At this week’s faculty meeting, President Brian Rosenberg presented some of the comments that he gave to the Board of Trustees during last week’s opening plenary session. His presentation was a basic summary of his impressions of Macalester thus far, its current position as an institution and the direction in which it ought to go.

Rosenberg outlined a laundry list of priorities, many of which were phrased as questions. First on his list was the school’s “need to convince ourselves of how excellent we are,” referencing Macalester’s perhaps regionally influenced historical tendency to constantly question the stability of our institutional standing. “I will be the most vocal cheerleader for the college,” he said. “We should always be a little bit restless, always imagining what we could become.”

Rosenberg then discussed what he sees as the school’s need to transform its recent planning efforts into “tangible fruits.” He said that the current products of this planning phase must take the form of a “short, lucid document.” He also critiqued the disparity between annual fund contributions and tuition discount rates, stating that Macalester must “clarify the culture of philanthropy” while finding ways to increase alumni donor participation. He warned of the potential dangers in balancing the need for a continually frugal budget with that of maintaining the school’s academic rigor. “The most valuable asset of Macalester is not its endowment,” he said. “We must not lose sight of what it is we’re here to do.” Finally, he said that the school must better utilize its urban location in terms of recruitment. “It is the singular most competitive advantage that we have over similar schools,” he said.

Rosenberg acknowledged that his impressions were based on a mere two months at Macalester, and said that he needs more time to form stronger positions. “As The Mac Weekly reported, I am somewhat impatient,” he said. Over the next few months, he said, he will compile a list of three to four top priorities from those he discussed.

The president concluded his remarks with an announcement that Provost Dan Hornbach will continue his term as Provost through next year. Hornbach had decided last spring that he would abort his three-term commitment early, finishing his service this year, so as to give the incoming president the opportunity to select a new person.

Rosenberg said that he asked Hornbach to stay on because he does not yet feel capable of selecting another person based on the first-hand knowledge he feels is necessary for such a decision. “I have a great deal of admiration for the work Dan does,” he said. “We’ve worked very well together.”

Hornbach followed Rosenberg’s announcement with his own remarks. “There is only one reason I agreed to do this,” he said. “And that’s because Brian asked.” He added that they had known each other for several years, meeting at conferences during Rosenberg’s tenure as provost at Lawrence. He said that he found Rosenberg to be a “kindred spirit” and praised his rapid transition to leadership at Macalester. “If we actively, not passively, support him, he will lead us to a future that is bright and exciting.”