollment problem.
Second, for the tone. Let me explain: we’ve gone through wonderful experiences at Chatham as have you. We also have seen things change, for the better for the worse (depending on our perspective). We have seen more and experienced more, so we have also experienced possibly more shock to the announcement of going coed. Many alumnae feel very strongly about keeping the school all women. Some do want to explore the issue further before making a firm decision. We ALL want to have full information at hand so we can make the right decisions. I would personally, love to hear what current students think. I’ve had the privilege of talking to a few students, but the alumnae as a whole have been really in the dark about how the students are dealing with it. We WANT to support you as sisters, and perhaps some of the tone you’ve detected is also our distress in feeling disconnected from the campus and not knowing how all of you are dealing and feeling like we are being kept apart. I would love to see more lines of communication opened up between students and alumnae. We can learn from each other’s perspectives.
How can we do more together? You are right, we need to be united and we need work together to make tomorrow’s Chatham the one that we can all be proud to bring forward to future generations. I personally hope it will be future generations of women, but let’s talk about it shall we?
Thanks for reaching out and I hope we get to hear more from all the students!
~Tricia Chicka, Class of 2005
(feel free to find me on Facebook if you’d like to chat with me one-on-one!)
Full disclosure from the administration would go a long way. Given the fact that the announcement to consider going coed was just made with a vote set for June leads me to believe that the board does not want to allow time for the alumnae and current students to organize and come together in any meaningful way. If they truly valued the opinion of alums and current students those groups would have been included in the discussions from the beginning. I think that the decision to go coed has already been made. I hope I am wrong. Please stick together alums and current students. I’m sure that those in decision making positions will be happy to see dissension.
As an alumna, it is important to me to say that Chatham’s current welcoming of diverse students (and alumnae) is important and is not an environment that I think will last I at a fully co-ed school. I do not want to identify with a school that chooses to be LESS inclusive and sells that as a better choice for the school. I would love the opportunity to discuss diversity with current students and support their concerns. I can be reached at any hour at eleanorstrousers@gmail.com or @eleanorstrouser to discuss.
I can’t speak for all alumnae, but I’m sure there are others who share my thoughts. I have always donated, however little, when I’ve had the chance, and will continue to do so. I am not threatening to withdraw my support, but I would like to see an all-female undergrad program continue at Chatham. I’d like to point out that a rate of 22% is actually above average for alumni giving. I would like to have dialogue with current students and to let you know I’m on your side. I want to stay connected. In fact, I was at Chatham in the fall talking to undergrads about my study abroad (and living abroad) experience. I’ve written to the feedback email address and look forward to continuing the discussion. Let’s keep the respect going both ways.?That’s my 2 cents for now. Holly Hickling, class of ’04
There is something that I find disturbing about the tone of this and other postings. Below is why…
Often times, women are told that they are crazy or over-emotional when they voice opinions that make transparent an injustice. Unfortunately, this intentional tactic is not new.
I took a class at Chatham my sophomore year with the amazing Dr. Massey (if I am remembering her last name correctly). We discussed the time of Aristotle. Men would participate in grand debates that focused on the weakness and irrationality of women – making their case for why women should be second-class. They sited how emotionally distraught women were and how they were physically weak – fainting often. One thing they refused to realize – among many others – was that women were being poisoned with lead from the make-up which they applied to their faces.
The tactic of not addressing the triggering behavior, but instead, focusing on the reaction (e.g., women’s “bad” behavior), seeks to delegitimize voices. I would encourage you to not reapply – intentionally or unintentionally – the same tactics, which have sought to divide women and silence their voices.
This is an historical moment in time for us all, Chatham University, and higher education in general. Please consider the ‘bigness’ of the moment. This decision impacts future young women, other women’s colleges, and us.
There are Chatham College for Women alumnae who are traveling from Kentucky, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Connecticut, Washington, D.C. and beyond to attend a town hall with Dr. Barazzone in Philadelphia this weekend. Why would adult women take time out of their busy personal and professional lives and spend money (which is hard to come by these days) to address the co-ed proposal with Dr. Barazzone? There are alumnae from other women’s colleges rallying on our behalf. Why?
I send you clarity of vision and mind as you consider the weight of this moment.
Submitted with the utmost respect, Liana Dragoman (Class of 1999)
One good thing that may come of this is for more alumnae to realize the value of giving to the College. Yes, 22% is above average; however, as giving is an indicator of customer satisfaction, financial contributions (even small ones) would be a good way to register how much the Chatham experience is valued.
Dear Chatham community,
In a few short months, my class and I will join the strong ranks of Chatham College for Women alumnae. Although it has always said Chatham University at the top of my transcript, my sisters and I have had an experience that was uniquely CCW, and I for one truly value this experience that links me to almost 145 graduating classes of impressive women. The value of this education is evident in the sheer volume of quality discussions taking place in online communities and physical meetings alike.
To put it shortly, the 2014 senior senate members do not speak for me. I am appalled by the condescending letter that seeks to burn bridges between the current students and the concerned alumnae community. I have had the privilege of conversing with many alumnae in the past few weeks, and I have been simply blown away by the passion and the support that these women are offering me. These alumnae are offering their concern, their time, and their resources to help Chatham navigate this financial challenge, but more to help keep the spirit of Chatham College for Women strong and vital as the University makes changes.
I do not know what constitutes the “general tone” that my classmates cited as making “students uncomfortable and discouraged them from voicing their opinions.” I have been given space to explain how I feel, to share the conversations I’ve been having with other students, and to see and use the enormous wealth of ideas and resources that the alumnae community is putting forward. This context of understanding what happened in the past as Chatham considered the switch to co-ed has greatly expanded my understanding of situation at hand today, and hearing how a Chatham education has served generations of women is so encouraging. The alumnae are here to help us, to support us, and yes, many are against the change to a co-ed institution. We are all entitled to our opinions. Overall, the way that those opinions has have been shared has been a testament to the quality and excellence of both current students and alumnae alike.
This announcement, although personally upsetting to me and many other women who feel that women’s leadership and education should always have a place to thrive unencumbered, is a real chance for the whole Chatham community to come together. I have already seen it happening, and I cannot believe that we, as alumna-in-training, the class of 2014, is looking to burn bridges instead of uniting as Chatham graduates. I strongly encourage all of you to directly contact an alumna. Send her a private message and ask her why Chatham is important to her and why she is fighting the change to go co-ed (or why she supports it!). Ask her about her experiences and share your own. Communication and mutual understanding between our alumnae and us can only benefit us all; can only strengthen the national and international Chatham network, the community, the family that most of us joined just four short years ago. Alumnae, we need you and we want your support and input. We can’t navigate these waters alone.
Sincerely,
Rachel Leftwich
Class of 2014
Rachel,
Yesterday a group of alums from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s met at my home to discuss our participation in the Greater Phila. Chapter of the Chatham University Alumnae Association. I’d like to summarize some of the key discussion points for your consideration, with the hope your classmates will understand the importance the single-sex Chatham played in our lives and development. The following comments are my own; I was not asked to speak for our group (or the Group), but I believe I am fairly representing the beliefs and experiences of the group who met yesterday.
1. PCW/Chatham College/CCW is an evolving entity. Not all of us chose Chatham BECAUSE it was single sex, but all of us believe its single-sex character influenced the women we are becoming/have become. Single-sex education is not a good option for all students; it should continue to exist to respond to a need of those students who will benefit from the option.
I cherish the intellectual nurturing I was able to receive in the single-sex Chatham and believe it helped me enter my profession (which had previously been limited to men).
2. The Honor Code and Tutorials are vital to the core of Chatham’s independent intellectually based education.
3. Formerly, the Chatham Student Government was independently nominated and elected by its peers. It, and a free press are vital tocommunity. Both should be reinstituted within the community.
4. Former programs/initiatives, including Student Ambassador Admissions and (mandatory) Internships, gave students the opportunity to expand their knowledge base and become “world ready women” while beginning to build a resume and create MEANINGFUL career (and networking) opportunities.
In 2008, the former chair of the Board of Trustee acknowledged the importance of the Student Admissions Ambassador program to the Board, and cited a 25% increase in admissions during the two years the program had been in effect (2006 – 2008.) Not only did this program provide jobs and marketable experience to the students who participated, it BROUGHT HIGH CALIBRE STUDENTS TO CHATHAM. This program should be resumed.
Coincidentally, this morning’s Philadelphia “Inquirer” included a column by Joseph DiStefano that discussed the pending Penn State Board elections. In his column, Mr. DiStefano quoted Joel Myers, the “only alumni trustee seeking reelection”. Mr. DiStefano asked “(i)f Penn State needed fixing, wasn’t Myers part of the problem? ‘I’ve always been a reformer,’ he told me. ‘I pushed for changes in the right direction in 2003. They were not adopted.’ Why wasn’t he more effective? Too much confidence in the boss: ‘Graham Spanier was considered one of the top two or three university presidents’ by his peers. ‘But he probably had more authority than he should have'”.
Mr. DiStefano “asked alumni trustee Ira Lubert, a Philadelphia investor” …why he’s not running again.’It’s time for new blood on the Penn State board – on any board’, he told me. ‘That’s why I got off, after 10 years'”.
I’ve recently seen a copy of Douglas Chaffey, PhD’s 2007 closing convocation address from 2007. Doug was one of my professors in the 70s; I learned from, liked, and respected him. I recommend you seek a copy and read it.
I will be happy to share my experiences with any “alumna-in-training” and wish all of you great happiness and success in the future!
Sandy Kuritzky, ’73