For the eight or nine years I’ve been involved in administrative work, I’ve been struck by how passionately students feel about decision-making processes at Middlebury. Maybe because I had little or no interest in campus politics when I was in college, I’ve had difficulty understanding why students today get worked up by decisions that have [...]

At the first faculty meeting of the year, held at the Bread Loaf campus, we traditionally highlight a topic of interest for conversation in small groups. This year, we chose to discuss advising. The topic seemed like a natural follow-up to endorsement of a new senior work requirement; beginning with the class of 2013, all [...]

Let’s take a quick view from our administrative perch to survey the major items for the upcoming year. Senior Work Requirement: Last May, the faculty voted to make senior work—thesis, creative project, or special seminar paper—a requirement for all graduates. This requirement will go into effect with the class of 2013, and Dean of the Faculty, Susan [...]