<p>I have been reading on diferent college review pages that Bennington is a great school, and a wonderful place to study! And I love reading these things. But what I´m worried about are the bad things I read about Bennington. And they all seem to be the same. How much the college has changed since the new President of the college came in. And how now the college is just running to bring the money in. I love Bennington and really want to apply there ED this coming fall, but am a little worried. Can anyone give me any info about these changes and if they are true?! Has the college really changed that much for the worse? I got the impression that it was on the rise. Thoughts anyone?!?!</p>
<p>Elizabeth Coleman has been the president of Bennington since 1987, so she really can't be called new. In 1994 she (and the board) fired several professors and did away with presumptive tenure for new professors. Many students at the time were angry with her because they felt loyalty to some of the professors, and because they felt that Liz was trying to "normalize" the school (more recently optional nudity has also been highly discouraged, though it is legal in Vermont!). Since the 1980's, however, Bennington has definitely been been on the rise in every way, enrollment, quality of student, academics and definitely financially. My opinion, and that of many other current students, is that she must be doing something right, and that many of the changes that she made were for the better. The college has recently received several large (for such a small school) donations from older alumni, so I am guessing they agree! It is a great place to study and live and seems to be getting better and better.</p>
<p>Oh good. That is vey reassuring, thanks. It looks like an awesome school!</p>