A decade ago, Philip Glotzbach and wife Marie headed out on a cross-country drive from Redlands, Calif., to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. They stopped along the way to visit with family and friends and talk over the new post that awaited: the presi dency of Skidmore College. The closer they drew to New York, the more optimistic they became about the possibilities that lay ahead. As Phil Glotzbach recalls, “We had been impressed by Skidmore’s focus on creativity, its welcoming community, and especially its forward-looking nature.” But even they could not have foreseen how dramatically the college would change in his first decade as its seventh leader.
A stronger footing At the base of Skidmore’s great strides in the Glotzbach years is a significantly strengthened finan- cial foundation.
The college has nearly doubled its endowment, from $156 mil- lion to $303 million, earning an A1 bond rating from Moody’s. Much of this success is attributa- ble to the “Creative Thought, Bold Promise” campaign to build Skidmore’s endowment and fund the “Engaged Liberal Learning” strategic plan for 2005–15. The campaign’s goal was roughly di- vided into $50 million for each of four areas: the annual fund and endowment, academic priorities, financial aid, and campus con- struction. Under the leadership of the Glotzbach administration and the Skidmore College Board of Trustees, the campaign exceeded its $200 million goal by $16.5 million. More than 18,000 alumni, parents, employees, and stu- dents contributed, and nearly 1,000 alumni and parents at- tended presidential advisory dinners and town-hall meet- ings to help the College lay out its strategies for transform- ing the Skidmore enterprise. Virtually every constituency rallied to invest in the new vision. Trustee Janet Lucas Whit- man ’59 recalls, “People put their trust in Skidmore. They knew that giving was a terrific investment.”
A new campus footprint Visitors returning to Skidmore’s campus after 10 years are astounded by its physical changes. New student residences abound, including the Northwood Apartments that debuted in 2006 and the recently opened 230-apartment Sussman Village, which replaced Scribner Village. Other residences have been refurbished and appointed to entice more stu-
dents back on campus, especially after Moore Hall was closed and sold. A dramatic renovation of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall includ- ed a revamped array of fresh, healthy, and award-winning food that draws the entire campus com- munity.
PHIL AND MARIE GLOTZBACH
Renovations were also made to the Saisselin Art Building, Scribner Library and information technolo- gy, Filene Hall, athletic fields, and a broad cross-section of classrooms, laboratories, and gathering places. The College also has ambitious plans for a new boathouse, admis- sions center, and science facility. The Frances Young Tang Teach- ing Museum and Art Gallery, built in 2000, has continued its devel- opment into a groundbreaking center of creativity that draws
thousands of visitors to its shows and events. It serves as a national model for the way college museums can integrate academics and exhibitions.
The most dramatic addition to the campus is the Arthur Zankel Music Center, funded by the estate of trustee Arthur Zankel, P ’82, ’92, and other donors. The state-of-the-art fa- cility offers fully wired classrooms and soundproof practice studios and fosters the development of interdisciplinary pre- sentations for its 600-seat Ladd Concert Hall. The center has been hailed by experts and audiences far and wide for its “warm and bright” acoustics and advanced technologies. The superb facility is the headquarters of a precedent-setting partnership with Carnegie Hall, attracts Grammy-winning record producers, and presents a schedule of renowned guest artists from around the world.
Sustainability from the ground up Zankel and the other new buildings and renovations were
14 SCOPE FALL 2013
MARK MC CARTY
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