Tag: Beverly Rodgers

Notes from Antioch College alumni meeting, Chicago 4/10/10

See video:
Part One
Part Two

Speakers: Matthew Derr, Lee Morgan, Beverly Rodgers, Aimee Maruyama, Julian Sharp

using arts & sciences
testing academic plan with high school students

Beverly:
a week to ten days in between each term
no summers off
flipped educational model upside down
begin forming relationships with faculty in first year 1:5 teacher ratio

lee: target to have tuition equal or below state school out of state, do it in 3 years.
we just lost a work quarter
seven academic quarters, five coops

the question is can a human being develop properly in 3 years. I don’t have a good answer.

sandy macnab: do you have entering class in back pocket?

lee: we can just about offer a free ride to the first 25 students
recruitment will be more about finding the proper diversity mix

beverly: want alumni chapters to help interview prospective students
in last year school closing had 62 students

susan greene: similar calendar took me five years.

three years may only attract more sophisticated students than our target diversity

kathy huff: how’s annual fund going?
aimee: it’s 2.8 million. we’re just over half way
kathy huff: wouldn’t it be wise to keep the endowment?

11.4% currently giving (aimee)

lee: since announced closure 16 million raised
2 million in the bank
4-5 million in outstanding pledges

lee: operating budget 400k/month $5 million/year
2 million to rehab gym

south gym will accommodate 250 seat black box theater shared facility with village

beverly level out at 600 students half on campus half remote

tour of building at antiochcollege.org

howard cort: is there enough flexibility in the program?

beverly: we’re presenting program for three years it may take four

derr: first class planned to come in at 100% discount
reduced discount rate to about 30%
hover around 20% after received accreditation
26,000 tuition and 10,000 in fees first year

beverly: not negating governance but having a director of community

jim hobart: what if this design doesn’t work?
I never would have made it through this program
where’s the fun?

derr: it works according to credits and math.
we have to invest in student life, gym, glen to have rich experience
we have to look at this empirically at how it plays to 17 year olds

we have to decide what our admission criteria are. works better when students have had work experience

first entering class 25 second 50 third 75

involve community mangers in year long curriculum in community
give new community agency of its own
have to plan for governance on campus or they’ll rebel against it

roger: where would you recruit transfer students?

derr: public university students who want liberal arts education but don’t have access
start hosting prospective students this fall

lee: if this doesn’t work we’re going to go down in a blaze of glory. we’re not going to do something half-ass

prexy: our legacy is risk taking. when I say antioch lives people say “are you serious? you came back again?” this is our legacy.

susan: I take you at your word student body won’t be all white.
the first year is where we must recruit the class that looks different. must have working class students.

prexy: we’ve begun going places antioch never went to (in terms of diverse recruitment).
lee: we’re devoting a day to this subject at our may board meeting

beverly: I’m chair of morgan fellows

julian: eight OSU students came on spring break to do work
4/24-25 big volunteer weekend on campus

derr: we need you to talk to disconnected and angry alumni and turn them around

note: the fundamental academic subjects- it’s unclear to some alumni how they fit in.

derr: board meeting will be in yellow springs may 24-25. Details to come.

Notes, Video, Audio, Photos from Antioch Road Show Chicago

On Dec. 5, at Columbia College, about 45 Antioch College alumni (including Jeanne Kay, who happened to be in town on business for her law firm internship while studying at the Sorbonne) met with four representatives of the newly independent college:

Beverly Rodgers and Jean Gregorek, two of the five Morgan Scholars tasked with building the curriculum
board chair Lee Morgan
and advancement director Risa Grimes

The presenters shared plans for the rebuilding of the college, and invited alumni to share their own ideas about the process.

See video of the meeting:
Part one
Part two

See photos

Audio will be posted here

Here are some notes from the meeting:

Lee Morgan: The college’s capital campaign has raised $15 million of its $50 million five-year-goal.
$2 million is in the bank
$9 million is in outstanding pledges
The college is spending at a rate of $4 million per year, and has spent $4 million to date

Lee believes all the major leaks in campus buildings have been repaired. Preservation and repair of the campus is projected to cost significantly less than the $40 million originally projected.

The plan is to admit 70-120 students in fall 2011, with a small faculty and relatively narrow curriculum. The college is considering a program in which alumni could teach short (6 week) segments in their field of expertise at the college, under the supervision of faculty.

Accreditation could take up to 5 years, though provisional accreditation could be available sooner. The college is exploring ways to assure graduates can gain accepted into graduate programs during the interim.

Federal financial aid requires accreditation, but the college is looking at other forms of financial aid to assure the it can be made affordable for lower income students.

Currently plan for tuition is to stay competitive with the cost of out of state tuition at state schools, or about $30,000. Average student of the Great Lakes Colleges Association pays 46% of their institution’s full tuition.

11 of 15 positions on the board have been filled.

Curriculum will be narrower when the college first reopens, with a relatively small faculty serving the small student body.

Jean Gregorek: The college held its first symposium on immigration. Upcoming symposiums are planned to cover Native American identity, restorative justice as an alternative to imprisonment, green innovations, and issues facing contemporary liberal arts colleges.

Beverly Rodgers: Plans for the college are in flux. Alumni feedback will be substantially incorporated into planning in the coming months.

Part of the challenge in recruiting students is to demonstrate Antioch’s value to potential employers in thinking critically and unconventionally.

Plans are to more fully integrate identity-based studies (such as women’s studies, African American studies, queer theory) throughout the curriculum

Jeanne Kay: shared governance needs affect real decision making in order to have real educational value. Should be integrated into the curriculum.

Beverly Rodgers: the college is considering hiring a dean of community
(This idea was met with skepticism by some, particularly younger, alumni, who feared it could disempower community government)

Ian McPhaden: Are there plans to offer degree completion programs, targeting the many Antiochians who didn’t graduate?

Lee Morgan: College will focus on traditional age students. Continuing students should consider attending Antioch University.

Judy Spock: It would be valuable to gather a repository of Alumni experiences. (This idea is reiterated throughout the meeting).

Susan Greene: College should hire young faculty and focus on making Antioch accessible to minority students.

Prexy Nesbitt (board member): Need to make Antioch accessible also to students from developing countries, who can apply their education to addressing specific problems at home. Need to look at recruiting students who demonstrate non-traditional aptitudes, such as gang leaders.

David Nekimken: Integrate peace into the curriculum.

Robin Sheerer: Focus on social entrepreneurship.

Claudia Hommel: Don’t think about what employers need, thin about what the working class needs. Don’t limit co-op job to preprofessional. Give students real life work experiences like American sweat shops. Better integrate students with staff/union.

Jon Baker: Think about where we want students to end up: organizers, critical thinkers, change agents. Don’t send them to work in sweat shops. Send them to work in sweat shops. Students from working class backgrounds need to see real job prospects.

Meghan Pergrem: Diversity also includes transgender students and students with disabilities. Also must focus on diversity within faculty and staff. 30,000 is a lot of money. Be careful about letting full-tuition international students fulfill diversity requirements at the expense of lower-income domestic students. If identity studies are integrated into curriculum, how do we preserve dedicated spaces for these groups? Co-op should focus on community. Need curriculum on community organizing, harm reduction, seeking justice from a place of love.

Bill Jaggard: Need to retain focus on core liberal arts curriculum.

John Edgar: Antioch needs to focus on less hubristic goals than saving the world.

Risa Grimes: Alumni participation in this fiscal year, begun in July, is 5%. Need to get it up. Even small donations can raise the rate and improve the college’s prospects to secure grants.

Philadelphia Chapter Meeting with Morgan Fellows – December 13, 2009

Philadelphia chapter meeting with Morgan Fellows Jean Gregorek & Beverly Rodgers in attendance.

Video & audio of this can also be accessed on any java capable computer at https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2009-12-07.0715.M.5D75135CE5AA7580BDF80166F2009D.vcr

MINUTES:  Philadelphia Chapter Antioch Alumni
December 13, 2009  –  Swarthmore College Kohlberg Hall

Attendees:
Deena Pollack, Nancy Geist, Lyne Harmon, Bob Harmon, Judy Voet, Nick Sanders, Ted Goertzel, Norma Van Dyke, Judy Gross, Libby Blackman, Anne Wingfield Kaplan, Deborah Curtiss, Pat Savadove, Molly Sayvetz, Mitzi Cooper, Helen Mangelsdorf , Deborah Bakan, Chris Jones, Ray Tumarkin, Kathleen Corr, Robert Hernblad. Elly Bulova, Alice Maxfield, Ellen Reynolds, John Hollis
Online attendees: Carolyn Awalt, Hal McCartor, Jon Morris, Dan Ayers

Nick Sanders opened the meeting by calling for a voice vote on the slate of candidates for chapter offices.   The vote was unanimous.  Election results are as follows:  Corresponding Secretary/Chair,  Communications:  Judy Voet;  Treasurer/ Chair,  Finance Committee:  Bob Harmon;  Chair, /Events-Social Committee:  Robert Hernblad;  Chair, Fundraising Committee:  Steve Tobias;  Recording Secretary:  Nick Sanders.

Nick noted thank-you’s due to the nominating committee,  to Ann Kaplan for organizing refreshments, to Judy Voet for securing the meeting space and for helping with the online hookup.  Ted Goertzal initiated the online hookup and maintained the online connection throughout the meeting.   There were four online listeners to the Dec. 13 presentation via Elluminate. A recording of this session can be viewed at:

https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2009-12-07.0715.M.5D75135CE5AA7580BDF80166F2009D.vcr

Continue reading Philadelphia Chapter Meeting with Morgan Fellows – December 13, 2009

Washington, DC Chapter Meeting – November 21, 2009

With Morgan Fellows Susan Eklund-Leen and Beverly Rodgers. Also in attendance Risa Grimes & Micah Canal.

Full summary of this meeting is provided below.

Meeting of DC Area Antioch Alums, Nov. 21, 2009
UDC School of Law, room 205    2-5pm

Guests from Yellow Springs:
Beverly Rodgers and Susan Eklund-Leen, newly named Morgan Scholars
Risa Grimes, Director of Advancement
Micah Canal, ’08, Director of Annual Giving

Audience of approx. 60, including 3 current Alumni Board members, former AC president Joan Straumanis, and former Board chair Larry Pearl.  The meeting was chaired by former Trustee and College Alumni President Karen Mulhauser.

Bev and Susan are both former AC co-op advisors, and have been hired with three other ex-faculty to help design the curriculum for the new Antioch College.  The others are Scott Warren, philosophy professor; Anne Bohlen, film and media; Jean Gregorek, Literature.  Science reps have yet to be hired.  The Morgan Scholars (sometimes called fellows) were chosen by a search committee of people from the Alumni Board (AB) and the Board Pro Tem. (BPT).

Bev began by explaining what the Morgan fellows are. “The curriculum belongs to the faculty.  Since we do not have students until 2011, the Board felt it imperative to have faculty in place to develop the curriculum.”

They are scheduled to have the concept in place by Jan. 2010, the actual curriculum by June.  An admissions director will be hired in June, with a view to admitting students in the fall of 2011.

They are also tasked with presenting symposiums during the year, planning at this point one on the Daily Struggles of Immigrant Workers, one on Native Americans, and one on Restorative Justice.  There are plans for a Reunion in June, and there will be a symposium on Civil Rights then.

The Scholars are not involved with fund-raising or the business plan.

Bev said their research so far included looking at the history of liberal arts education, and data from the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ ten year report.  It said colleges must prepare students to “think critically and creatively to solve existing problems and anticipate future ones.”  Looking at the needs of employers, they said students must be able to communicate well. The co-op program is well suited to these goals.
There will be a core curriculum in which all students will participate.  The “studies” element – women, black, Hispanic, gender, etc. – will be incorporated into every class.

There are no fixed ideas as yet, because the scholars are actively seeking alumni input.  The email addresses for everyone now are: first initial, last name, @antiochcollege.org.
brodgers@antiochcollege.org; seklund@antiochcollege.org

You can read more about the Morgan Scholars at alumni.antiochians.org

They are still looking at starting a 3-year program to a B.A., which with a full-year calendar would be only one term less than a 4-year program.  At least 3 co-ops would be included.  This would enable tuition to match state colleges @ about $25,000 a year. They are looking at returning to the four quarter system with two divs, A and B.

Susan spoke of the value of the co-op program and how it is different from an internship, with real responsibilities.  Several people in the audience felt the need to interrupt and talk about their co-op experiences as validation of her point! The new co-op program would recognize that in the future people are more likely to have 10 jobs over their lifetime as opposed to one career, that people will need to be more entrepreneurial and flexible.

The new college will also require at least 3 hours a week of on campus labor (Berea College model).

Language training will be a requirement and possibly also living abroad as with AEA.

The core curriculum will probably include a first year seminar on Democracy, globally and locally.  Students will learn to write and to make oral and public presentations.

– – – – – – – –
Questions and comments included:
Would there still be federally funded work programs on campus (i.e. student subsidies); 2008 grad Zach Gallant said many of the FWSP jobs paid for 40 hours of work when there were really may be only 3 hours – his job was “refilling sex supplies.”  (Older grads did not know the college supplied condoms, etc.)  It is not clear at this point what federal funds we may qualify for.
Should co-op and classroom be more integrated, such as with having counselors meet together with the student instead of separately?
Will graduation be guaranteed?  Where will the students come from?  How many faculty and students?
Why not more emphasis on math and science?
Some urged more flexibility; others interested in more academic rigor and standards.
One recent grad said bad experiences with co-op should be studied, that the tough experiences need to be addressed.  He also wanted political activism to be addressed in practical ways.

Risa said the appeal of the curriculum would be tested on high school students before being put in place.  “We know where those students are – the non-conforming students.”
There will be between 90 and 120 students the first year, and 15-20 faculty.  Accreditation is required and to get it you must guarantee solvency, i.e. graduation.
Not all the buildings will be open when the college opens.

Barbara Esbin asked whether the Board planned to hire a President and present her/him with a curriculum, or whether the new president will have a role in designing the new school.

Bev said that is a big debate; probably a president would not be attracted by a blank slate but would want to see a degree of enthusiasm and a dynamic environment.

Local alum Patrick Masterson addressed the audience to talk about how to revitalize the DC Chapter.  He has volunteered to organize some “fun stuff”: talks, social get-togethers, etc.  Ideas are welcome. Other volunteers are needed to contact local alums, update the mailing list, etc.  There are over 1000 Antioch alums in the DC area.
People to contact:  patrick@potomacgroupLLC.com
Karen:  kmulhauser@consultingWomen.com

Risa said there are now 20 strong chapters around the country and 15 that need help.  We are considered a strong chapter.

Money:
$15 million has been raised for college seed money; $700,000 for the annual fund (i.e. operations.) $2.8 million is needed for the annual fund.  The Capital Campaign is targeted at $10 to $15 million over five years.
The participation rate, based on the total number of living alums, is now 4%.  Foundations will not help us until we show a 25 to 40% participation rate.
The average four-year college has a 50% participation rate.  Everyone was urged to give, even if it is a small amount, in order to boost our rate.  Risa noted that both she and Matt Derr have pledged $10,000 to be paid out over several years.  She also said Matt’s title has been changed to Acting President.

Christian Feuerstein said there is a Facebook page called Chase Community Giving.com that will give $25,000 to Antioch if we get a lot of votes. apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/

Happy Thanksgiving
Megan Rosenfeld, note taker.