GSLIS Edition - Simmons College

Chair
Lauren Brisky ’73
president’s letter note
Vice Chair
Stephen P. Jonas P’05
Clerk of the Board of Trustees
Regina M. Pisa
Members
Carmen A. Baez ’79, ’03HD
Robert E. Branson
Deborah C. Brittain ’74SW
Helen G. Drinan ’75LS, ’78SM
Joyce Elden ’80
Atsuko Toko Fish
Eileen M. Friars ’72
Helen K. Gee ’85, ’04HS
Maha Ghandour P’06
Jill A. Greenthal ’78
Hope Hirsch ’67
Anne C. Hodsdon ’75, ’77GS
John W. Humphrey
Pamela H. Jackson ’85
Kathleen Morrissey LaPoint ’84
Ngina Lythcott ’67, ’04HD
Judith Samdperil Mann ’83
Stephen P. McCandless
Jacqueline C. Morby ’78SM
Kevin C. Phelan
Carol Waller Pope ’74
Emily Scott Pottruck ’78
Lucia Luce Quinn ’75
Faith M. Richardson ’84
Jo-Ann Robotti ’75
Barbara B. Scolnick ’64LS
Carole Seigel ’80SM
Toby M. Sloane ’60
Douglas Smith-Petersen
Paula A. Sneed ’69
Janet Trafton Tobin ’67
Adeena Weiss-Ortiz ’94
Andrea Waldstein ’60SW
Amy E. White ’81
board of trustees
Alumnae/i Volunteer Leadership
Undergraduate Alumnae Association
Executive Board
President
Amy Klotz ’96
Graduate School of Library and
Information Science Alumni Association
President
Kristen Liberman ’87LS
School of Management
Alumnae Association
President
Joan Tomaceski ’91SM
School of Social Work
Alumni Council
President
Sonia Michelson ’85SW
One can never underestimate the
importance of telling the truth, even
in times of hardship. That is the single
most valuable lesson I have learned in
my years of professional leadership.
It is with this philosophy of trust
that I write to you about the financial
situation at our College today. This is
a very sobering time for our country.
With the global economy in a tailspin,
many of you are having to make difficult
choices for you and your family.
Simmons also is making some
tough choices. This summer, we
carefully reviewed our projected
2008–2009 budget, and determined
that in the absence of significant reductions,
we would likely face an operating
deficit. Thanks to the hard work and
conscientious efforts of all the division
heads, we identified more than
$3 million in operating cost savings for
this year, and the budget was adjusted
accordingly. However, this is not the
only change we will have to make.
Increased fuel costs, lower-thanexpected
enrollments for our incoming
undergraduate class, and rising
expenditures for new faculty members
hired to meet reaccreditation and accreditation
standards have exacerbated
this issue. In addition, this summer it
was determined that despite what was
previously reported to the Board of
Trustees, the College actually had operating
budget deficits from fiscal years
2005 through 2008. These deficits
were made more difficult to identify
because of incomplete internal budget
reports and a 2005 change in the auditing
report format.
I have been talking at length with
our community about this situation.
While it is difficult to acknowledge
these problems, I believe that all members
of the Simmons community have
a right to know what is happening, and
what the College is doing to remedy
these issues.
As I write this letter at the end of
October, we are continuing our efforts
to revise the 2008–2009 budget with
as little disruption to the College and
to our fellow employees as possible.
Going forward, we will achieve a
balanced budget to ensure a healthy
future and restart our strategic review
in light of the financial realities. I have
made it my personal goal to do everything
possible to restore our financial
health. Doing so will require teamwork
from every member of the Simmons
community.
Throughout this process, I have
been heartened by the optimistic
and encouraging attitude from staff
members, professors, trustees, and
alumnae/i, many of whom have
made gifts to the College as a sign of
support. With this support — along
with participation from the Simmons
community, strong new financial
leadership, a management team firmly
dedicated to rebuilding our financial
health, and a creative approach to new
opportunities — we will emerge from
this process even stronger and more
vibrant.
I thank you for all of your help, for
your continued contributions to Simmons,
and for your trust.
Helen Drinan ’75LS, ’78SM
President
2 simmons alumnet.simmons.edu