On Oct. 24 and 25, the Board of Trustees met to discuss key components of the College’s strategic plan, announce the promotion of four assistant professors and adopt a new policy geared toward socially responsible investing.
The October meeting began with the Board chatting in small groups with teams of students and faculty, each representing different campus collaborations and research. To President Julie Kornfeld, these meetings were important in providing the Board with connections and insight into the student body. “These conversations provided a window into the nature of teaching and mentorship at Kenyon and was a highlight for the trustees. I look forward to providing additional opportunities such as this in future board meetings,” she said in an email to the Collegian.
The Board then convened with three strategic committees — the Student Experience Committee, the Kenyon in the World Committee, and the Campus and Finance Committee — to discuss student life, upcoming budget developments and alumni engagement.
Following these meetings, the Board approved four professors’ promotions to full professor: Associate Professor of Drama Anton Dudley, James D. & Cornelia W. Ireland Associate Professor of Music Ross Feller, Associate Professor of English Sarah Heidt ’97 and Associate Professor of History Stephen Volz.
After approving audited financial statements, the Board adopted resolutions of memorial and appreciation, in addition to a community engagement policy aimed to contribute to socially responsible investing.
Titled the “Community Engagement Policy for Socially Responsible Investment Considerations,” the new policy outlines a process by which members of the Kenyon community can petition the Board on grounds of halting “morally reprehensible investments.” This policy was released following several calls for divestment on the Hill, including a sit-in from Kenyon Students for Justice in Palestine (KSJP). The sit-in’s goal was “to call for divestment from all weapon manufacturers including those enabling the ongoing genocide of Palestinians,” according to an Oct. 24 KSJP email.
If a community member — a student, faculty member, staff or alumnus — files a proposal, it will be evaluated by the Investment Subcommittee on Divestment (ISD) for evidence of clear social injury and community support. If the ISD approves the issue, it is passed to the Board, which may approve the divestment. However, the policy also proposes alternate outcomes beyond simply divesting. “The ISD should consider not only whether divestment is justified, but also whether there are alternative means by which the College can better address the social responsibility concerns at issue, including letters to management and/or proxy voting,” the policy posted on the Kenyon website states.
While the policy offers a general process for divestment, it emphasizes that the final authority remains the Board and its relevant subcommittees. “The Trustees reserve the right to interpret the process, the guidelines, and the interest of the College as broadly or narrowly as they see fit, consistent with the By-Laws of the College, the College mission and policies, and applicable external laws and regulations,” the policy reads.
