New staff and faculty welcomed at first staff, faculty meeting of the semester
President Marc Conner and administrators welcomed College employees back for the start of the 2023-24 academic year; introduced new staff, faculty, and cabinet members; and offered updates on important topics, including a February cybersecurity breach and next steps in Skidmore’s Vision and Values and Institutional Planning processes.
President Conner began the first staff and faculty meetings of the academic year Friday, Sept. 8, by leading a moment of silence for Michael Casey, former Collyer Vice President for Advancement, and Skidmore rising sophomore Amadou Thiam ’26, who both died in tragic accidents over the summer.
At the staff meeting, Director of Human Resources Julie Delay introduced around 50 staff members who recently joined Skidmore. Later at the faculty meeting, Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Faculty Affairs Dorothy Mosby welcomed a similar number of new faculty.
President Conner also reintroduced members of the President’s Cabinet to the Skidmore community. Dean Mosby, Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jessica Ricker, Vice President for Communications and Marketing Elizabeth Stauderman, and Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer Daniel Konstalid all joined Skidmore over the summer, while Sarah Delaney Vero, who has been a member of the Skidmore community for several years, stepped into a new role as Skidmore's inaugural general counsel and vice president for human resources. Carey Anne Zucca, Collyer Vice President for Advancement, and Adrian Bautista, dean of students and vice president for student affairs, each joined Skidmore in 2021, and Joshua C. Woodfork continues his role as vice president for strategic planning and institutional diversity.
Chief Technology Officer Dwane Sterling discussed Skidmore’s response to a Feb. 17 cybersecurity breach and security measures implemented after the event. He said Skidmore was able to respond quickly and limit the ransomware’s effect. Although Skidmore has not observed any leaked information in dark web scans, any individuals whose information was potentially exposed will be sent a letter with more information detailing protective next steps Skidmore is taking out of an abundance of caution. Sterling concluded by stressing the importance of app-based, dual-factor authentication in order to ensure the continued safety of Skidmore’s servers. He also indicated Skidmore would be announcing additional cyber safety steps in the coming period.
President Conner discussed the College’s upcoming institutional planning timeline. He noted Skidmore completed its Campus Master Plan in 2022. Through January 2024, Skidmore will continue work on its Visions and Values project. He encouraged all employees to complete a brief survey that will support the initiative. Campus Master Planning and Vision and Values will both inform the drafting of Skidmore’s next Strategic Plan, a collaborative process that will begin in October and continue through May 2025; simultaneous accreditation by Middle States Commission on Higher Education; and ultimately Skidmore’s next capital campaign. As announced in Skidmore Weekly Bulletin, President Conner is holding office hours from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, and from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2. (email presoff@skidmore.edu to register.) He also encouraged everyone to attend a series of events taking place Sept. 18 through Oct. 16, Social (In)Justice at the U.S.-Mexico Border, part of the College’s Racial Justice Initiative. He also invited attendees to a retrospective on the presidency of Philip Glotzbach on Oct. 18.
In line with tradition and Skidmore’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, faculty and staff affirmed their commitment to Skidmore’s Diversity and Inclusion Statement, which was read aloud at both the faculty and staff meetings. Vice President Woodfork noted that the statement is now nearly a decade old and should be understood as a living document.
Dean Bautista gave updates on student move-in and the success of pre-orientation, which is now attended by more than half of all incoming students. He encouraged all staff and faculty to report any students they observe as struggling to the Student Assessment and Intervention Group.
Dean Ricker ended the meeting by offering information about Skidmore’s Class of 2027. She also spoke briefly about the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admissions, noting Skidmore's long-standing commitments to diversity and inclusivity and promising to share more information about the College’s response to the ruling in future meetings.
Both the faculty and staff meetings were held in a hybrid format, allowing employees to participate in person and online. The next faculty and staff meetings are scheduled for Friday, Oct. 6.