Letter from President Henking: alumni gifts up 40%

Susan Henking's latest missive to the external community is worth reading in full, but of particular note is the announcement that Shimer's alumni giving rate is up from 10% to 14%.  Given the unique characteristics of the Shimer alumni community -- particularly its many fractious subsets and Shimer's high historic rate of attrition -- that's quite an achievement.  (And you can be a part of it by donating to Shimer now.)

Among additional highlights, the good Dr. Henking's letter includes an overview of recent personnel changes, which will be of interest to all followers of les affaires Shimeriennes:

[W]e've reconfigured four positions and created two new ones.

• Janet Henthorn's position has been expanded to include additional admissions support.
• Marc Hoffman's position has become more focused and is now renamed Director of External Relations & Chief Information Officer.
• Isabella Winkler has moved into the President's Office; her position has changed to Director of Strategic Communications & Special Assistant to the President.
• Joseph Fitzpatrick has taken on some urgent organizational and managerial tasks and is now Chief Operations Officer as well as Dean of Students.

We've also added an Executive Assistant to the President to handle my travel and calendar as well as to support Development, and will be hiring a full-time staff member responsible for payroll, AP, and parts of HR.

Read more...

16 decades of "not what to think but how to think"

A recurrent problem in understanding the early history of Shimer College is identifying the things that were actually unusual about it at the time.  Many of the things that have often been held up as unusual – e.g. its coeducational character – or that strike the modern ear as peculiar – e.g. a "non-denominational seminary" – turn out on closer inspection to have  been fairly unremarkable in their time and place.  And because the seminary movement has suffered from a remarkable lack of scholarly attention – the most recent thorough studies are now approaching their hundredth birthday – it requires a lot of original research to even provisionally identify the attributes that distinguished the Mount Carroll Seminary from the hundreds of similar institutions that once dotted the Old Northwest. 

Fortunately, a document that has recently come to light sheds some fresh light on this question.  An examiners' report from 1859 – prepared, as was the practice at the time, by the committee of local notables who had overseen the quarterly public examination – attempted to spell out the differences between the Seminary and other schools of its type, as they were perceived by the committee:

There are some marked peculiarities as to the mode of instruction adopted at this Institution, as shown by this examination, about which the undersigned desire to say a few words. The committee call them peculiarities, because in all the schools which the committee now have, or ever had any knowledge, they form the exception, and not the rule. The pupils are here taught self-reliance, in the broadest sense of the term. The teacher suggests a topic, and the pupil rises to his feet and enters upon a full discussion of that topic in all its bearings. He defines it, he explains it, he shows its advantages or disadvantages, and, if susceptible of proof, he proves it to a mathematical certainty. There is more in this mode of instruction than one, at first, might suppose. It relieves the teacher of a vast amount of hard mental and physical labor. It teaches the pupil the art of expressing his ideas in the clearest manner, and in the best of language. It teaches him to reason, to compare; in short, to think. It makes him ready in conversation and in debate — two important acquisitions for an American youth. Another of these peculiarities is thoroughness. Superficiality has not the ghost of a chance here. The pupils all know the why and wherefore of every proposition introduced to them, before they are allowed to go beyond it.

To be sure, the pedagogy of this period in Shimer history, dominated by the object-lesson methods of Page and the intellectual arithmetic of Stoddard (to say nothing of the rigid regulation of student life), would probably not sit very well with any present-day Shimerian.  But this report from 1859 allows us to see that even in its first decade, Shimer sought to be a school that taught its students "not what, but how to think" – at a time when this was far from commonplace, especially among institutions of Shimer's type.

The examining committee concluded its report with these words:

The citizens of Northwestern Illinois ought to be proud that such an Institution exists in their midst. A majority of the best public school teachers this county received their instruction at this Seminary, so that its influence extends to hundreds who were never within its walls, and will be felt, if not acknowledged, for years after it may have ceased to exist – an event which the undersigned sincerely hope may long be delayed.

You can do your part to ensure that this delay continues by donating to Shimer today.  (Here's one of many reasons why it's worth the trouble.)

You are worth more than 55 Harvard alumni

Some facts for thinking on:

• Alumni giving rates are a key concern for Shimer College, particularly in regard to maintaining accreditation (something all alumni, and especially all graduates, have an interest in).
• Harvard currently has about 323,000 living alumni, and an undergraduate enrollment of about 6,700.
• Shimer has about 5,600 living alumni, and a current enrollment of about 140.
• Therefore, each additional Shimer alum who gives something this year has an impact on Shimer's giving rate that is equivalent to the impact of 57.7 Harvard alums on Harvard's giving rate.
• The median Shimer alum is undoubtedly somewhat poorer than the median Harvard alum, but the amount you give is secondary.  In terms of the alumni giving rate, a $5 donation is exactly as valuable as a $500 one.
• Shimer's fiscal year ends on June 30, and all donations up to that time are being matched 100%.  
• Therefore, not only is your donation worth as much proportionally as 58 donations to Harvard, it's also worth twice as much in actual dollars as it would have been at any other time... but only if you donate now.

Happy 160!

Happy birthday to Shimer!  If you donate this month, your donation will be matched.

Sixteen full decades have now passed since Frances Wood and Cindarella Gregory greeted their first eleven pupils in the back room of the Presbyterian Church in Mount Carroll. The local papers tell us that northern Illinois was then in its third full week of heavy rains -- explaining the endless mud through which Wood and Gregory had traveled to reach the town.

"The morning was cold and dismal," according to one account written 30 years later, "and all day long the rain fell drearily on the roof, penetrating the weather beaten boards and leaving long lines of wet upon the floor." The school that was to become Shimer College was open for business, and no minor detail like the lack of an adequate building was going to hold it up.

 Miss Wood's account in her journal is fairly brief:

Very rainy, rather a bad commencement, we however had 11 young ladies; we all remain together for the present yet Mr. Gray offers his rooms for our own use. One of our young ladies, Miss Pierce, has been at Rockford Seminary one & half year, wishes to take Arithmetic, Algebra & Latin.

(Worth noting that the history of students transferring to Shimer goes back to the very beginning.)


You, too, can help keep Shimer warm and dry.  Where was that link again?  Ah, here it is.

Promoting Shimer's weekend program

If you live in Chicago and listen to WBEZ, you may have heard Shimer's sponsorship announcements promoting the weekend college program, running chiefly during the commuting and lunchtime hours. In your humble blogger's opinion, this is an excellent investment of Shimer's resources, as it helps to build the school's information endowment while at the same time hopefully breathing fresh life into an extremely important program that has recently suffered from troublingly low enrollment.

These ads are nothing new, of course. Similar campaigns have helped to draw students to the weekend program in decades past as well. As 1988 graduate Jim Tudor recalled in his graduation address, these announcements can be particularly helpful in reaching potential students who have some awareness of Shimer but do not realize that it has a program tailored specifically to them:

I met a graduate of Shimer who told me that he never had a lecture in his four years of college. All his classes worked as a group discussion with the professor acting as a co-investigator. I felt sad about not knowing of this school earlier, but continued with my self-education program.

One day, while driving on the Kennedy expressway, I heard an advertisement on the radio about weekend classes at Shimer College geared toward working people. I became very excited. Many of the people driving near me became very excited also, but not about Shimer.

Not only is the Chicago area the most logical recruiting area for the weekend program, it is also especially rich in students with precisely this exposure profile. This fact makes this kind of advertising particularly appropriate and -- with any luck -- effective.

If, like me, you feel that Shimer is using its limited resources wisely in promoting this valuable program, why not take this opportunity to support the Great Books and take home a set? More than $2700 has been raised so far.

Support the Great Books and Take Home a Set

Long-suffering Trustee Dan Shiner is sponsoring a fundraiser for Shimer College that will run through March 7. Over $2000 has been raised in the first days of the fundraiser.

Here is the fine print:

All donations to Shimer College must be made no later than March 7th (Dan Shiner’s birthday) for this cause. Anonymous donations are appreciated, but we will not be able to award any gifts to those who choose to donate without providing a name.

*Make a donation of $100+ and you will receive a signed first edition book (one per donor). It may not be Hemingway, but Dan says it will be something like a signed Sue Grafton or a signed Capitalist Manifesto by Adler and Kelso.

*Make a donation of $10+ and your name will be put into a drawing for a complete used set of the Great Books (one entry per donor).

*Be the largest individual donor ($1000 min) and you will also receive a complete used set of the Great Books.

DONATE DONATE DONATE!!! That is all.

Lawsuit settled &c.

Update: You can find a fuller explanation of the terms of the settlement on the Shimer Alumni Alliance blog.

According to an announcement made by Interim President Ed Noonan at the close of the Shimer College Assembly on Sunday, the Lindsay v. Shimer lawsuit has been settled by circulation of signatures among the parties. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed, but the terms of the settlement are said to include permanent bans on either Thomas Lindsay or Patrick Parker ever again holding office at Shimer College.

So much for the past.

Looking to the future, in his State of Academic Affairs address, Dean David Shiner mentioned that the next NCA visit will occur in 364 days. The faculty are working overtime (even more thean usual) to make sure that all aspects of Shimer academics, including assessment procedures, are in shape to once again pass muster with the accreditors. Of course, academics are only one part of the accreditation process, and are generally the part that Shimer passes with flying colors. More critical is that Shimer be on a demonstrably sound and sustainable footing, financially and administratively.

If, like some alumni, you have held off on making a recurring donation to Shimer because of the lingering uncertainty caused by the frivolous Lindsay-Parker lawsuit ... it's probably about time to make that donation, for whatever amount you can afford. Shimer has definitively turned the page on the ugly but mercifully brief Lindsay period, and is in as great need as ever of the support of its friends as it moves into the new era.

September song

Here's another little old roundup (most recent previous roundup here). Things have been pretty quiet in the external community, as far as I'm aware, so this is mostly limited to news from inside the bubble.

Recent happenings:

• As already noted on this very blog, the Board has added SEVEN NEW ALUM TRUSTEES!!!, each and every one of whom is an awesome human being. If this makes you feel good about the future of Shimer -- and it should -- please consider making a little financial vote of confidence in their honor.
  
• On that note, the Advancement Office has rolled out some new ways of donating to Shimer. For instance, you can donate your beat-up old car to Shimer. (Or your motorcycle. Or your steamroller, apparently -- if you happen to have an extra one lying around. Not sure about tanks.)
  
• Shimer-in-Oxford has checked in with a video blog by Adrian Nelson and richly illustrated reports from Stuart Patterson and Robert Carpenter. You may remember Robert as the Weekend students' intrepid representative on the Board this past year.
• First-year student Mohini Lal has posted some reflections on Shimer's smallness and vastness.
  
• The mills of the law grind exceeding slow, and Lindsay v. Shimer College continues to plod its ponderous way through Cook County Circuit Court. (No, not that Lindsay v. Shimer, and definitely not this one; this one.) The most recent event on the e-docket is a "stay of execution," a familiar theme in Shimer history. There is currently a lag of more than 15 days between the public case file and the actual motions filed in court; thus, it would seem that the only people who know exactly what has been stayed are those who were present in the courtroom. Still, you can view the case file up through 9/3/2010 here, or in a more organized format here. The motion to dismiss, by Shimer's counsel, is highly recommended for connoisseurs of the legal smackdown.
• The Shimer-Student-Union listserv, much-used in the recent crisis, has shown unexpected signs of life.
  

Upcoming events:

• Something called "Shimer Days" is happening soon (10/11 - 10/16), with all kinds of Shimer-y goings on. Of particular note, there is an open house for prospective students on Columbus Day, 10/11/2010.
• Further on the Admissions front, any prospective students who complete their applications before 10/15 will not only get an answer by Thanksgiving, but will also get their book fee waived for the first year. So if you know somebody who is or might be applying, you might want to give that somebody a nudge... (Incidentally, this page is a good one to watch for updates admissionary.)
  
• Shimer Days also marks the beginning of the fall lecture series, with a panel discussion on Shimer history led by Eileen Buchanan on 10/15.
  
• Something called "Life after Shimer Reading Group" is happening just after Shimer Days, on SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY 10/17 in Evanston. The reading is Charles Brockden Brown's Wieland.
• The next Assembly meeting will be November 14, 2010, at 4 PM in the Cinderella Lounge at Shimer.
  

New Dawn A Success!

$50,000

That's how much we have raised so far, a little more than halfway through the first ever Shimer "money bomb" fundraising drive!

I can barely believe my eyes. When Sam and I put together the event we were wondering if our little ChipIn chart counting up to $5,000 would be too big, and make it look like we barely raised any money. Yet here we are, halfway through with more than ten times that amount!

And it's all thanks to you and your unwavering support. Together we have weathered one hell of a storm--the likes of which have left Shimer's halls empty once before--and now, not only are we still here, but we're bouncing back with a vengeance!

You all deserve a serious pat on the back for all the work and support you have put in to bring Shimer back to it's full potential, and I love you all for it. Several of you have even gone above and beyond the call, working tirelessly to speak with every alumn, to write our history and to organize our leaders. I think we should take a moment to reflect on the people who made this possible, and tell them how much we appreciate their efforts. Today's money bomb, and the Alumni Alliance as a whole, could not have been possible without

Sam Henderson
Erik Badger
Sarah Delezen
Noah Kippley-Ogman
Beth Matthews
Dan Merchan

And I want to give special thanks to Dan Shiner, who has labored so hard to keep Shimer afloat and is currently working the phones and emails like a madman to secure alumni contributions to the New Dawn Money Bomb. There is no way this event would have been anywhere near as successful as it has been without his efforts.

This is only a very partial list, it doesn't even come close to recognizing all the efforts of people involved, like Allie Peluso and her amazing research, or Bill Arnold for keeping a level head and forming a bridge between two rival camps, or Erik Graf and Chris McGlynn for their muckraking, Jon Timm and Heath Iverson for their leadership, and all the others who have worked so hard to keep this going.

With that being said, we've got a ton of work left to do my friends, so let's not let the momentum slack even for a moment! We've got a new administration, but plenty of old problems yet to solve. Today we show ourselves and the world what kind of future Shimer has in store for it, and tomorrow we work together to see it done!

Don't forget to take a moment and show your support by joining the Shimer's New Dawn cause on Facebook, and making a contribution if you are able (see the link below). Thank you all sooooo much for your support!

http://www.causes.com/causes/475198

Nate Lefebvre, Class of '08

After the Brawl is Over...

We may yet have a long and difficult fight ahead of us. We may lose. There was never any reason to believe that Tom Lindsay & Co. would leave quietly. On the other hand, if I were President Lindsay, I would have been thinking about alternative careers for a while now. So if he does suddenly depart, we need to be ready for the next step.

If Lindsay leaves us, there will be three needs that must be met as quickly and effectively as possible: more money, more students, and more secure governance.

More Money!
Altogether, approximately $175,000 has been pledged to support a post-Lindsay Shimer. The short-term goal is $250,000. This will help to ensure a financially smooth transition. You can make a pledge using the online form.

In the longer term, of course, even more will need to be raised. It is critical that we establish a broad base of support to replace the narrow base that has recently been provided, directly and indirectly, by the Seid and Aequus foundations. Also critical will be ensuring that the people providing this broad-based support are heard in future discussions of college governance and mission. The efforts we have put into alum outreach will need to be retooled to this end.

More Students!
Lindsay hasn't been able to meet the expectations he was hired under when it comes to enrollment. If we want there to be a post-Lindsay Shimer, we'll have to do a lot better than he has done.

To that end, thus far approximately 40 alumni have volunteered to donate time on a weekly basis to help recruit students for a post-Lindsay Shimer. You can add yourself to this number by using the online form.

It takes time to get up to speed for this sort of work. Therefore, I would encourage anyone who is not too deeply involved in the current mess to get in touch with the Admissions Office (admissions@shimer.edu) as soon as possible about volunteering.

The energy dedicated to online action will also need to be reoriented to identifying and recruiting potential Shimerians. The blogs that have been put up in reaction to the crisis, especially Shimer College Alumni Speak and its sister blogs, will need to be retooled to help get out the word about the real Shimer. Fresh content will be needed, there and elsewhere.

Better Governance!
If we are fortunate enough to be delivered from the current mess, it is critically important that we make it much more difficult for anything like this to ever happen again. To be sure, no system of governance can be completely impervious to hostile takeover. But certain things seem clear:
- It should not be possible for a majority of non-internal seats on the Board to be held by people with no prior connection to the school (as is now the case).
- It should not be easy for a hostile majority on the Board to refuse to seat representatives of the internal community (as would currently be the case).
- It should not be possible to simply dilute the student and faculty seats on the Board into irrelevance.
- The role of the Assembly and its Constitution and committees should be affirmed in the Bylaws in unmistakable, weasel-free language. Some work on this front may already be under way, thanks to the joint task force that has been set up to clarify the changes of 2008.

* * * * *

All of the above, of course, remains miserably hypothetical for the time being. None of it will ever be possible unless Shimer's absentee president adds a seventh day to his weekend. So please keep reaching out to alumni and friends. Please keep spreading the word, in whatever ways you can.

And please, if you haven't yet, sign the petition.