Writings & Remarks

My Hope for the College

August 28, 2024

Tags Public Statements

Dear Hamilton Community:

Here we are and the fall semester is upon us. We welcome 463 new students from 23 countries and 38 states. They are joining nearly 1,500 students who are renewing their time on the Hill (and 97 students studying abroad or on a semester away). If you mash up these students from every imaginable background with our more than 240 brilliant faculty members, 500 amazing staff, and over 24,000 passionate alumni; 180 buildings, labs, studios, and fields; 29 varsity sports teams; 145 clubs and organizations; 401 distinct classes; and approximately 2,700 trees managed by the College and, it sometimes seems, an equal number of squirrels (less well managed), you will get a beautiful, chaotic, complex, and endlessly evolving social and intellectual environment.  

As I read the headlines that have populated magazines and newspapers over the past year (variations of, “Why would anyone want to be a college president?”), I have found their “sky is falling” pronouncements unconvincing. The complexity we will all face this fall is exactly what makes a college – especially a liberal arts college – the best environment ever envisioned for human growth and the evolution of the cluster of 86 billion neurons between our ears. Observers might say, “it is impossible to manage a place when so many stakeholders disagree with each other.” But an agreeable place – a place steeped in conformity – is a place that is not intellectually alive. We have, by our very commitment to free expression and uninhibited learning, thrown ourselves into the gale winds of change and friction. Those winds may occasionally blow our hat from our head, push us off our path, and require us at times to seek a steady hand or solid ground within our own smaller communities. But those winds also lift us, drive us, change us, and bring so many interesting and compelling ideas into view. 

So I am, perhaps naively, turning away from the naysayers. I enter this space with you feeling optimistic and excited about what we build together and how we grow together. I will make mistakes and I expect you to tell me when that happens. And while the fall semester will offer us its share of personal and collective challenges, I know we will confront those in the Hamilton way. Below, I share my thoughts on what this looks like, and I invite you to share your own reflections.

The Hamilton way means we strive to engage each other in ways that are consistent with our unique culture. We will always prioritize those actions that preserve our ability to support and serve one another and honor the distinctive environment we have built together on the Hill.  

More expression is always better than less. Free speech is fundamental to learning in a liberal arts environment. We are committed to turning all speech, no matter how disagreeable, into an opportunity for learning and growth. 

People first. Our relationships with each other drive how we create, interpret, and enforce policy. We are committed to active listening, respect, trust, and care in every conversation and interaction.

Words can hurt. We take responsibility when our words cause pain. We bear witness to each other, we check in, we come to the table, we engage in dialogue, and we are accountable for what we say and do. We recognize anonymity can often undermine civility.

We honor everyone’s full humanity and affirm the dignity of all persons. We will not tolerate harassment or discrimination. Words and actions that disparage an individual based on their protected identity are not allowed. 

Free to learn and work. We pledge that every member of this community will be uninhibited by threat, intimidation, and violence.

Access. Free expression, in all of its manifestations, is necessary for a civil society and a thriving campus culture. We are committed to finding creative ways to amplify and support expression and activism at Hamilton while recognizing necessary limits in the time, place, and manner of such essential activity. All forms of expression must be consistent with our commitment that every member of the Hamilton community can freely access the spaces and resources needed for maximum learning.

Inquiry over outrage. We believe the hallmark of a liberal arts education is the ability to hold multiple truths in our head at once. We embrace — without judgment — curiosity, disagreement, and discernment. We learn from each other. We wake up every day asking whether our decisions and actions are leveraging one of America’s oldest colleges to drive unimpeded learning at its highest level.

My hopes above are largely reflected in our revised policies for the fall semester around expression and community. Our policy updates reflect best practices across higher education and affect our posting policy and our rules for demonstrations and protests. However, our community is not like any other, so we will continue to examine our policies, with input and consultation, to make sure they work for Hamilton. I look forward to many opportunities to work with everyone to get the right balance between expression, access, civility, and learning. 

Every conversation I have had with a member of our community has left me wanting to talk more, learn more, discover more. I have found abundant wisdom and insight across this campus. And so, when world events require us to “make sense,” I will not assume my voice is more important than the engaged and informed voices of others. We will make space for those voices and stories that can provide analysis, comfort, and meaning. 

Most importantly, I never want us to be in a crouching position. Colleges are under fire from many skeptics and critics who question our value and proclaim that we have lost our way. We must not succumb to that narrative. This college is one of the most important in the world and we can, and must, demonstrate to ourselves and others that we will always stand tall – meet each other as scholars, writers, scientists, artists, and citizens – and put learning first. Let’s ask transformative questions and celebrate creativity. Let’s explore “what if…” questions and leave every exchange with more curiosity and greater humility.

I look forward to your thoughts and continued conversations this year.

Onward,

Steven