Missed some news while you were out? Here’s a round-up of news from the past month.
Links
- During the Winter Break, Haverford released a statement opposing the proposed ASA boycott of Israeli academic institutions. (Link: full statement)
- Bryn Mawr College President Kim Cassidy attended a White House meeting on college access and affordability (Link: NPR, White House Report)
- The Tri-Co hosted its first Hack-a-Thon in Founders’ Hall this past weekend, a 48-hour marathon competition where students create digital apps, products and devices. (Read: tweets from the event, the Hack-a-Thon website, and a Technically Philly article previewing the event by Juliana Reyes BMC ’11)
Kiefer Steps Down Prior to Fundraising Campaign Kick-Off
Vice President for Institutional Advancement Michael Kiefer stepped down at the end of 2013, the College announced late December. During the transition period, Kiefer is serving as “Special Assistant” to President Daniel H. Weiss, according to the College’s official press release.
After he leaves Haverford late June, Kiefer will pursue “new career opportunities with a special focus on international affairs,” according to the College’s statement.
Until then, Kiefer will serve in his new role, helping ” with the transition and in planning for the next phase of the campaign,” Weiss added in an email to The Clerk.
According to Weiss, Kiefer’s employment contract does not require the College to retain him for a specific period of time.
On the interim, Ann Figueredo, Director of Leadership Gifts, will serve as VP.
As for finding Kiefer’s permanent replacement, Weiss said they are “not sure what the next step in the [search] process will be.”
In a phone interview last week, Weiss said he did not anticipate any negative impacts on the Campaign’s timeline as a result of Kiefer’s departure.
“Ann is slowly taking over, and is running the organization as we would want, so we haven’t lost a step,” Weiss said.
The Board will set a goal at the end of this academic year and officially kick-off the Campaign in Fall 2014.
Kiefer joined Haverford in 2008 after 13 years at Amherst College, where he directed a 1996-2001 campaign that raised $270 million, well over the College’s original goal of $200 million.
As VP of Institutional Advancement, Kiefer ranked among Haverford’s highest-paid employees. According to 2012 tax forms, his salary was $257,217 plus an additional $42,812 in other benefits.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines require non-profit organizations to list their highest compensated employees in annual tax forms.
Board Weekend: February 7-9, 2014
At their February meeting, the Board of Managers will be discussing the College’s annual budget as well as its long-term budget plan.
Key to the budget process are the projects and spending priorities that are identified in the draft Strategic Plan, which the Board will be briefed on.
As the Managers review the College’s short- and long-term budget outlook, they will also be taking up the no-loan financial aid policy, which replaces student loan expectations with grant aid.
Senior staff, who have put forward an alternative policy that reintroduces loans for students with a family income over $60,000, say the existing policy is too expensive for the College’s current financial situation.
At a forum in December, many students challenged the Administration, some arguing that the projected $820,000 in cost savings are outweighed by the College’s moral imperative to maintain the policy.
“I thought that the meeting in general was excellent – it was thoughtful and issue-driven and respectful in terms of the different points of view. I’m not surprised that there were many students that felt strongly about maintaining the policy…I feel strongly that we keep it too, but we’re operating in a series of constraints,” Weiss said of the two-hour long forum.
Several students have formed a group, Fords for Affordability, which is planning a publicity campaign in favor of keeping the no loan policy.
“Abe Lincoln said it is a sin to be silent when it is your duty to protest…so [students] should do whatever feels right to them,” he said, when asked about student organizing. “But if they want to discuss or dialogue with the Administration, they are open to do that.”
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