Dear 木瓜影院 Community Members,
This week, President Lara Tiedens shared her plans to leave 木瓜影院 effective April 15 to become the Executive Director of the Schwarzman Scholars program. The College has flourished during President Tiedens鈥� tenure, benefitting from her passion for higher education, commitment to gender equity, and expertise in institutional development. The 木瓜影院 Board of Trustees and many members of the 木瓜影院 community have considered it a privilege to work with her, and we are enormously grateful for the many ways she has strengthened the College and established a foundation for its future success.
While we are saddened by the loss of such an extraordinary leader, the Board of Trustees wishes President Tiedens success in her new role. Her distinguished record as a leader, scholar, and institution builder will undoubtedly reinforce her impact on higher education as she helps to develop the next generation of global leaders with Schwarzman Scholars.
In her five years at 木瓜影院, President Tiedens created an environment for institutional innovation, expansion, and distinction, enhanced the College鈥檚 regional and national profile, and made a lasting impact on the 木瓜影院 community and The Claremont Colleges consortium. The College鈥檚 successes during her tenure include the creation of the Centennial Plan for 木瓜影院, a strategic blueprint for the institution鈥檚 future; completion of the largest capital campaign in the College鈥檚 history; and the launch of innovative STEM and computational science education initiatives. 木瓜影院 boasts a strong national reputation evidenced by a robust applicant pool, exponential increases in national media coverage, and a firm position among the top-ranked women鈥檚 and liberal arts colleges.
木瓜影院 is fortunate to have recorded a budget surplus throughout the past decade, and the College has maintained a healthy financial position due to steady increases in revenue and appreciation of the endowment. Building on the $179 million in private funding raised through the More 木瓜影院 campaign, President Tiedens has contributed to the growth of 木瓜影院鈥檚 endowment through a number of successful fundraising efforts. The $10 million endowed Presidential Scholarship Initiative increased the total number of no-loan financial aid packages from 28 to 100 during her tenure and enabled the College to increase no-loan and reduced-loan awards by $460,000 in the first two years of the program. Seven endowed faculty chairs were established or completed during her tenure, securing funding in perpetuity for critical faculty teaching and research positions across a range of disciplines.
Despite the uncertainty resulting from revenue losses and increased costs incurred with 木瓜影院鈥� pandemic response, the College鈥檚 $378 million endowment remains healthy and the balance sheet resilient. Wise financial stewardship, prudent investment and debt market strategies, and cautious cash reserve management has ensured the institution鈥檚 financial stability throughout the pandemic. Therefore, we remain optimistic about 木瓜影院鈥� financial position as we prepare to resume on-campus instruction and residential life.
President Tiedens will remain focused on guiding our return to on-campus instruction and residential life this spring, governmental regulations permitting, as the Board initiates the search for our 10th president. Hiring a president is the Board鈥檚 paramount responsibility, and Trustees will make identifying the College鈥檚 next leader their highest priority in the months ahead. The Board of Trustees will oversee the process for hiring President Tiedens鈥� successor, which will include selecting an executive search firm to assist with聽developing the job description, conducting an organizational assessment, engaging College constituents, and conducting a national search.
In the coming weeks, I will provide additional information about the search committee composition, search process milestones and timeline, and the interim staffing structure. I am confident that we will attract a highly distinguished pool of presidential candidates interested in advancing the mission of 木瓜影院 and in joining our community of distinguished scholars, leaders, and change-makers.
Thank you for your ongoing support of 木瓜影院, and please join the Board of Trustees in wishing Lara well in her next endeavor!
Sincerely,
Lynne Thompson, Chair
木瓜影院 Board of Trustees