We Know You'll Get Used to It
Dear Jane,
You will get used to it. Being referred to by first name is not the norm in the academic world, but neither is Guilford College the norm. In exchanging common names, students, faculty, and administrators alike are adhering to the same Quaker tradition of equality, which is why our campus was a stop on the underground railroad-and why it will produce tomorrow's equal opportunity leaders. Equality is just one of the core values of Guilford that we take quite seriously. The others include community, diversity, excellence, integrity, justice, and stewardship. As President, we expect nothing less but that you will take the lead in making sure that every decision our school makes reflects our adherence to these values. This must be true of financial decisions in particular.
There will be challenges. Guilford College may be unique but it is not immune to financial realities. A stifled national economy, high unemployment rate, and recent debt crises have many students and their parents reconsidering the cost of a liberal arts education, especially if obtaining that education includes going into debt. Meanwhile the state of North Carolina continues to discuss cutting funding in its support of both students and schools. Responding to these changing conditions, while ensuring that each fiscal decision is in line with Guilford's core values, is part of the task for which you were appointed. We believe you are up to it Jane.
We believe that you will include the entire Guilford College community in helping to develop a budget that reflects the needs of everyone, and doesn't unequally favor administrators in compensation. We expect that the way Guilford spends money will reflect its value of diversity by supporting groups that include every sort of human being, and not just the privileged few. We know that you will always strive for excellence in never accepting anything but the highest quality for our school in both products and services. We demand integrity; we wish for complete transparency and an open and public allotment process that includes the student body as a whole in a meaningful way. We won't accept a shadowy process of making arbitrary cuts in the very programs that most reflect Guilford's uniqueness. Only a financial process that enables the students to both understand and participate will reflect the core value of justice. And any action that Guilford College takes must be practical and sustainable. It must reflect that we are responsible stewards of the Quaker tradition.
We believe in you Jane. We have selected you out of dozens of highly qualified candidates because we believe that you understand what being a part of the Guilford College Quaker community means. We may refer to you by your first name, but make no mistake, we are looking to you for leadership. Welcome to Guilford College, a strange and wonderful campus where a group of Quakers grew into the most diverse student body you're likely to find anywhere. We live our core values and we expect our President to do the same. This is the unique, beautiful Guilford College, Jane - you will get used to it.
Sincerely,
Your Students
You will get used to it. Being referred to by first name is not the norm in the academic world, but neither is Guilford College the norm. In exchanging common names, students, faculty, and administrators alike are adhering to the same Quaker tradition of equality, which is why our campus was a stop on the underground railroad-and why it will produce tomorrow's equal opportunity leaders. Equality is just one of the core values of Guilford that we take quite seriously. The others include community, diversity, excellence, integrity, justice, and stewardship. As President, we expect nothing less but that you will take the lead in making sure that every decision our school makes reflects our adherence to these values. This must be true of financial decisions in particular.
There will be challenges. Guilford College may be unique but it is not immune to financial realities. A stifled national economy, high unemployment rate, and recent debt crises have many students and their parents reconsidering the cost of a liberal arts education, especially if obtaining that education includes going into debt. Meanwhile the state of North Carolina continues to discuss cutting funding in its support of both students and schools. Responding to these changing conditions, while ensuring that each fiscal decision is in line with Guilford's core values, is part of the task for which you were appointed. We believe you are up to it Jane.
We believe that you will include the entire Guilford College community in helping to develop a budget that reflects the needs of everyone, and doesn't unequally favor administrators in compensation. We expect that the way Guilford spends money will reflect its value of diversity by supporting groups that include every sort of human being, and not just the privileged few. We know that you will always strive for excellence in never accepting anything but the highest quality for our school in both products and services. We demand integrity; we wish for complete transparency and an open and public allotment process that includes the student body as a whole in a meaningful way. We won't accept a shadowy process of making arbitrary cuts in the very programs that most reflect Guilford's uniqueness. Only a financial process that enables the students to both understand and participate will reflect the core value of justice. And any action that Guilford College takes must be practical and sustainable. It must reflect that we are responsible stewards of the Quaker tradition.
We believe in you Jane. We have selected you out of dozens of highly qualified candidates because we believe that you understand what being a part of the Guilford College Quaker community means. We may refer to you by your first name, but make no mistake, we are looking to you for leadership. Welcome to Guilford College, a strange and wonderful campus where a group of Quakers grew into the most diverse student body you're likely to find anywhere. We live our core values and we expect our President to do the same. This is the unique, beautiful Guilford College, Jane - you will get used to it.
Sincerely,
Your Students