Report from the Board of Trustees

Chaired by Brackett B. Denniston ’69, the Kenyon College Board of Trustees met in Gambier on April 20–21. The Board heard updates on the proposed Kenyon Commons project, replacing Olin and Chalmers libraries. The design for the project is still in progress, and no firm timelines for the project have been established.

The Admissions and Financial Aid Committee and the Diversity Committee met jointly to review the College’s strategies for recruitment and retention. The Student Affairs Committee met with members of Student Council, and the Academic Affairs Committee heard updates on library programming and institutional research. The Development and External Affairs Committee considered communications and engagement strategies for the College’s next fundraising campaign. And the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee heard an update on current-year operations.

The Board presented the Gregg Cup to Nina P. Freedman ’77 H’92 in recognition of her history of service to the College. “You have long been the very model of a concerned and effective volunteer,” said Denniston.

In other business, the Board:

• Adopted a memorial resolution honoring professor emerita of drama Harlene Marley H’05. Marley was the first woman to be hired into a tenure-track position at Kenyon; she joined the faculty in 1969.

• Acknowledged the contributions of outgoing board members Andrew H. Hull ’85, after a four-year term as an alumni trustee; Geri Coleman Tucker ’74, after a four-year term as an alumni trustee; Steven Feirson P’14, after a four-year term as a parent trustee; and Roger Novak ’70, after a six-year term as an at-large trustee.

• Approved new board members Rose Brintlinger Fealy ’84 and D. Matthew Voorhees '95 as trustees-at-large serving six-year terms; Yiji Shen Starr ’91 and Samie Kim Falvey ’96 as alumni trustees serving four-year terms; and Leigh Comas P’19 as a parent trustee serving a four-year term.

• Approved four faculty promotions.