I thought the community would be interested in the outcome of the deliberations by trustees yesterday on the matter of the Campus Center. I would also like to address some misconceptions.
To begin with, the Board authorized the launch of the new Capital Campaign. What this means is we have a green light to begin soliciting funds even though the full details are yet to be decided (from the strategic planning process). Some people are under the impression that if we are successful and raise $xxx, that we can apply the funds to our high priority needs. The truth is we can apply the funds only to whatever the donor has directed; if the gift is unrestricted, then the choice is ours. For the same reason, capital projects are different from academic projects in that money given for bricks and mortar cannot be used to pay faculty and staff salaries, nor vice versa, for instance. A campaign is used, for example, to raise money for capital projects, for endowed chairs for distinguished faculty members, for academic programs, for scholarships, and for other needs. The goals one sets for each area in general are not likely to match exactly the outcome of a campaign, but do indicate an institution's greatest needs. Setting goals and priorities for the capital projects is a separate matter from setting them for academic needs; that is, one tries to achieve a balance that is best for the institution's long-term viability.
There have been assertions made that, because other capital projects have been done while the Campus Center has been delayed, the latter had been abandoned. First, the delay was because the Capital Campaign itself was delayed due to the departure of former president Strauss and the time required to find a successor (me). Second, a lot of the other projects were done with funds restricted to those purposes, e.g., Higgins Labs and the Salisbury Labs renovations. The renovations to Riley last summer and to Ellsworth-Fuller, Morgan, and Daniels over the next three summers are all part of working down WPI's deferred maintenance projects. To do otherwise, would put the institution at great financial risk in the long term, a situation many other universities have found themselves in over the past 10-15 years.
Now, back to the Campus Center. Ever since I first set foot on campus, the trustees have made it clear that this building was of highest priority for new construction. At the full board meeting yesterday, it was confirmed that the Campus Center was the number one priority in the campaign. The following resolution was adopted unanimously:
Whereas: The Board of Trustees wishes to express its appreciation to the students for their support and interest in a Campus Center;
and Whereas: The Board has similar views and sees this as the centerpiece of the upcoming Capital Campaign;
Therefore: Be it resolved that the Board will support this project through the selection of an archictect and completion of design ready for bidding by the end of FY98; further, the Board will establish a start date for the project at its October 1997 meeting.
What this all means is that we will immediately move to select the architect with a deadline for construction documents by June 30, 1998 at the latest. (It takes this long to get the work done.) Between now and October of this year, solicitations of the Board and certain other major donor prospects will occur. Thus, we should have some indication of where we stand with fundraising for the Center by October. The reason for not estabishing a date for groundbreaking now is that it makes fundraising a lot more difficult.
I think it's fair to say that the students were heard. As I indicated in my earlier message on this subject, the Campus Center has been uppermost in the minds of Board members for several years and action has awaited the selection of the new administration and the acceptance of the campaign leadership by a volunteer. If you haven't heard yet, Ron Zarella, class of '71 and an executive of General Motors, has agreed to chair the campaign. So we're off and running. I believe this effort will lead to not only the Campus Center, but to our ability to significantly improve our academic programs as well as the associated infrastructure.
Sincerely,
Edward A. Parrish, President of WPI