Dear Colleagues and Students,
We are pleased to share with you today the draft narrative for the College’s strategic plan—Becoming Lafayette: A Vision for Our Third Century (requires Lafayette authentication). This draft represents the culmination of 18 months of work for our Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which formed in March 2023 after several weeks of listening sessions and data collection from students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and community members. From the beginning, this process has embraced principles of inclusivity and iteration, and we believe that this narrative reflects the thoughtful collaboration, commitment, and contributions that so many have offered. A full review of the planning process (requires Lafayette authentication) can be accessed separately and as an Appendix to the plan narrative.
We thank the many faculty, staff, and students who participated in listening sessions these past two months. Feedback regarding the priorities and goals was helpful, and we have made changes based on many of your suggestions to clarify language and conceptual descriptions. We have also included your ideas in the vision, framing, and implementation structures for the plan.
We welcome comments on the draft narrative. This form provides an opportunity to give feedback that would be useful for us to integrate as we move forward into implementation, and invites you to note how you might wish to participate in this next phase of the process. On Monday, Nov. 18, we will open a survey to the community to formally endorse the five priorities and associated goals prior to presenting them to the Board of Trustees for their approval at their Dec. 7 meeting.
The Strategic Planning Steering Committee has completed its mandate, and the implementation stages of the plan will now be taken up by the Feasibility and Implementation Committee. Three faculty members from the Steering Committee—Jenn Rossman, Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Mary Jo Lodge, Professor of Theater; and Brett Hendrickson, Professor of Religious Studies—have recently joined the Feasibility and Implementation Committee and will continue to serve with that group. Prior to academic year 2025-26, membership of Feasibility and Implementation will be updated in conversation with the faculty. In addition, area implementation teams will be formed to support the collaborative and iterative spirit that have been, and will continue to be, central to our planning process.
We extend our deep gratitude to all of you, and to the many people named below, who have worked alongside us in this process through participation in Campuswide Working Groups and beyond. This plan provides an inclusive and ambitious vision for Lafayette’s future due to this commitment of time and talent.
To steal a line from our president: To great things ahead!
The Strategic Planning Steering Committee
Mike Butler, Professor of Biology
Tim Cox, Dean of Advising and Cocurricular Programs
Tanuja Majumdar Dehne, Member, Board of Trustees
Nicole Eramo, Chief of Staff to the President
Jaison Freeman, Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives
Sherryta Freeman, Director of Athletics
Melissa Garrison, Director of the Counseling Center
Dru Germanoski, Van Artsdalen Professor of Geology
Brett Hendrickson, Professor of Religious Studies
Nicole Hurd, President and Chair
Mary Jo Lodge, Professor of Theater
Ana Ramirez Luhrs, Co-Director of College Archives and Special Collections
Laura McGrane, Provost
Chelsea Morrese, Executive Director of Community Engagement, Director of the Landis Center
Sarah Moschenross, Vice President for Student Life
Jenn Rossmann, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Joe Woo, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Ex Officio
Scott Morse, Assistant Vice President for Communications and Marketing
Simon T. Tonev, Director of Institutional Research
Many thanks to the colleagues and community members who assisted in developing this plan through their participation in the Campuswide Working Groups:
Learning at Lafayette
Mary Jo Lodge, Professor of Theater (Co-Chair)
Jenn Rossmann, Professor of Mechanical Engineering (Co-Chair)
Chris Anderson, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
Susan Averett, Dana Professor of Economics
Mike Bertucci, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Abby Close, College Transition Coordinator and Junior Class Dean
Chelsea Emrick, Instructional Technologist (ex-officio)
Caleb Gallemore, Associate Professor of International Affairs
Meghan Masto, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Abbey Milhaven, Student, Psychology
Charlotte Nunes, Dean of Libraries
Judy Reed, Budget Manager (ex-officio)
John Shaw, Associate Professor of Psychology
Katie Stafford, Associate Professor of Languages and Literary Studies
Mike Summers, Associate Vice President of the Gateway Career Center
Working at Lafayette
Melissa Garrison, Director of Counseling Services (Co-Chair)
Brett Hendrickson, Professor and Department Head of Religious Studies (Co-Chair)
Mike Chamberlain, Senior Director of Athletic Compliance and Student-Athlete Development
Karina Fuentes, Associate Director of Intercultural Development
Melissa Galloway, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Katherine Groo, Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies
Heather Hartner, Senior Advisor to the Executive Vice President (ex-officio)
Jeff Helm, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Lisa Karam, Coordinator, Engineering
Christa Kelleher, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Matt Larsen, Associate Professor of Economics
Laura Mutchler, Financial Systems Analyst (ex-officio)
David Nice, Professor and Department Head of Physics
Paulette Poloni, Executive Director, IT Operations
Robin Rinehart, Professor of Religious Studies
Jorge Torres, Associate Professor and Department Head of Music
Enriching Student Life at Lafayette
Tim Cox, Dean of Advising and Cocurricular Programs (Co-Chair)
Sarah Moschenross, Vice President for Student Life (Co-Chair)
Andrea Bohn, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Controller (ex-officio)
Kat Butler, Director of IT Planning and Analysis (ex-officio)
Rita Chesterton, Bradbury Dyer III ’64 Director for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Justin Corvino, Marshall R. Metzgar Professor of Mathematics
James Devault, Professor of Economics and Department Head
Jenn Dize, Assistant Dean of Students
Louise Frazier, Associate Director of Admissions
Michelle Geoffrion-Vinci, Professor and Assistant Head of Languages and Literacy Studies
Shahking Gomez, Student, Philosophy
Thania Hernandez, Student, English and Theater
Tingting Kang, Director of English for the Academic Purposes Center
Carly Riepenhoff, Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services
Joe Woo, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
Connecting Beyond Lafayette
Chelsea Morrese, Director of the Landis Center for Community Engagement (Co-Chair)
Ana Ramirez Luhrs, Co-Director of College Archives and Special Collections (Co-Chair)
Paul Barclay, Professor of History
Krista Evans, Dean of Admissions
Trent Gaugler, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Alex Hendrickson, College Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life
Fluney Hutchinson, Associate Professor of Economics
Kelly Huth, Assistant Director for Internal and Community Communications
Rochelle Keesler, Director of the Study Abroad Office
Nick Kiel, Senior Financial Analyst (ex-officio)
Megan Kintzer, Senior Director of Donor Relations
Caroline Lee, Professor and Department Head of Anthropology and Sociology
Jamie Lin, Student, Psychology
Zoe Gelber, Student, Government and Law
Jared Mast, Executive Director of Greater Easton Development Partnership
Andrea Smith, Professor of Anthropology and Sociology
Jim Toia, Director of the Community Arts Program
John Troxell, Head Football Coach
The Lafayette Campus
Mike Butler, Professor and Assistant Head of Biology (Co-Chair)
Sherryta Freeman, Director of Athletics (Co-Chair)
Dru Germanoski, Van Artsdalen Professor of Geology (Co-Chair)
Jason Alley, Director of Learning and Research Technologies
David Brandes, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Walter A. Scott Chair of Integrative Engineering
Scott Kennedy, Director of Facilities Operations
Stephen Kurtz, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
Holly Lantos, Assistant Vice President for Budget and Analytics (ex-officio)
Meghan Madeira, Aegis Property Group (ex-officio)
Julie Mulé, Senior Associate Director of Residence Life
Delicia Nahman, Director of Sustainability
Remy Oktay, Student, Engineering and Environmental Studies
Alex Owens, Technical Director of Theater
Rico Reyes, Director of Lafayette Galleries
Kristen Sanford, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
Marty Sullivan, Director of Academic Resource Hub
Makenzie Switzer, Student, Biology