Katie O'Connor

Amherst College has initiated a Strategic Planning process to establish the foundation for its forthcoming strategic plan and cultivate a shared vision for its future. This process focuses on three key areas: ensuring the academic mission remains centered on liberal arts education, defining and integrating the residential experience with the academic mission, and evaluating the potential expansion of the student body's size and composition.

The meeting included welcoming remarks to alumni, faculty, family, and friends, especially recognizing senior alumni from the classes of 1942, 1943, 1947 and 1948. Condolences were extended for the passing of a classmate. The newest alumni from the class of 2012 were welcomed. George Carmany was congratulated for receiving the medal for eminent service. The report of the Society of the Alumni nominating committee was reviewed, nominations were closed, and officers and committee members were elected. Raphael Campo was elected as alumni trustee. Resolutions relating to the annual fund and the budget of alumni and parent programs were approved. President Carolyn Biddy Martin was introduced, who shared her perspective on the college.

The meeting included discussions about the Alumni fund, the election of the officers and members of the respective committees, and the results of the 2017 alumni trustee election. The resolutions relating to the annual fund and the budget of alumni and parent programs were approved. The president spoke about the college's vision for the future, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, close reading, and creativity.

The meeting included discussions on intergenerational community, the value of a liberal arts education, and updates on the college's sustainability efforts. The college has reduced its carbon footprint by 30 percent through various initiatives, with plans to achieve carbon neutrality. The meeting also touched on the Loeb Center for Career Exploration, efforts to prepare students for life after college, and the college's financial status, including a campaign to support faculty, curriculum, and student education.

The meeting included the election of Bonnie barsamian Dunn class of 1986 to serve a six-year term from July 1st 2023 through June 30th 2029 as alumni trustee. The design of a new student center and dining Commons was discussed, which will be built after tearing down the Merrell Science Center down to its foundations.