The Root Alumni Newsletter
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Dear fellow alum,
It’s been nearly a month since we announced the intent for Marlboro College to form an alliance with Emerson College, and become the Marlboro Institute at Emerson's campus in Boston. For every part of the community, feelings have been complex as we say goodbye to what we have known and look forward to a new future for the Marlboro pedagogy. This has been difficult for all of us. I appreciate all of the support that the college has received and that I have received in navigating this difficult decision. Marlboro and Emerson continue conversations that include logistics and ways to realize the potential of the Marlboro Institute. Our top priority is taking care of our 150 students and doing our best to fulfill the Marlboro promise.
As we look ahead, there are many questions around how this alliance will work as negotiations move forward. We do have answers to some of your answers and are committed to getting as much information to you as possible.
The team at the college has been fielding emails and has compiled a list of frequently asked questions that can be found on a
FAQ page
.
Additionally, there is a
blog
on the new website where updates are posted periodically. Updates are also posted on the Marlboro College Facebook page.
For those 220 individuals who joined us for the virtual meeting in November, we are in the process of responding to many of the questions that we were unable to get to in the time we had. For folks who were unable to join the meeting and who would like to view the video, please email me at
[email protected]
to request the link and password.
I encourage you to read through the sections below for briefings on some of the hottest topics including what we know so far about what is happening with the cross-pollination between colleges, campus, and our Plans of Concentration. If you have exhausted all of these resources, please send additional questions to
[email protected]
. And please check back with us often. Another source for information is the newly reformed, hardworking
Marlboro College Alumni Association
.
And yes. There will be a party in the spring no matter what. Stay tuned for more information. We are also working on an alumni volunteer work weekend. If you would like to come to campus in the meantime, please reach out to me to help arrange your visit. I would be delighted to see you.
Thank you for your continued passion and support for Marlboro College.
Warm regards,
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Maia Segura '91
Director of Alumni Engagement
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Following a visit to Marlboro College November 20
by Emerson President Lee Pelton,
a group of about 17 Marlboro faculty members and 30 students took a trip to Emerson College in Boston for tours, continued conversations about curriculum, lunch, and a performance of
An Iliad
presented by ArtsEmerson. The visit was facilitated by emeritus trustee and former Marlboro staff and faculty member Ted Wendell, who has been a longtime supporter of both ArtsEmerson and Marlboro.
While students toured, faculty met with Provost Michaele Whelan and Emerson’s Deans of Liberal Arts, the School of Communications, and the School of the Arts to address how Marlboro faculty will be integrated into the Emerson faculty structure and how Plan will work for students and faculty. These conversations will continue in smaller groups this week.
One thing that was evident in the discussion was the commitment for the colleges to work together to enhance the offerings of the institute which will bear Marlboro's name. There is clear enthusiasm from Dean Amy Ansell to expand the Individually-Designed Interdisciplinary Program, the backbone of the institute, from a two-year course of study that culminates in a capstone project, to four years starting next year. She was also eager to literally and figuratively carve out more space for the institute.
Although some culture shock was felt by students during the visit, and many are yet undecided about the future, Marlboro students invited several Emerson students to campus for Thanksgiving. The invitation was warmly accepted.
As the alliance between Marlboro and Emerson solidifies, we will need help from alumni to bolster the Marlboro culture at Emerson and will be reaching out for ideas and assistance.
Read more coverage of the visits to and from Marlboro College, as well as other coverage of the proposed deal in the
Berkeley Beacon
, Emerson's student-run newspaper.
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The fate of our Marlboro campus is an important question in which many
stakeholders are interested. Currently, ownership of Marlboro’s buildings and 400-acre campus is expected to transfer to Emerson College on July 1, 2020
.
The college is forming a Campus Working Group
to address possible uses for the property.
The job of this working group will be to gather input and ideas, evaluate them, and make recommendations to the Marlboro board of trustees about the future of the campus. The Marlboro School of Music will retain its 99-year lease for their summer festival, regardless of the property owner.
The working group is co-chaired by trustee Dean Nicyper
’
76, and former trustee Sara Coffey ’90, and with representation from the Alumni Council through Randy George ’92. The working group will also i
nclude representatives from the following groups: students, faculty, staff, alumni, the board of trustees, and the Town of Marlboro Selectboard. While this was initially was limited to one person from each of these constituencies, trustees and co-chairs were happy to approve Marlboro College Town Meeting's request to include two people from each of the first three groups. They will begin meeting early in December.
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Plans of Concentration & Archives
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Your Plan of Concentration is being treated with
the utmost respect that it deserves as
a part of the important legacy of Marlboro College,
a critical piece of Marlboro's archive, and a resource for research. While we do not yet know for sure where the physical Plan archive will ultimately rest, Emerson President Lee Pelton has expressed a strong desire to find an appropriate place for them on the Emerson campus in Boston. He understands the importance of Plans both as scholarly work and as a culmination of tremendous effort.
The library maintains the archive of all Plans as they are part of each student's permanent record.
If you would like a copy of your Plan of Concentration: for classes '06 or more recent, your Plans are digitized already and the library will email a copy to you for free. Earlier classes, if your plan is not digitized, which is likely, you may opt to pay $.25/ page for that service and then it will be emailed to you. There is an extra charge if you want a printed copy. More information on how to get a copy of your Plan
on our website
.
For transcripts and notarized copies of your Marlboro diploma please go to the
registrar
.
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Support Potash Hill RIGHT NOW
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Why is Marlboro asking me for money?
As Marlboro moves forward into the spring, we are working hard to care for our current 150 students here on Potash Hill. The annual fund which fuels operating costs specific to this campus, student aid, and faculty salaries, needs you this year; the costs are not going away.
Additionally, the college, the Alumni Council, and the Board of Trustees are looking to assist students, staff, and faculty who will be losing their jobs and/or experiencing significant life changes. Partly at the suggestion of several alumni, a
Transition Fund
has been created to help these folks.
Please know that your help now goes 100% to Potash Hill and 0% to Emerson. And we need it. Thank you for considering
supporting
our students, staff, and faculty.
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Don't miss Dances in the Rough
December 6 & 7, 7:30pm
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Support our student work
Join us for an evening of new dance works from the fall semester. See dances by visiting faculty member Daniel Bear Davis, student choreographers Catherine Canann, Charlie Hickman, Alta Millar, Karla Julia Ramos, Minno Zelkin, and the K-pop club! Shows in the Serkin Center Dance Studio are Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7, and are free and open to the public.
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Marlboro College Alumni Speaker Series:
André Perez ’10
America in Transition Documentary Film Screening and Q&A
December 14, 4:00 pm
Location TBD
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Alumnus André Perez ’10 is the director and producer of a project called
America in Transition
, a documentary series exploring relationships, community, and social issues with trans people of color. Film screening will be followed by Q&A with the director. This event is free.
Killer Movie Reviews
says, “AMERICA IN TRANSITION depicts the harsh realities of living in a transphobic society, but it refuses to surrender to despair. The resilience and courage of the people who have chosen to share their stories is more than just inspirational. It’s a call to action. It’s a promise that answering that call will make a difference.” Watch the trailer
here
.
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