<p>[Dean of Religious Life Jennifer] Walters and others in the administration argue that the proposal will promote religious and cultural diversity in the college, as the chaplains serve the Protestant, Catholic and Jewish communities. "Our hope is to have myself as a dean and another associate who will together strengthen student organizations, using our resources differently to give more attention to all the other student groups."</p>
<p>I guess that is the spin academics use when they fire people.</p>
<p>I met some of those chaplains back in April when I was out at Smith for the Open Campus with my daughter. They were great folks. I met them at a scheduled meet-and-greet that students and parents were invited to. I must say, though, that very few people came to check out the religious-life scene. If there’s not much interest, then the cuts are perhaps not surprising.</p>
<p>I remember how it was for me in my college years - religion was the farthest thing from my mind. I had lots of other fish to fry.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting, I hadn’t heard that. E-mail sent to Dr. Christ.</p>
<p>===</p>
<p>Dear Dr. Christ:</p>
<p>I am appalled at the story in the Sophian that Smith College is contemplating eliminating the chaplains as a budgetary measure.</p>
<p>The notion that eliminating chaplains can be spun as promoting diversity is ludicrous. The dominant beliefs at Smith are secular; it’s the practicing religious students who contribute to diversity and who should be receiving support. </p>
<p>Indeed, when one Smithie heard that my daughter was a practicing Catholic, she gasped and said, “You can’t be Catholic…you’re <em>smart</em>!” Substitute terms pertaining to race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation for “practicing Catholic.” I would say that religiously inclined students deserve all the support the chaplains can provide.</p>
<p>Moreover, the Smith chaplains serve a broad spectrum of religious belief and are extremely ecumenical in their practice. I was very pleased when on a trip to the Maryknoll retreat house in New York, a trip arranged and coordinated by chaplain Liz Carr, my daughter was accompanied by a Jewish student and an atheist…seems to be the kind of diversity and tolerance-building activity that should be encouraged.</p>
<p>This proposal should be shelved indefinitely for “further study.”</p>
<p>I’m not surprised, however. If it weren’t chaplains being cut, it would be something else. The current economic crisis has result in cuts at all universities – from non-tenure track faculty members to facilities/maintenance. Small liberal arts schools are especially vulnerable because they don’t have the enormous endowments of large universities. Since no university/college can afford to cut anything that will affect their academic reputation, cuts are made in non-permanent and non-faculty areas, hence the chaplain crisis at Smith.</p>
<p>That’s such a shame. I’ll bet you’re right, Momwaiting. . … there are probably a lot of painful cuts. The college probably believes that since there are churches, etc., in the town of Nothampton that girls can join those congregations if they have religious needs.</p>
<p>The trouble with local town houses of worship is that when you’re a college student, you’re kind of betwixt and between: you’re living in that town, but you’re not really OF it. Whether you can feel at home participating in a town-based congregation depends a lot on the demographic makeup of that congregation: if it’s all gray heads, or all young families with toddlers, an 18-to-22-year-old sojourner in that town could feel like a fifth wheel.</p>
<p>RCZ, you’re quite correct: a college-based community is a very different one, much more accessible to and friendly to, college students. There were “community” members of D’s college congregation but they tended to be very student-friendly. They were very shrewd in a number of ways, including facilitating attendance by having services at 5pm instead of Sunday morning (after a Saturday night?) and having potluck dinner afterwards.</p>
<p>MWFN, I understand budget cuts. My sense is that this was looked upon as an easy one because no one would object. “Ill-considered” is probably the kindest thing I could say about it and the fig leaf about eliminating chaplains to “promote diversity” has me incandescent.</p>
<p>When D (2013 admit) and I visited Smith, we loved everything there. Smith is truly a very special place. </p>
<p>However when it came time for the final decision on schools, the budget crisis at Smith swayed our decision toward another school. </p>
<p>As noted in the Apr 23 Sophian: "Students gathered in Weinstein auditorium on Wednesday, April 15 to voice their opinions about the proposed budget plan, with a high turnout indicating their level of concern…Despite the widespread impact of the cuts, “I want to emphasize that the plan is a plan,” said Christ. “It’s not a decision to make all the cuts.” She foresees that between $20 and 22 million of the proposed $30 million will actually be cut.</p>
<p>The proposed closing of a library, faculty layoffs, reduction of faculty benefits, impact upon public safety, and the concern over increases in tuition forced us into another direction. </p>
<p>Smith is such a beautiful place and wonderful school. We so much wish conditions had been different.</p>
<p>Which school are you attending that doesn’t have a budget crisis? (My younger d’s school doesn’t, but that’s because its endowment, and hence endowment spending, are so small, it hardly matters.)</p>
<p>By the way, it was already determined that Josten Library is to remain open.</p>
<p>To echo Mini, universities across the US are suffering. Some are being more open about it while others are trying to downplay. Even those with HUGE endowments (HYPMS) have enacted budget cuts because they use X percent of the endowment for operating expenses, salaries, financial aid, etc., and if the endowment shrinks, so does the dollar amount of X percent.</p>
<p>Merit raises are mostly frozen, and in some cases, so is faculty hiring. Right now, most colleges are trying to maintain the status quo rather than concentrating on improvement. At Smith, “status quo” will do for now because of its excellence.</p>
<p>I am also the mom of a 2013 admit who is going next year. I for one was impressed with the fact that there is an open discussion of the budget issue at Smith, unlike a number of other schools, where you really have to dig for information to find out what is going on. I work at a “very, very prestigious” ivy and many things are being cut but there is no conversion with staff on the univesrity level and certainly very little disclosure to students beyond the “we are limiting faculty hiring and holding off on construction” speech. I think there is no budget cutting that wont hurt someone (I for one feel very sensitive to cuts in staff). Hopefully regarding the Chaplains there could be some kind of intervarsity group that could support he religious life there and they are often funded on their own. I agree that all schools will feel the pinch whether they are openly admitting it or not.</p>
<p>Overwhemedma, your “very, very prestigious” Ivy wouldn’t happen to be Harvard, would it? I graduated from there in 1978. The reason I ask is that Harvard is known for its opaque, mysterious form of governance.</p>
<p>My D is Smith 2013 and she and I visited Smith at the Open Campus back in April. I was somewhat encouraged by the relative openness about the budget issues. In her remarks, President Crist was also very up-front about the fact that college tuition is on an unsustainable inflation curve. At least they’re looking at the issue. I just hope they don’t sacrifice the wonderful interreligious programs on the altar of the budget.</p>
<p>If there are things you don’t believe shouldn’t be cut, write to Christ. (I did, about Josten Library, and received a warm response back.) And, if you can, make sure to include what you would cut in order to maintain it. (I did that as well.)</p>
<p>My d. is grad. student at Princeton. There is virtually NO public discussion about what is being cut.</p>
<p>Mini, thank you for your encouragement to write to President Christ. I have just written to her about the proposed security arrangements about which I have concerns. I suggested Smith share groundskeeping resources with other colleges instead. We’ll see what she says.</p>
<p>@Johnshade – LOL. I was thinking the same thing.</p>
<p>@mini – I agree about writing to President Christ. As for Princeton, President Tilghman is VERY open that Princeton is cutting back but is not specific about what will be affected. She has said that FA is untouchable and that building projects already underway will continue because they are already funded. Beyond that . . . I don’t know. Probably like everywhere else, merit raises are probably delayed or frozen, and new initiatives put off. Maybe outside precept instructors (adjuncts) are being cut, as they are at my university.</p>
<p>Oh, I know what Princeton has said they are cutting (and what is not being said). But there is virtually no public discourse about it. That is the difference.</p>
<p>If anyone is interested in the issue of the chaplain positions being eliminated, please PM me. I think there’s a chess match starting over the issue and it’s still in the early moves. I think there’s a good chance that a collection of students, staff, faculty, parents, alumnae, and donors will be weighing in on this.</p>
<p>And if anyone has a channel to members of the Board of Trustees, I’d appreciate the assistance.</p>
<p>Beyond that, I can say it’s not the best choice to discuss strategy in public.</p>