You are invited to share your comments on the published agenda items to be discussed at the Alumnae Association Board of Directors meeting. An open session is planned for Saturday, May 3 from 1:00-1:30 p.m. in Leggett 537. Print the May 2008 agenda
Print the Executive Summary of February 2008 Alumnae Association Board Meeting
Reunion 2008: May 29-June 2, 2008
Alumnae Leadership Council: September 19-21, 2008
If you have any questions, please contact the Alumnae Office, 434-947-8102
The following alumnae have been elected by majority vote serve on the Alumnae Association Board of Directors. Board members are listed by position and term end date.
Emily Gill Mills ’79, Association President, June ’09
Martha Martin Field ’56, 1st Vice President, June ’08
Ann Morton DeMuth Neale ’65, 2nd Vice President, June ’10
Carol Haley ’70, Secretary, June ’09
Sue-Gray Goller ’73, Board of Trustees Representative, June ’10
Alison Buckley ’91, Board of Trustees Representative, June ’08
Dorothy Chew Clark ’86, Chair of Nominating, June ’09
Elizabeth Latta Brother '91, Member at Large Communications, June ’08
Melanie Kielb West '90, Member at Large, June ’09
Beth Zielinski ’04, Member at Large Young Alumnae, June ’10
Monty Shepardson ’89, Director, District 1, June ’08
Glee Smith ’92, Director, District 2, June ’10
Amanda Anthony Alford ’96, Director, District 3, June ’08
Kristin Callis Hodges ’89, Director, District 4, June ’09
Peggy Presto Koppel ’76, Director, District 5, June ’10
Ellen Morgan ’89, Director, District 6, June ’08
Jane Romberg Chance ’96, Director, District 7, June ’09
Allyson Rozelle Leonard ’91, Director, District 8, June ’09
Muffie Moroney ’65, Director, District 9, June ’09
Lisa Watt Wilson ’75, Director, District 10, June ’10
A Teller's Report lists the votes received for each individual candidate, as well as the names of the committee that processed the ballots.
It has come to our attention that an independent association has formed and has invited friends and alumnae of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College to join. The newly-formed Association is not affiliated with the Alumnae Association of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Inc. or Randolph College.
The Alumnae Association of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College will continue to provide the same programs and events as in the past: Reunion, Alumnae Leadership Council, as well as chapter events, Online Community, and the Alumnae Bulletin magazine.
Click to view and print the R-MWC Alumnae Association Bylaws (PDF)
The Bylaws document is in PDF format. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the document.
Please contact Heather Garnett ( hgarnett@randolphcollege.edu ) with any questions.
During the Annual Business meeting to be held September 15 at 9:00 a.m. in Smith Hall Theatre, we will review the proposed revisions to the bylaws and vote on each to go into effect immediately. To view the proposed changes, please click on the attachment Please contact Heather Garnett ( hgarnett@randolphcollege.edu ) with any questions.
Ever wonder why your class notes and photos are due so far in advance of receiving the magazine? We publish the Alumnae Bulletin three times a year and it takes approximately 12 weeks to produce, beginning with research and writing the articles, photography, design and layout, editing and proofing, printing, and finally mailing.
In order to manage postage costs for the 12,600 magazines we mail to alumnae, we use a non-profit periodic mailing permit. History has shown us it takes anywhere from one week to three weeks to arrive at your home after leaving the Lynchburg, Virginia Post Office.
Please call the Alumnae Office, toll-free, 888-769-2258, to keep the College up-to-date on your mailing address so we can get the magazine and other College publications to you as directly as possible.
Dear Sister Alumnae,
One year ago we learned that our beloved R-MWC would soon become a coeducational institution under a new name. As alums, we have grieved over the changes and are working our way through that grief. While the decision was not well-received by many alumnae, it was the path the Trustees deemed the most likely to ensure that future generations will enjoy the same caliber of education provided to us. I have made this journey with you.
As President of the Alumnae Association and proud member of the Class of 1979, I attended the 2007 graduation in May. The weather was perfect, much like the day my class graduated, although it was a pleasant 20 degrees cooler than May 1979! I was seated on the stage, looking out over the beautiful Dell at the graduating class, their families and friends. It was very emotional for me and I was so proud to be there representing the Alumnae Association and welcoming the Class of 2007 to our alumnae ranks.
Two weeks later, I returned for Alumnae Reunion. I am pleased to report that I was invited to be an “honorary” member of the Class of 1952. (Even though they are “Evens”, I accepted!) My mother is a member of that class and they were celebrating their 55th Reunion. The weather was wonderful, the campus looked beautiful, and I visited with many of the 260 alums attendance. It was especially fun to see the Class of 1982 celebrating their 25th reunion, whom I had welcomed as first-years as an Orientation Chair. The ’82 reunion group included a sister of one of my classmates who came all the way from India!
During the weekend, Interim President Ginger Worden ’69, Incoming President of the Board of Trustees Lucy Williams Hooper ’73, and Consultant for Enrollment Rebecca Dixon ’60 held a question and answer session with the alumnae. As you would expect, there was much discussion regarding the art collection. The Roanoke Times published an article on this topic:
Ginger addressed the alumnae concerns at our Saturday reunion meeting. Outgoing senior class president, Lianna Carrera was very well-received as she spoke of her journey through this year and the “sense of spirit” that she feels on campus and among the alumnae. There were poems and songs that accompanied class gifts. We closed with everyone singing Henry Hallstrom’s “To Randolph-Macon”.
My sense was that Reunion 2007 was fun for all, no matter how they view the challenges and changes we are facing. The future looks much brighter when we are among friends staying in the dorms and reminiscing with our classmates. Each and every member of the campus staff, from groundskeepers and van drivers to alumnae office and administrative personnel treated everyone “like royalty”, according to one alum. I hope that each of you will return for your Reunions and see for yourself that the campus still has the magic that each of us felt when we were in school.
THE FUTURE IS, IN FACT, BRIGHT. We have a wonderful new President, John E. Klein, who comes to us from Washington University in St. Louis. He serves as Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration. He has a 28-year background in business with Bunge, Ltd., an international agribusiness company, including years as CEO of Bunge North America. He is a graduate of Princeton University and received his law degree from the University of Michigan. Prior to his time with Bunge, he practiced law in New York City and, just out of Princeton, was a teaching fellow at the International College in Beirut, Lebanon. Link to the press release on the college website web.randolphcollege.edu/newsevents/pressreleases or web.randolphcollege.edu
I was privileged to have a lengthy one-on-one conversation with John, from which I concluded that he, and his wife Susan, are the right fit for the College and for the alumnae. His energy is infectious and his “can do” attitude is just what we need at the helm. Incoming President Klein plans to travel across the country to meet as many alumnae as possible. He is energetic and a good listener and is ready for the challenges ahead. We spoke about the importance of maintaining traditions and the close-knit community that we all enjoy. These are qualities that have drawn him to our College. Involvement and interaction with faculty, staff, students, parents and alumnae are all important to our new president. He told me that he plans to “build a bridge from the past to the future”. The personal touch has always been the hallmark of our College—John Klein will continue that as he leads us forward.
As of today, our admission numbers are looking good. We started the admissions process late in the year and I am proud to say that we are currently looking at 179 deposits for the Class of 2011. Of these, 57 are male and we have 23 international students in the class. We also have 9 transfer students, 5 of whom are male. The discount rate for incoming students has been reduced by 11 points and the quality of the students is high.
It is my hope that, as you work through the changes occurring at our beloved alma mater, you will come to realize that the trustees have made some difficult decisions necessary to keep our College thriving and in the top tier of small, private, coeducational institutions. We need and want all of our alumnae with us in supporting the outstanding administration, faculty, staff and student body.
Please e-mail, write, or call me. I am always available. The Alumnae Office will help you to reach me directly; call 888-769-2258 . We are moving ahead and the future looks bright.
Vita abundantior,
Emily Gill Mills ’79
E-mail Alumnae Association President
At the Alumnae Association meetings on May 5 and 6, 2007 the Alumnae Association Board decided to extend the process timeline that had been developed at the September 2006 Annual Business Meeting of the Association, and later published in the Alumnae Association Update newsletter and posted on the Randolph Alumnae web site.
The Board discussed several possible future structures for the Association and charged the Task Force with developing further details of those proposals. The Task Force is chaired by Randall Johnson Watts ’77 and includes Muriel Zimmerman Casey ’53, Monty Shepardson ’89, Nancy Leese Wood ’86, Muffie Moroney ’65, Emily Gill Mills ’79, Mary Brewer Guthrow ’65, and Heather Ayers Garnett ’86.
According to the new timeline, the Task Force will present alternative structures and seek input from members of the Association at the Annual Business Meeting on Saturday, September 15, 2007 during Alumnae Leadership Council. All members of the Alumnae Association are invited to attend the annual meeting.
A summary of the major themes identified from responses to the Alumnae Association questionnaire have been posted to the alumnae page of the R-MWC website.
Click to view and print the 14-page document (PDF)
The Summary is in PDF format. You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the document .
Per the process/timeline published following our September business meeting: The Alumnae Association Board has appointed a special committee to study the emerging themes outlined in the summary and to develop possible scenarios for future Association structure, including any potential by-laws changes.
Given the new strategic direction of the College, the Alumnae Association Board has established a committee to investigate any necessary bylaws changes which take into account our Association’s autonomy while maintaining our connections to the College. The almost 800 questionnaires returned by alumnae are being studied and the results will be included in a report to the full Board at the May meeting along with any suggested Association bylaws changes.
Once approved by the Alumnae Association Board, bylaws changes will be voted on at the Annual Business meeting, to be held during Alumnae Leadership Council in September. The questionaire results will also be presented.
The Alumnae Association Board Requests Your Input
-An update to October 23 listing of Town Meetings-
Invitations for confirmed alumnae meetings in Little Rock AR, Greenville SC, and Newport News, VA have been mailed.
November 18 - Little Rock, AR , Remarks by: Kate Goodman '88
November 28 - Greenville, SC, Remarks by: Jolley Bruce Christman '69
December 10 - Newport News,VA (Hampton Roads Chpt), Remarks by: Heather Ayers Garnett '86 and Lucy Williams Hooper '73
Note: Meeting specifics for all fall events and other alumnae gatherings are posted on the EVENTS page ( click here ) as the invitations are mailed. Alumnae are encouraged to bookmark EVENTS and consult it often as postings are added and revised several times a week.
A series of meetings is planned to provide face-to-face communications with the leadership of the College and alumna in the next eight weeks.
Statement of Alumnae Association Board to clarify use of consultants or advisors.
Recent news articles have included quotes from an individual identifying himself as a “consultant” to the Alumnae Association. The Alumnae Association Board of Directors, the governing body of the Alumnae Association of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, has no contractual relationship with either this individual or any other consultant or advisor.
The Randolph-Macon Woman's College Alumnae Association is composed of 13,000 intelligent, well-educated women who have strong personal values and opinions. The Board of Directors of the Alumnae Association is charged, to the best of our ability, to represent the voices and opinions of all 13,000 alumnae and to support the mission of the College we all hold dear. As a Board, we recognize that the impending decision of the Randolph-Macon Woman's College Board of Trustees to change the mission to include coeducation is a course that will have to be considered and evaluated by each individual alumna. We also recognize that there is not unanimity of opinion among our alumnae, and therefore we cannot, as a board, take a decisive position that we claim on every alumna's behalf.
Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Randolph-Macon Woman's College Alumnae Association STRONGLY ENCOURAGES each and every alumna to consider her position on coeducation, and then make that opinion known to the Randolph-Macon Woman's College Board of Trustees by e-mailing board@randolphcollege.edu , calling 434-947-8140, or writing to the Trustees at Randolph-Macon Woman's College, 2500 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg, Virginia 24503. Although the formal vote is scheduled to be taken on September 8/9, 2006, the trustees are scheduled to meet on August 18 to consider input from faculty as the final plan to be put up for vote in September is drafted. Therefore, we encourage all alumnae to provide their input in advance of the August 18 meeting.
Dear Alumnae of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College,
In April, the Alumnae Director Heather Garnett suggested to me, the incoming president of the Alumnae Association of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, that we schedule a retreat for the Association’s Board of Directors in August. We expected to use the time to begin making plans for the year, knowing that our September meeting would probably be consumed with learning about the Strategic Plan for the College.
Click here to read the full text of Kathleen Bowman's remarks to the graduating Class of 2006
Join us live on Sunday, May 14, 10 a.m., as we celebrate the Class of 2006.
R-MWC trustees are reaching out in a number of ways to keep alumnae informed and actively involved in planning for the College's future. "R-MWC--Planning for the Future" open forums with trustees are being held in cities with large concentrations of alumnae this spring. Forums have already held in several cities in multiple states, including Virginia, Texas, and Georgia.
Alumnae gathered in historic Williamsburg, Virginia December 2-5 for a weekend of fun and festivity, including tours, shopping, excellent dinners, and Williamsburg's famous Grand Illumination. R-MWC President Kathleen Gill Bowman's opening remarks about what is happening at the College and in the higher education marketplace today were a highlight of the weekend. We invite you to read the full text of President Bowman's remarks below.
The president of R-MWC's Board of Trustees, Jolley Bruce Christman ’69, has sent the below letters to alumnae, students, parents of students, and friends of the College providing detailed information about the College's strategic planning process and ways in which stakeholders can stay up-to-date on the process and add their input.
In a memo to the R-MWC Community, the Board of Trustees announced recently its decision to not close the College's study abroad program at the University of Reading at least through the 2006-07 academic year.
A new Alumnae Referral Recognition program encourages alumnae to refer prospective students to R-MWC. If an alumna refers a student who then enrolls, the student will receive $500 Alumnae Recognition Award for her first year at the College.
Know of a high school student you'd love to see attend R-MWC? Contact Alumnae Admissions Manager Deborah Woodall-Stevens '03 at 800-745-7692 or dwstevens@randolphcollege.edu .
Get more information on how YOU can help recruit great students for R-MWC! Visit the Alumnae Admissions Representatives Web page.
Alumnae, students, faculty, and community members convened to witness the 2005 Alumnae Achievement Awards ceremony in Smith Hall Theatre September 17 honored this year were Susan Kelly Blue-Zeig ’66, Kathy Morland Hammitt ’74, and Virginia “Ginger” Hill Worden ’69.
Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, a liberal arts college with a more than 100-year tradition of educating women, seeks an innovative leader to become alumnae director. The Alumnae Director Search Committee began its work in early September and expects a new director to begin duties early in 2006.
The following e-mail was sent to our alumnae along the Gulf coast.
After 11 years as president of R-MWC, Kathleen Gill Bowman has announced her retirement to the College community. Bowman, who became the College's eighth president in 1994, will step down at the conclusion of the 2005-2006 academic year.
The Randolph-Macon Woman's College Board of Trustees is leading the effort to create a Strategic Plan that will guide the College successfully into the future. The Board values the input of all stakeholders and is committed to keeping alumnae and friends of the College updated on and engaged in the process. To facilitate this, the Board will offer a strategic planning Web page, a letter with information about the strategic planning process, and a meeting open to interested alumnae.
In a September 9 message to the College community, R-MWC President Kathleen Gill Bowman reported the decision of the Board of Trustees to discontinue the College's Reading, England study-abroad program as of July 2006.
See the related story, "R-MWC Board of Trustees on Decision to Discontinue Reading, England Program," which includes a letter to alumnae from R-MWC Board of Trustees President Jolley Bruce Christman '69, at www.randolphcollege.edu/alumnae .
The College’s Board of Trustees has selected the members of the committee that will choose the next College president.
