In previous memos, I have described the impact of the current economic crisis on Wellesley, the process through which we are aligning our budget expenditures with our institutional priorities, and some of the preliminary steps we have taken to address the $20 million projected operating budget shortfall. These previous communications are available online here: www.wellesley.edu/PublicAffairs/President/announcements.html.

The changes outlined below are the next in our continuing effort to bring Wellesley's expenses in line with the reduction in revenue anticipated over the coming years.

Announcing Residential Life and Wintersession Changes
President H. Kim Bottomly
March 17, 2009

I am writing to inform you of some initial decisions that have been made as part of our ongoing effort to organize the institution more efficiently and identify budgetary savings.  Now and in the future, our guiding principle is to maintain our commitment to Wellesley’s core mission as a residential liberal arts college.  Senior Staff and I made these decisions after careful consideration, including a review of suggestions given through the Savings Ideas Conference and an analysis of these operations at peer institutions. 

Although the final recommended budget for 2009-2010 will not be presented to the Board of Trustees until late April, I am announcing these changes now so that students will be fully informed as they make decisions in the upcoming housing lottery.  The Housing Office will send students relevant information shortly.

The changes outlined below will result in cost savings of approximately $1 million. These savings, while significant, represent just a portion of the savings we will need to realize to meet the projected $20 million shortfall in the 2010-2011 academic year.

Residence and Dining, beginning 2009-2010

1. Residential Life will implement a new staffing model that introduces the position of area coordinator and strengthens our ability to provide students with the best possible residential life experience.  This model will combine residence directors in some halls with a network of five area coordinators, each of whom will oversee two or three halls, and will result in an overall reduction from 12 to nine staff positions.

2. As the first stage of a reorganization of our dining services, the dining halls in Cazenove and Beebe will not open in September 2009.

3. All students will be required to be on the meal plan.

In addition to budgetary savings, the new area coordinator positions will foster the development of stronger inter-hall and complex communities, resulting in an enhanced residential experience.  This model will move us into alignment with peer institutions in providing more comprehensive oversight of the residential experience.

Recent changes in dining services allowed for enhanced student use of the Wang Campus Center dining facility, and student response has been overwhelmingly favorable.  We anticipate identifying other changes to the dining program that will allow us to meet financial goals.  Next semester, we will lead a process using existing student representative bodies to review our dining program and to identify other possibilities for reorganization.  As part of that process, we will review the spaces freed up by the reorganized dining program and, with student input, determine the best new use of these spaces. 

Wintersession, January 4 – 25, 2010

1. A number of off-campus academic programs (e.g., Wintersession trips) will be offered, as they have been in previous years. The details of these programs will be publicized by the end of this semester.

2. On-campus courses for academic credit will be limited exclusively to 100-level language courses. No non-credit courses will be offered.  Only those students authorized to return during Wintersession will be housed on campus.  Those authorized to return will be the following: thesis students with an advisor's approval; winter sports athletes; students registered for the introductory language courses noted above; international students; Davis Scholars; and students participating in the Madeleine K. Albright Institute. 

3. Students eligible for housing will be housed in two residences, Bates and McAfee.

In prior years we have offered a range of on-campus courses, both credit and non-credit, and have not charged any fees for those courses.   Next year, we will only offer those courses which are both essential to the academic program and are particularly well-suited to the concentrated Wintersession period.   Off-campus Wintersession trips will remain a part of the program.  For many students, they provide the only opportunity for study abroad, an important component of a liberal arts education.

By allowing fewer students to remain on campus and by housing them in two residence halls, we will be able more effectively to advance our commitment to sustainability and energy conservation, and thereby to save money.

We remain committed to a vibrant residential life on campus, and I believe that these changes position Wellesley’s residential program to meet the long-term needs of our students.   I understand that some of you may not agree with these decisions, and I recognize that the decisions we make have an impact on some of you.  I also know that everyone recognizes the seriousness of the budget challenge that we face and the importance of implementing strategic responses to that challenge.  My deep thanks go to all of you who are helping the College at this important moment.