Author Archives: Timothy Spears

Across Campus Hiatus

For the time being, Across Campus is going on hiatus.

I created this blog–as its tagline indicates–to provide administrative updates that are relevant to the community. Over the last few months, however, communications throughout the College have been increasing and improving in other ways, perhaps creating less of a need for this type of blog.

The MiddPoints Weekly News & Announcements blog, which launched officially this spring, has seen an increase in posts and readership. The NEASC reaccreditation meetings provided an opportunity for all community members to share their concerns and ideas for making Middlebury a better institution. The Staff Council survey and ensuing campus- and district-wide meetings brought to light many of the challenges our staff encounter in the work that they do. The Vice Presidents have been communicating and working with their areas to address these issues, which primarily focus on work load, prioritization, and equity. Similarly, the upcoming Manager Training Program is designed to address these issues, as well.

We’ll take a break for now and reassess where we are in the spring.

Five Questions for Dave Donahue

Our very first Five Questions candidate was President Ron Liebowitz. Here we are, almost a year later, and Special Assistant to the President Dave Donahue joins the club.

1. You started out at Middlebury as a student (Class of 1991!) and now you’re the Special Assistant to the President. In between, you’ve been Associate Dean for Library and Information Services and Associate Vice President of Operations in College Advancement and a dean in Student Affairs. What’s it like to have held so many different roles at the College?

It has been great. It’s allowed me to take on new challenges, to gain new skills, and to learn different parts of how a college operates first hand and up close. The variety has been very stimulating. At the same time, I’ve been able to maintain the continuity of being with one employer and to create a network of friends and colleagues that I continue to work with all the time. This last point is really important. Sometimes in a place as big as Middlebury, getting something done can be about knowing the right person to contact. And although it was entirely by accident, my career at Middlebury and the different jobs I’ve had (going all the way back to being a student) have been the perfect training for what I do now. I also really enjoy seeing people on campus whom I knew as a student and relating to them now as a peer and a friend.

2. What’s the best adventure you have ever been on?

It’s hard to pick just one, so I will tell you about a few. I spent a summer studying Spanish in Mexico at the Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico. Every weekend we traveled, and at the end of the program I took a week and hiked in the jungle. Over the course of the program we visited Palenque, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Monte Alban, the ruins at Tikal, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, and the Rio Usumacinta. It was awesome and permanently changed my world view. I grew up in Lowell, MA, so the idea of “studying” during the summer or going abroad were both pretty foreign concepts to most my friends and high school classmates. It was impossible to be there and not get caught up in the ruins, the culture, and the history. The other adventure was a 35-day car camping trip with my wife, who at the time was my girlfriend. We traveled all around the West and by the end of those 35 days, we pretty much knew we could make any situation work and that we were ready to spend our lives together. We also saw parts of the country that I had never seen from Idaho, to Arizona, to Montana, to Seattle, WA. Finally, every time our family (three kids and wife) travels, it’s a major adventure, especially when we get on an airplane!

3. When you were a student, you played on the football and lacrosse teams. We hear you like to cycle and you were spotted out on the links this summer. What’s one physical activity you’ve always wanted to try, but haven’t gotten around to yet (or maybe never will)?

I’d love to try surfing. The attraction is two-fold. First is purely for the sensation of riding a wave. I’ve done some windsurfing, which I’m terrible at, but the sensation of being powered naturally is pretty special. I imagine the sensation of riding a wave would be even better. The second attraction is warm weather, not that all surfing takes place in warm weather climes, but the picture in my mind is definitely a warm weather one. A close second would be log rolling. I like the idea of head-to-head competition, balance, footwork, and water. Maybe I have a water obsession.

4. Has a liberal arts education served you well? If so, how? If not, please explain. Please cite at least one example.

My job is all about projects and communication. Some projects are in areas that I know a good deal about and are very much in my comfort zone. Others are completely new. The first step is to learn about the industry/area. I believe part of a liberal arts education is learning how to learn, learning how to identify critical information, and how to discern what is important from what is not. Project work is all about figuring out what needs to be done. The other important aspect of my work is communicating, whether it is in written or spoken form. If you can’t communicate effectively with people, you can’t get much done. I’d say a liberal arts education has served me extremely well on both fronts.

5.  Andy Warhol once said that everyone is famous for 15 minutes. What happened during your 15?

Wow, that’s a really hard question. I’m tempted to believe that maybe my 15 minutes is ahead of me, but that may be wishful thinking! If I had to pick 15 minutes, I’d go with a bunch of 5 minute blocks. I acted as a reader for the book Think Big Act Small by Jason Jennings; I’ve done a few interviews over the years for the paper and many years ago on WCAX; I won a write-in campaign for the school board in Cornwall, VT in a hotly contested election; and I’m childhood friends with Mickey Ward, the main character in the movie “The Fighter.” Added together, I’m thinking that is close to 15 minutes, but I’m pretty sure I’m stretching the definition of “famous!” Truth be told I’m actually pretty comfortable out of the spot light, but I appreciate the opportunity to be part of Five Questions!

Old Chapel Remediation

Even with the fine (and distracting) weather this past week, it’s hard not to notice the work now taking place around Old Chapel.  Some may be wondering what this project is all about.

The short explanation is that we are staving off mold growth in Old Chapel, and that we’re repairing the walls so that moisture can’t enter the building.  Moisture creates the conditions for mold growth.

The back story is that since Old Chapel was renovated 15 or 16 years ago, the mortar holding together the stonework has deteriorated as condensation—perhaps caused by air conditioning—has worked its way into the walls, eroding the mortar. The eroded mortar has in turn made it easier for moisture to come through the walls, especially on the first floor where the offices are below grade.  Also, as the photo below suggests, the original 19th-century foundation was constructed to hold up the building, not keep it airtight.  So it’s not surprising that moisture has seeped through the walls.

But conditions will be much improved after the mortar has been repaired.  The contractors engaged on this project, Liszt Historical Restoration, did a great job renovating Starr Library for the Axinn Center and they specialize in detective work like this.

You can expect to see this work continue through the fall.

Old Chapel Remediation

Even with the fine (and distracting) weather this past week, it’s hard not to notice the work now taking place around Old Chapel.  Some may be wondering what this project is all about.

The short explanation is that we are staving off mold growth in Old Chapel, and that we’re repairing the walls so that moisture can’t enter the building.  Moisture creates the conditions for mold growth.

The back story is that since Old Chapel was renovated 15 or 16 years ago, the mortar holding together the stonework has deteriorated as condensation—perhaps caused by air conditioning—has worked its way into the walls, eroding the mortar. The eroded mortar has in turn made it easier for moisture to come through the walls, especially on the first floor where the offices are below grade.  Also, as the photo below suggests, the original 19th-century foundation was constructed to hold up the building, not keep it airtight.  So it’s not surprising that moisture has seeped through the walls.

But conditions will be much improved after the mortar has been repaired.  The contractors engaged on this project, Liszt Historical Restoration, did a great job renovating Starr Library for the Axinn Center and they specialize in detective work like this.

You can expect to see this work continue through the fall.

Five Questions for Susan Campbell Baldridge

Vice President for Planning & Assessment and Professor of Psychology Susan Campbell Baldridge is in the Five Questions Hot Seat this week.

1. You’re a professor of psychology and Vice President for Planning & Assessment. It’s four weeks into the semester, and summer is quickly becoming a distant memory. We have to ask: What’s your present state of mind?

Well, I had a pretty fabulous summer – I got married and my husband and I honeymooned in Scotland – so just about any semester would be a come down from that. To make matters worse, you’re asking that question a few days before the reaccreditation review team visits our school abroad in Spain, and a few weeks before the full visit of the review team to campus here in Vermont. So I might be tempted to say, “Don’t ask.” But in reality, despite the stress I’m feeling leading up to all that, I’m also feeling pretty pleased that we’ve come this far and accomplished what we set out to do with respect to reaccreditation: We wanted to produce a self study that was inclusive of as many people as possible – including folks from all the College’s programs – and that reflected who are as an institution, celebrating our strengths and acknowledging our challenges. I think we did that. So I guess my state of mind is a mixed bag of pre-visit anxiety, pride in what we’ve accomplished, and wistful nostalgia for the summer.

2. As VP you have led the College’s reaccreditation process. Please tell us about your love affair with data.

It wasn’t love at first sight. I’ve always been competent with numbers, but they never had much appeal until I learned how to use statistics to help answer psychological questions in college and graduate school. Numbers became meaningful and useful in a way I hadn’t seen before. Teaching statistics is a way to help students see that value as well. But the real crux of that passion is less about numbers than it is about pulling order out of what seems like chaos. A statistical test can help do that by taking a spreadsheet full of numbers and telling us something about how the world works or how people think. But I get the same thrill from extracting meaning from any seemingly disparate sources of information, which might just as easily be qualitative as quantitative. I guess I just like to solve a good puzzle. (The New York Times crossword is another outlet for that!)

3. But you’re not just a numbers gal. Word on the street is you love to quilt, too. Why?

Well, there’s some overlap between my fondness for solving puzzles and quilting; cutting fabric into shapes and then recombining them to produce a pattern that’s pretty or fun to look at involves lots of working with numbers. But the real appeal for me is much more visual and tactile. I like vibrant colors and I like to play with the texture and the feel of fabric. I keep fabric organized by color and stacked where I can see it in my sewing room, with spools of brightly colored thread arranged next to it. The room is painted a vibrant pear green. All that color and texture feels like a nice escape when I’ve spent too much time with my nose in a data file.

4. What is the most beautiful place you have ever visited?

That one’s easy. On our aforementioned honeymoon, my husband and I went to visit the grave of Rob Roy MacGregor in Balquhidder, Scotland. (You may have seen the movie about Rob Roy, starring Liam Neeson, or read the novel about him by Sir Walter Scott.) My grandmother traced the genealogy of our family line back to Rob Roy’s brother, so there is a family interest in stories about Rob Roy. I’m particularly invested because my middle name is McGregor (the family dropped the “a” somewhere along the line), and I’ve always enjoyed the fact that, after spending the better part of his adult life fighting more powerful clans and royal foes who had outlawed the use of the name MacGregor, Rob Roy’s grave is defiantly engraved, “MacGregor Despite Them.” The tiny village of Balquhidder is set in the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It sits at the tip of Loch Voil, a long, calm lake in a steep mountain glen. Sheep and Highland cattle meander the lush valley and up the mountainsides, which are misty and atmospheric in the mornings and (at least sometimes) bright and sunny in the afternoons. That description doesn’t do it justice, but suffice it to say that I was awed by the beauty and peacefulness of the place.

Untitled by sergey vyaltsev

 

Rob Roy's Grace 1 by amypalko

5. You grew up in Indiana, and received your PhD from UCLA. What are your thoughts on Midwest vs. East Coast vs. West Coast?

If you’re asking where my loyalty lies, it’s in the Hoosier heartland. The people there – including my family, most of whom still live in Indianapolis – are warm and down to earth and have a sense of humility that I think the world could use more of. And ultimately, it’s still home to me. (Hearing Jim Nabors sing “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the start of the Indy 500 each year still gets me misty-eyed. As does rooting for Butler each year in the NCAA basketball tournament.) Living in Los Angeles while I attended graduate school was a great adventure, and I’m glad I had the chance to experience the hum and glamour of life in a big city. But ultimately, the smog, the crime, and the earthquakes were too much for me. So being able to live and work and raise my kids in a beautiful and close-knit community in Vermont seemed like a huge gift. Still does.

Five Questions for Susan Campbell Baldridge

Vice President for Planning & Assessment and Professor of Psychology Susan Campbell Baldridge is in the Five Questions Hot Seat this week.

1. You’re a professor of psychology and Vice President for Planning & Assessment. It’s four weeks into the semester, and summer is quickly becoming a distant memory. We have to ask: What’s your present state of mind?

Well, I had a pretty fabulous summer – I got married and my husband and I honeymooned in Scotland – so just about any semester would be a come down from that. To make matters worse, you’re asking that question a few days before the reaccreditation review team visits our school abroad in Spain, and a few weeks before the full visit of the review team to campus here in Vermont. So I might be tempted to say, “Don’t ask.” But in reality, despite the stress I’m feeling leading up to all that, I’m also feeling pretty pleased that we’ve come this far and accomplished what we set out to do with respect to reaccreditation: We wanted to produce a self study that was inclusive of as many people as possible – including folks from all the College’s programs – and that reflected who are as an institution, celebrating our strengths and acknowledging our challenges. I think we did that. So I guess my state of mind is a mixed bag of pre-visit anxiety, pride in what we’ve accomplished, and wistful nostalgia for the summer.

2. As VP you have led the College’s reaccreditation process. Please tell us about your love affair with data.

It wasn’t love at first sight. I’ve always been competent with numbers, but they never had much appeal until I learned how to use statistics to help answer psychological questions in college and graduate school. Numbers became meaningful and useful in a way I hadn’t seen before. Teaching statistics is a way to help students see that value as well. But the real crux of that passion is less about numbers than it is about pulling order out of what seems like chaos. A statistical test can help do that by taking a spreadsheet full of numbers and telling us something about how the world works or how people think. But I get the same thrill from extracting meaning from any seemingly disparate sources of information, which might just as easily be qualitative as quantitative. I guess I just like to solve a good puzzle. (The New York Times crossword is another outlet for that!)

3. But you’re not just a numbers gal. Word on the street is you love to quilt, too. Why?

Well, there’s some overlap between my fondness for solving puzzles and quilting; cutting fabric into shapes and then recombining them to produce a pattern that’s pretty or fun to look at involves lots of working with numbers. But the real appeal for me is much more visual and tactile. I like vibrant colors and I like to play with the texture and the feel of fabric. I keep fabric organized by color and stacked where I can see it in my sewing room, with spools of brightly colored thread arranged next to it. The room is painted a vibrant pear green. All that color and texture feels like a nice escape when I’ve spent too much time with my nose in a data file.

4. What is the most beautiful place you have ever visited?

That one’s easy. On our aforementioned honeymoon, my husband and I went to visit the grave of Rob Roy MacGregor in Balquhidder, Scotland. (You may have seen the movie about Rob Roy, starring Liam Neeson, or read the novel about him by Sir Walter Scott.) My grandmother traced the genealogy of our family line back to Rob Roy’s brother, so there is a family interest in stories about Rob Roy. I’m particularly invested because my middle name is McGregor (the family dropped the “a” somewhere along the line), and I’ve always enjoyed the fact that, after spending the better part of his adult life fighting more powerful clans and royal foes who had outlawed the use of the name MacGregor, Rob Roy’s grave is defiantly engraved, “MacGregor Despite Them.” The tiny village of Balquhidder is set in the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It sits at the tip of Loch Voil, a long, calm lake in a steep mountain glen. Sheep and Highland cattle meander the lush valley and up the mountainsides, which are misty and atmospheric in the mornings and (at least sometimes) bright and sunny in the afternoons. That description doesn’t do it justice, but suffice it to say that I was awed by the beauty and peacefulness of the place.

Untitled by sergey vyaltsev

 

Rob Roy's Grace 1 by amypalko

5. You grew up in Indiana, and received your PhD from UCLA. What are your thoughts on Midwest vs. East Coast vs. West Coast?

If you’re asking where my loyalty lies, it’s in the Hoosier heartland. The people there – including my family, most of whom still live in Indianapolis – are warm and down to earth and have a sense of humility that I think the world could use more of. And ultimately, it’s still home to me. (Hearing Jim Nabors sing “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the start of the Indy 500 each year still gets me misty-eyed. As does rooting for Butler each year in the NCAA basketball tournament.) Living in Los Angeles while I attended graduate school was a great adventure, and I’m glad I had the chance to experience the hum and glamour of life in a big city. But ultimately, the smog, the crime, and the earthquakes were too much for me. So being able to live and work and raise my kids in a beautiful and close-knit community in Vermont seemed like a huge gift. Still does.