Julia Garrison
News Editor
President McCall sent a “periodical letter” to the campus community on Feb. 14 to reiterate statements from her State of the College Address a few weeks prior. In the email, she highlighted ongoing cultural events and milestones for the College, such as the launch of the new global queer studies minor. McCall reiterated that these events call upon individuals at Wooster to “use knowledge to understand our present and craft a more just and liberating future together.”
McCall mentioned the Academic Program Review, which the Voice covered last semester, but only briefly as the recommendations were never released to the student body or the Voice. Different offices will be under Administrative Program Review, beginning with Advancement and Human Resources.
McCall also mentioned the leadership positions that will be filled in the coming year, including the vice president of equity, inclusion and diversity (EID) and the dean of students.
She turned her attention to the usage of campus-wide listservs and her role as president. McCall said that she cannot “convey or sponsor a stance on particular issues.” She expanded upon this and said that she did not wish for anyone to feel “unwelcome in their differences” to issues.
The College listserv policies were reiterated, and McCall restated that emails sent out on all-community listservs must convey “information related to college business, such as employment, official functions, requirements, emergencies, and college-sponsored events.” She said that as individuals cannot “opt-out” of these emails, they might be “offended or feel excluded” by emails’ messaging if the policy is misused. There was no direct acknowledgment of the specific policy violated in the email that professor Laura Burch sent out about the Kauke arch sit-in on Jan. 30. McCall equated “public silence” on these non-college business emails to a “symptom of a silencing climate.” She did not further expound upon this idea of a ‘silencing climate.’
McCall also discussed her new program, “Wooster on the Move,” which allows her to meet with trustees and alumni across the country to discuss their experiences at Wooster.
Using McCall’s email as a starting point, Vice President of Human Resources Lin Hillis addressed students in a message on Feb. 20. Hillis invited them to two listening sessions with herself and McCall. Students will be able to “provide [their] feedback on the VP EID position and services from CDI.”
Students have not received any official communication about potential student collaboration with administrators to fill the vacant dean of students position. McCall mentioned in her State of the College Address that the dean of students position was taking priority over the equity, inclusion and diversity position.
These listening sessions will take place on Feb. 27 at either 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. in the Governance Room in the Scot Center. Students must sign up for these discussions via a Microsoft Form.
