Editorial - 02/18/10

Correction Appended

After a year and a half of chopping the low-hanging fruit from the College’s budgetary tree, President Liebowitz, through his speech on the budget crisis, offered a welcome demonstration of commitment, confidence and cautious optimism.

Exhibiting the transparency that is quickly becoming the hallmark of the administration’s budgetary efforts, the president displayed a calming faith in both Middlebury as an institution and the changes he was proposing — eschewing an empty, uplifting address for a substantive outline of where we stand and where we intend to go.

It was a decisive display that instilled belief without being overly optimistic and provided perspective without being excessively grim.

As noteworthy as the actual budgetary suggestions was the tone in which the address was delivered. Liebowitz’s surprisingly candid acknowledgement that Middlebury’s old business model would eventually price the College out of the higher education market demonstrates prescience and signals a commitment to making the necessary changes to endure in the rapidly evolving marketplace of higher education.

For both the faculty and staff nervous about the status of their employment and the students anxious about the future of their education, Liebowitz’s display of calm leadership represented a welcome end to the previous apprehension in the Chapel.

The substantive changes outlined in the address are generally incremental, with some exceptions. The announcement that the staff would not see layoffs was met with enthusiastic applause, and the increase in the size of the student body, while negligible, will provide substantial liquid financial assets to the College community.

Perhaps most important, at least from the student perspective, was the announcement that tuition increases would be frozen at one percent above the Consumer Price Index, putting an end to the exponential increases in tuition that have marked the last decade. Finally, the decision to help supplement Middlebury College’s operating budget with surplus from auxiliary organizations, such as the language schools and C.V. Starr schools abroad, is a step that appears prudent given the operating surpluses many of those organizations have historically boasted.

Without a doubt, many questions remain unanswered. While it is unlikely Liebowitz would have approached the podium without a tacit understanding that the Board of Trustees would adopt his reforms, his proposals must still be enacted at the next meeting. And while students might not have seen much controversy in the suggestions, some faculty are cautious about the proposed reliance on the auxiliaries, as they would — given Liebowitz’s pledge to end staff cuts — most likely bear the burden if that plan falls flat.

Regardless, President Liebowitz and his colleagues should be commended both for the confident tone struck during the address and the bold review of the College’s financial model that the environment required.

The published version of this Editorial incorrectly implied that staff layoffs have occurred. The Campus regrets the error.