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The College History and Development. Macalester College was founded by a pioneer educator, the Reverend Dr. Edward Duffield Neill, who served in three U.S. presidential administrations, founded two Presbyterian churches, and helped establish the Minnesota Territory’s public schools, including the University of Minnesota. The College was chartered in 1874 thanks to a gift from prominent Philadelphia businessman and philanthropist Charles Macalester, and it opened in 1885. Much of the College’s initial support came through the Presbyterian Church, with which the College is associated, although it has remained non-sectarian in its instructional, admissions, and employment policies. Macalester’s early leaders endowed the College with high standards of scholarship. Especially noteworthy was James Wallace, a young classical scholar who joined the faculty in 1887 and over the next 52 years helped Macalester achieve financial viability, academic excellence, and enduring values. A fine and demanding teacher, nationally known scholar, and author of two widely used Greek texts, Wallace became dean and, from 1894 to 1906, president of the College. It was Wallace’s heroic and unceasing efforts as president and fund-raiser that put the College on secure financial footing. Throughout his life, Wallace inspired students to set high aspirations and to serve humanity on a global basis, and just before his 90th birthday he published a book on international peace and justice. Wallace’s work laid the foundation for the College’s long-standing commitments to diversity and internationalism. The College’s first African American graduate, Catharine Lealtad, class of 1915, pursued a distinguished career in medicine, practicing in the U.S. and abroad. She is the only person to have received two honorary degrees from Macalester, in 1949 and again in 1979. In the 1940s and 1950s, President Charles J. Turck gave new focus to the College’s internationalism by recruiting foreign students, creating overseas study opportunities, and hiring faculty from diverse backgrounds. In 1959, a young man named Kofi Annan came to Macalester from Ghana on a Ford Foundation fellowship. The United Nations Secretary-General, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and 1961 Macalester graduate told a recent campus audience, “Macalester’s academic excellence is deeply rooted in a reverence and respect for other cultures….The focus which I found here has never failed me.” The 1960s and 1970s brought remarkable growth and change, including a diversified student body, an enhanced academic program, a strengthened faculty, many new buildings, and greatly expanded financial support, especially through the generosity of DeWitt and Lila Wallace, founders of the Reader’s Digest. In 1991, Macalester’s endowment became one of the largest among liberal arts colleges through a public sale of stock held in a trust previously established by DeWitt Wallace, who was the son of President James Wallace and a member of the College’s Class of 1911. These new resources have enabled the College to set even higher expectations for itself, including the goal articulated by its founder: to be among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation. In a process begun by President Robert M. Gavin, Jr. (1984-1996), and given new momentum by President Michael S. McPherson (1996-2003), Macalester has taken its place among the nation’s finest colleges while reaffirming and building upon its historic commitments to academic excellence, a multicultural learning environment, an international perspective, and the preparation of citizen-leaders. During the 1990s, the College added some 20 new faculty positions, improved faculty salaries, and reduced the student-faculty ratio from 12:1 to approximately 11:1. That ratio currently stands at 10.3:1. By a variety of measures, the student body is the strongest in College history. The alumni community is more engaged and motivated than ever before. President McPherson presided over the largest fund-raising campaign in the College’s history, an effort that raised more than $75 million to support construction of a new Campus Center and renovation of science facilities, as well as increase endowed funds for academic programs, faculty support, student-faculty research stipends, and financial aid. McPherson also completed the diversification of the College’s endowment, which had been restricted and heavily concentrated in Reader’s Digest Association stock. A planning process initiated by President McPherson two years ago has focused on strengthening academic and co-curricular programs in keeping with the College’s core values. That process is resulting in campus-wide consideration of strategic initiatives that include incorporating Macalester’s urban identity more fully into academic and campus life, strengthening the role of civic engagement as a core element of service, realigning curricular and academic organization in keeping with Macalester’s educational goals, using resources strategically, and communicating the College’s distinctive strengths more effectively. Several academic initiatives are underway, including a new Center for Scholarship and Teaching and a quantitative reasoning program that promises to become a national model. As another outcome of the planning process, the College is reviewing programs and facilities in the fine arts and in athletics and wellness. Location and Character of Campus. Macalester’s location in a major metropolitan center provides rich educational resources and advantages. The Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, population more than 3 million, are joined by the Mississippi River and by shared civic pride and friendly rivalry. The Twin Cities area is consistently cited as one of America’s most attractive and livable urban areas because of its economic vitality, its rich cultural opportunities, its professional sports teams, the strong civic involvement of its residents, and the beauty of its plentiful lakes and parks. Macalester’s lovely 53-acre campus is set in an attractive residential neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota’s capital city, with a great variety of restaurants and shops in easy walking distance. Downtown St. Paul is a ten-minute drive from campus, and downtown Minneapolis is 15 minutes away, as is the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, a major hub with good connections to all parts of the country. Student Body. Macalester’s 1,810 students come from virtually every state and nearly 80 nations. About 15 percent are international students and 12 percent are U.S. students of color. Macalester students are articulate, intellectually curious, and highly engaged—in their studies, in classroom discussion, and in social and environmental issues. They appreciate being challenged by their professors, and they develop a sense of responsibility for their own academic progress. Each summer, 70 to 80 students receive stipends for research with individual faculty members. Often, these projects lead to capstone projects, honors projects, and co-authored papers. First-year applications to the College have risen 29 percent over the past four years, and the qualifications of each new class improve every year. For the class entering in fall 2002, 3,713 applied for 441 positions and 44 percent were admitted. Among those who enrolled, 93 percent were in the top fifth of their high school class, 20 percent are from Minnesota, and 10 percent are National Merit Scholars (Macalester ranks third nationally among liberal arts colleges in number of National Merit Scholars with 45). Students’ combined median SAT scores (verbal and mathematical) have risen to 1360. As Macalester attracts increasingly talented applicants, it competes with an ever more selective set of schools. This presents challenges especially with regard to enrolling students of color. Macalester has a history of admitting U.S. students without regard to financial need and then meeting the full demonstrated need of every student admitted. Approximately 74 percent of students receive financial aid; the average first-year award is two-thirds of the comprehensive fee. Financial realities are prompting the College to examine its financial aid practices to see where adjustments may be made without sacrificing a long-standing commitment to accessibility. More than 75 percent of Macalester’s students graduate in four years, and more than 80 percent in five years. Sixty percent attend graduate or professional school within five years of graduating. Students regularly earn national distinction: 10 have been Rhodes Scholars (three in the past six years), and in the past 10 years students have received 25 Fulbright Awards, 21 National Science Foundation Fellowships, 11 Truman Scholarships, six Watson Fellowships, three Beinecke Scholarships, two Mellon Fellowships, and a Marshall Scholarship. Campus Life. Macalester requires students to live on campus for their first two years. In all, about 70 percent of students live on campus, and most others live in apartments near the College. More upperclassmen wish to live on campus, so the College is adding modestly to its residential facilities. As it seeks to balance its role as a residential college with the availability of off-campus housing close by, Macalester is weighing the degree to which further on-campus residential space is needed. A new Campus Center has provided excellent food service and activity space. While Macalester’s metropolitan location invites students to leave campus for internships, class projects, volunteer service, and cultural and social activities, students are nevertheless active in about 70 student organizations, many of which are devoted to social issues, multicultural activities, and publications. A new Dean of Multicultural Life is working to strengthen and coordinate programs to infuse multiculturalism throughout all aspects of campus life. There are 17 musical performing groups, and about 280 students participate in dramatic productions annually. Students regularly excel in regional and national competition in debate, mock trial, model U.N., mathematics and computing. Macalester competes in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, although the football team plays an independent schedule. There are 15 varsity and club intercollegiate teams for men and 15 for women, in addition to an active intramural program. Faculty and Staff. Macalester’s 150 full-time faculty members are academically distinguished and committed to teaching at the undergraduate level. Faculty members teach five courses each year; they also are actively engaged in research and publication, often involving students in both. Women make up 46 percent of the faculty, and 20 percent of faculty members are U.S. or international faculty of color. Students and alumni alike speak with great enthusiasm of their close relationships with faculty members. The quality of the faculty and the College have been recognized by major funding from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Institutes of Health, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, W.M. Keck Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Clare Boothe Luce Fund, Pew Charitable Trusts, Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and others. Macalester has high expectations for faculty scholarship and has invested significant resources to support both junior and senior faculty development. Faculty scholarship is evidenced in a large volume of books, journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, exhibitions, productions and performances. For example, Macalester science faculty rank 14th among liberal arts colleges in number of citations listed in the Web of Science Citations Index. A $1 million endowed fund supports summer faculty-student research collaborations across the curriculum, complementing similar funds available in the sciences. Many of these collaborations result in jointly published papers or in student presentations at national and international scholarly meetings. The Mellon Minority Undergraduate Fellowship program supports two summers of individual faculty-student research and continuing activity during the academic year for selected students of color from groups under-represented on college and university faculties. Faculty members also run a program funded through the Howard Hughes Institute which brings newly admitted students from groups under-represented in the sciences to conduct research for several weeks in the summer before they matriculate. More than a third of the faculty will have retired during the 10-year period that began in the mid-1990s, at the same time that new positions will have been added. The College has used these hiring opportunities to enhance the quality of an already strong faculty and curriculum. Some recent hires are newly emerging scholars, while others are senior faculty from tenured positions at prominent institutions. Newly hired faculty members are stellar researchers and scholars, their interests often cross disciplines and contribute to multiple programs, and, as a result of vigorous recruitment efforts, they have added to the international and cultural diversity of the faculty. Faculty members are interested not only in their own teaching and scholarship, but in developing approaches to teaching that maximize the best qualities of a liberal arts college and the distinctive attributes of Macalester. Faculty in virtually every discipline are involved in 13 significant institutional grants aimed at developing curricula, creating learning opportunities that incorporate and address Macalester’s core values, and finding more effective ways to integrate teaching and research. The faculty governance system was recently streamlined to free more time for teaching, research, and meaningful service. Faculty salaries were improved in the 1990s but have slipped below the target in recent years. Returning to the target level is a priority for the College. Four new endowed professorships were established during the last campaign, bringing the total number to 20. The College has a small, able, and dedicated staff, including 318 full-time and 28 part-time staff members, a significant number of them alumni. The College aims to keep staff well compensated and expects to review workload issues across the campus. Academic Programs. Macalester offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in 27 departmental majors and 9 interdepartmental majors; self-designed majors are also permitted. The College operates with two 14-week semesters (September–December and February–May). Macalester’s average class has 17 students, and 69 percent of classes have fewer than 20 students. The College is one of the “International 50,” a group of liberal arts colleges commended for long-term commitment to internationalism, and one of the “Science 50,” a group of leading liberal arts colleges noted for strength in mathematics and the sciences. Internationalism, multiculturalism, service, and the College’s metropolitan setting have long contributed in powerful ways to Macalester’s curriculum. More than 100 courses in a wide variety of disciplines incorporate diverse cultural perspectives from the U.S. and around the world. In addition, half of all Macalester students study abroad for a semester or longer, earning credit through degree-granting institutions or specially approved programs. The College is engaged in a national search to fill the new position of Dean of Multicultural Studies to strengthen and coordinate multicultural initiatives in the curriculum. This individual will work closely with the Dean of Multicultural Life in the Student Affairs Office. Macalester will develop a deeper focus on civic engagement in the curriculum and other aspects of College life through participation in the pilot phase of a new nationwide effort, Project Pericles, Inc. Because of its broad and effective commitment to community service, Macalester is one of 10 colleges and universities that have received grants from Project Pericles, sponsored by the Eugene Lang Foundation, whose goal is to help make a focus on civic and social responsibility a central element in a liberal education. A student’s program begins with a first-year course of 16 or fewer students led by a faculty member who serves as their first academic adviser. Students in many of the courses also live together in one of the residence halls. During his or her time at Macalester, each student takes courses in the College’s four academic divisions, completes a course each addressing U.S. and international diversity, and undertakes a capstone project in the major. Faculty committees have been considering several proposals to realign departmental structure and in some cases refocus the curriculum. Some of the proposals are designed to better reflect Macalester’s strong interdisciplinary activities, and others are intended to eliminate lower-priority programs in order to focus resources on those of higher priority. Library and Computers. The DeWitt Wallace Library, dedicated in 1988, houses 454,000 volumes, and the CLICnet consortium provides access to 1.5 million volumes at six nearby colleges. The library also provides wireless access to the campus network and library electronic resources, including more than 1,000 electronic journals and 2,000 e-books. Computers for student use are found in the library, computer center, academic departments, and residence halls. Student rooms are linked to a campus network, which also provides e-mail and on-line services for all computers in academic and administrative buildings. Principal Buildings and Facilities. The College has invested $106 million in campus facilities since 1988. Macalester’s newest building is the Ruth Stricker Dayton Campus Center, an $18.5 million facility completed in 2001. Kagin Commons, the former dining area, was fully renovated to house a cluster of student services plus a multi-purpose ballroom. Olin-Rice Science Center underwent a $24 million renovation in the mid-1990s to accommodate heavily research-based and interdisciplinary teaching in the sciences. Old Main, which houses some of the humanities departments, and Carnegie Hall, home to the social sciences, were renovated in the 1990s. The Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center houses teaching and performance facilities for music, theatre, and dance, the art department studios and gallery, and the foreign languages. This facility is high on the priority list for renovation, both to address structural issues and to accommodate functional needs of the departments housed there. While many of the athletics facilities are relatively new, there is need for a new or extensively renovated central field house-gymnasium facility to accommodate the dramatically increased demand generated by athletes (current facilities were built before Title IX) and by students seeking recreational and wellness activities. Ten residence halls and five language houses provide a wide variety of housing options; a century-old residence hall is being renovated and spaces for additional beds are being added to that and another hall. Finances and Development. Like other fine colleges and universities, Macalester faces substantial budgetary and fund-raising challenges because of the downturn in the nation’s economy and financial markets. The market value of the endowment was approximately $420 million on December 1, 2002, after reaching its all-time high of $564 million in June 2000. Once heavily restricted and concentrated in Reader’s Digest Association stock as a condition of the gift of DeWitt Wallace, the endowment is now fully diversified, and a new chief investment officer works with the Trustee Investment Committee to manage it. The College annually spends 5 percent of the endowment’s market value based on a 16-quarter moving average, and the College is preparing to reduce expenditures beginning in 2003-2004. Meanwhile, however, some students’ families are facing an increased need for financial aid, which represents just over 20 percent of the operating budget. The new president will have the assistance of the faculty-staff Task Force on Budget and the faculty-staff-student Resource Planning Committee in dealing with critical budget decisions. The current operating budget is $54.2 million net of financial aid, or $78 million including financial aid. With a similar operating budget for FY 2001, the year ended with a surplus of $973,000. The College’s long-term debt is $47 million, and a $15 million bond sale is anticipated for spring 2003 to finance improvements and expansions to residence halls. Gift income during 2001-2002 was $9.29 million, more than double the annual amount raised in the early 1990s. A comprehensive campaign concluded in 2000 raised more than $75 million, including a $25 million bequest from a former trustee, and laid the groundwork for expanding the base of support, especially from alumni. Approximately 40 percent of alumni contribute to the Annual Fund. The College seeks to increase the participation rate, and a high priority also has been placed on increasing the numbers of donors at higher levels. As the College looks at its programs and priorities, significant fund raising is essential, including a new and larger campaign in the near future. The new president must play an important leadership role in that effort. Board of Trustees. The president reports to
a strong and supportive national 34-member Board of Trustees, 29 of whom
are alumni. The board has 14 committees and meets quarterly. The president
is also a Trustee. In order to continue and build on Macalester’s extraordinary record of progress, the College’s next president should demonstrate the following attributes:
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