Inauguration > address
CHARACTER, COMMUNITY AND CHALLENGE
Inaugural address by Ronald A. Crutcher
April 16, 2005
Thank you, President Tatum. I am deeply honored that you have taken the time to share this day of celebration with me and with my colleagues at Wheaton College. We are particularly grateful to you for standing in for President Johnetta Cole today.
On behalf of Wheaton, I want to welcome the many delegates who are representing our sister institutions across the country, the leaders of our hometown community, Norton, Massachusetts, and fellow presidents of colleges and universities. Truly, each of you honors us by your presence.
Greetings to those of you who are Wheaton graduates, to current students and their family members, to faculty and staff colleagues, to my own family and friends and, of course, to my best friend and partner, Betty Neal Crutcher, and to our daughter, Sara Elizabeth Neal Crutcher, who is a junior at Hampton University. The Crutcher/Miller/Burnam/Simpson family contingent is led by my father, Andrew J. Crutcher Jr., from Cincinnati, Ohio, and my late mother's four surviving sisters and brothers. The Carpenter/Bushillion/Underwood contingent is led by my mother-in-law, Mrs. Rosea Neal Harris from Tuskegee, Alabama. Unfortunately, my father-in-law, Homer L. Neal had to travel to Tuskegee to be with his sister, who is critically ill. They are in our thoughts and prayers. However, there is a large Neal/Gunn contingent with us. Please help me welcome them all to Wheaton.
My life has been influenced and shaped by many people, some of whom are here today. I also want to acknowledge especially the spiritual presence of three women who loved me, mentored me and helped me become the person I am today. First and foremost my mother, Burdella Miller Crutcher, who through her courageous 11-year battle with cancer taught me--among other things--how to live and how to die graciously. Elizabeth Potteiger who was my cello teacher and the first mentor outside of my family. And Ellen Bartel Klemperer whom I met through Liz Potteiger, and who became my spiritual mentor.
To our many special friends and colleagues who have traveled from across the country and from Europe and India, and to those who are watching this ceremony on the World Wide Web, thanks for taking the time to be with us.
And very special greetings to my three predecessors, Presidents Prentice, Emerson, and Marshall who are with me on the platform today.
Thank you all for honoring both Wheaton College and me by your presence here today. I am most grateful.
Today I will talk about matters important to the future of Wheaton College. The character of this college and its community. And I will talk about challenges ahead that can be surmounted only with all the force of our character and the abilities of our community.
The poet Wordsworth famously wrote that "the child is father to the man." More appropriately to this occasion, I would say that the seminary is the mother of the college. I would argue, in fact, that the small seminary for women founded here 171 years ago is still alive in the larger, but still small, coeducational college that we know today as Wheaton College.
Then, as now, young people were prepared for life "so that they might have it abundantly." Their intellects were awakened and trained. Their passion for learning was stirred into being. They were challenged. They were nurtured. Today we still take pride in our ability to challenge and nurture our students. Although the world is very different, and the subjects we teach differ, there remains a clear line of development we can trace from the very beginning until today.
From the earliest days, Eliza Wheaton, Mary Lyon and their colleagues stressed the importance of the individual mind and person--especially, the minds and persons of women. They did everything they could to equip them for happy, healthy and useful lives. They were revolutionary spirits, our founders, progressive in philosophy and outlook and fearless in promoting the welfare of their students. Our founders instinctively believed in the power of education to transform lives.
As the seminary became a college for women, and changed again and again over the decades, through wars, depression, financial trials and through coeducation, the character of Wheaton College has changed very little. I believe Mary Lyon and Eliza Wheaton would feel very comfortable here on this campus today.
Wheaton's character was formed early. Intensely dedicated to teaching and learning, devoted to young people, concerned with the larger world and wanting to change and improve it, willing to strike out on a different path. A strong community, collaborative in style and incredibly resourceful. Wheaton always has done a great deal with limited resources. My predecessors in the president's office can attest to that.
My father and other close family members would probably tell you that Wordsworth was right; in my case, the child was the father of the man. Without a doubt, my parents and family--including my aunts, uncles and cousins--shaped me as surely as Mary Lyon shaped the young Wheaton. They encouraged me and nurtured me. They also corrected me. They always seemed to know where I was and what I was doing in our little African American community of Peyton Town, Kentucky and in Cincinnati, Ohio. If I misbehaved, believe me, my parents found out. As most of us have experienced, we in many ways become our parents. To a great degree then, my family's values, my mother and father's values, have become my values.
In short, character is formed and is evident early, whether in a college or a person.
Our history and character have shaped the Wheaton of today. But have they given us special gifts with which we confidently can build the Wheaton of tomorrow? Anyone who knows Wheaton can answer that question affirmatively. The one special attribute that sets us apart--our distinctive community, uniquely collegial and collaborative--will give us the strength we need to achieve our goals and to meet our challenges.
There is on this campus a remarkably strong consensus about community, what it is, what its benefits are. This is not true at every institution, I assure you. Too often institutions are afflicted with divisions and conflicting ambitions: some faculty call for a greater role for science and technology at the expense of the arts; some alumni demand either a big-time athletic program or, perhaps worse, insist on no change at all.
Not at Wheaton. Our faculty remain devoted to the liberal arts, and to equally excellent programs in the sciences as in the arts. They believe in education that is transformative, an education that will equip our students to transcend boundaries, which after all is the theme of this inaugural weekend. They believe in the educational force of community itself.
The Wheaton community is collegial in the best sense of the word. Every person, faculty, staff, student, parent, graduate and friend is seen as having something to contribute and deserving to be heard and respected. Every voice in the Wheaton community should be heard, valued and respected. It is highly collaborative. Teams of faculty, often working with students and staff, take on promising but daunting initiatives. That is how the Wheaton Curriculum was developed. When the deliberations and planning were completed, and the new curriculum was taken to the faculty for a vote, the results were an impressive 91 to 3 affirmative vote. Near unanimity on any vote concerning the curriculum is a rarity in higher education. We owe the result to the quality of the preparation, naturally, but also to the way the work was done.
There can be disadvantages to the intensity of our form of community. Dr. Howard Thurman, the great African American theologian and social philosopher, once stated:
"Community cannot long feed on itself, it can only flourish with the coming of others from beyond: their unknown and undiscovered sisters and brothers."
In other words, a healthy community must take care that collegiality does not morph into conformity. That means learning to embrace the tension that may arise through interaction with our "unknown and undiscovered sisters and brothers". Further, a community that does not grow, develop, and change as a result has missed an important opportunity.
Every healthy community must meet at least three other tests as well. It must be inclusive and fully welcoming of new ideas and members. It must be introspective, willing to ask probing questions about itself and the pursuit of its ideals For example, Is the overall quality of the education as good as we think it is? Or, Are we sustaining a community in which all voices can be heard and are respected? Finally, it must be self-correcting, able to change its customs or expectations of itself as required. Such a community will gain vitality as it powerfully demonstrates the worth of its mission and values.
We have enormous confidence in our ability to sustain a community whose members nurture and challenge one another. We believe that our approach to education, most evident in our connections program and in the frequent interaction of faculty and students, works exceptionally well.
There is a strong consensus here that our purpose is to transform the lives of our students. We prize passionate engagement with learning and we attach great value to aspiration and accomplishment. We honor the more than 50 students who have won prestigious scholarships such as the Watson, Truman, British Marshall, Udall, and Fulbright, and we celebrate having produced two Rhodes Scholars within four years. We also honor that student who does just enough to get by until, perhaps in the sophomore or junior year, the inspiration of a professor ignites something in them that catches fire. The student becomes absorbed in a subject or in a research project--and then really begins to learn and soar.
John McCardell, then President of Middlebury College, affirmed our success in the final paragraph of his 1999 reaccredidation report to the New England Association and Schools and Colleges.
"Wheaton College students travel farther, faster, learn more, grow more, and change more than their peers at comparable liberal arts institutions because of the excellent faculty and the student-centered environment."
I am confident that we share the hope and the dream that Wheaton one day will be broadly recognized for its educational excellence.
Those who know Wheaton know how good we are. The problem is, quite frankly, that we are not known well enough. We do not have name recognition in all parts of the United States among the larger population of students who would flourish here. I believe that the U.S. News and World Report rankings are basically flawed and it would be foolish to set our educational course solely by their light. But it would be equally foolish to ignore them. The rankings, after all, are dead-on accurate in two respects: The resources of the institution and its name recognition. It is interesting to note in this regard that recent research demonstrates that, using either factor--resources or recognition, it makes no difference which one--you come up with the same rankings as U.S. News does every year.
Extending our reach and reputation is the first Challenge, the top priority, as I look at our aspirations for the future. We will accomplish this by focusing on our connections curriculum, which emphasizes cross-disciplinary discourse and links intellectual inquiry, experience-based learning, and global education. The goal of becoming recognized as a preeminent liberal arts college does not mean we should aim to become something we are not. But we must aim to be better known for doing what we already do so very well. And we intend to accomplish this while remaining true to our core values,
By the way, there is a role for each of us in this work and part of it is telling others about the exciting things that happen here.
To reach the goal of being recognized as preeminent, we face three other significant challenges beyond recognition. Let me share with you my views on each of these important challenges from my perspective as an educator for over 30 years.
First: We must secure new sources and levels of funding. It is no secret that our Annual Fund lags behind those of comparable schools, both with respect to total monies raised as well as the percentage of alumni participation. We also are underendowed relative to our peers. It is important that we seek additional philanthropic support, if, for example, we are to offer truly competitive facilities for teaching and research in the sciences and mathematics, a first class library, and other vital academic facilities. We have buildings to finance and erect. We must continue to be accessible to students regardless of their financial means and social backgrounds. We need money to provide more scholarships. We must also be more competitive in using technology in the classroom and providing services to students in the library and in their dorm rooms. We must be wireless everywhere and be a fully interactive presence on the World Wide Web. We do not have to be the nation's leader in these and other areas, but we must be more competitive if we are to attract and retain our share of the best faculty and students in every generation.
Second: We must nurture our gains in realizing a diverse community and take full advantage of its educational force. This will require an attitude adjustment on our part. We need a new paradigm for articulating and using diversity in education. Unfortunately, the true power of diversity in educational institutions is not clearly understood. For decades we have approached the recruitment of faculty and students of color into our colleges and universities as a matter of social justice, that is, for moral reasons. It is also not a matter solely of demographics or representation. These are only part of the story. A growing body of evidence, especially in research funded by the Ford Foundation, demonstrates the importance of diverse backgrounds and different perspectives in teaching and learning. We know also that young people learn more deeply from difference than from similarity, and as much from each other outside the classroom as we teach them in it.
Wheaton is uniquely positioned to explore this new paradigm for diversity in education. If we are to be recognized as pre-eminent, we must capitalize on this opportunity.
I hope you will take the time this afternoon to hear experts in the field discuss a new paradigm˜inclusive excellence--for understanding the educational and transformative powers of diversity. And I would like to thank Beverly Tatum, president of Spelman College and a noted author on diversity in education; Nancy Dye, president of Oberlin College; Lester Monts, senior vice provost of the University of Michigan; and the noted author and professor at Harvard Law School, Lani Guinier, for participating in this discussion.
Third, We must demonstrate to a somewhat skeptical society that we actually make a difference in the development of our students. This is not simply a political issue-a matter of Red states vs. Blue states on the election map. This is a matter of accountability, called for by many in our society. Assessment is not an easy matter; otherwise it would be done routinely. How does one measure transformation--a quickened intellect, curiosity come alive, a heightened concern for justice or preservation of the environment, or a new-found ease in analyzing complex issues? American higher education simply must do a better job of demonstrating that it is worthy of support, both from the government and from individuals. That is why the Association of American Colleges and Universities, whose board I chair, is working closely with government and business and education leaders to develop better understanding of and new measures for assessment and accountability.
New methods for evaluating the quality of higher education are not merely defensive maneuvers by an educational establishment worried about further drops in government support of students and institutions. However, we are aware that this can be a tough sell. From the beginning, American society has had an anti-intellectual strain and colleges and universities too often are attacked for hosting controversial speakers or entertaining unpopular ideas. Freedom of expression is under attack from both Right and Left. As a liberal arts college, we must continue to be open to honest and significant scholarship that challenges established doctrine or conventional belief.
Recognition, resources, fully realized diversity and accountability to society--these are just some of the challenges we face now and will confront for years to come. We will come to grips with them in true Wheaton fashion. In fact, we have already begun that work. Last fall we initiated a strategic planning process aimed at identifying goals and objectives to strengthen our people and programs. We are learning a great deal about ourselves at the same time, and I am confident that we will be able to build on our strengths and address our weaknesses. Most of all, the planning process is reaffirming our values and sense of mission while we contemplate our aspirations for the future.
I have a great deal of respect for my colleagues and confidence in our college. Wheaton has a place in this changing world, just as surely as it did when it opened its doors as a seminary in 1834. Our mission is clear, our values are sound and appropriate.
Those of us here today are the beneficiaries of many decades of hard work by farsighted women and men who have transformed many thousands of lives. Perhaps our strongest claim to distinction is the alumnae/i body, whose members have taken what they have learned here and have proven themselves in their workplaces, in their communities and in the larger world. We treasure their affection for Wheaton.
Favored and tested by history, strong in character, we will overcome our challenges and seize our greater opportunities. We are confident of our success. We have, after all, the greatest resource imaginable: The Wheaton community--our distinction and our gift to the world.
The world is a wonderful place, but surely it can be better--and Wheaton can help. Our students can be a force for creating a more tolerant society, one that is more respectful of difference and open to all perspectives and viewpoints. Wheaton is very good, but it too can be better--and you can help. With your help and encouragement, we pledge every effort to enhance our community's energy and strength and to meet the challenges that lie ahead. We ask for your understanding and support and pledge to be worthy of both.
To our institutional delegates, thank you for honoring us by your presence.
To our graduates, thank you for sharing your time, talent, treasure and affection.
To our parents here today, thank you for entrusting to us your sons and daughters and for making the commitment to them that a Wheaton education represents.
To Betty and Sara, thanks for your understanding and unconditional love.
To my father, a special thanks to you and Mother for giving me such strong shoulders on which to stand.
To all my other family and friends here today, thank you for your love and constant encouragement.
To our students, thank you for having faith in Wheaton's ability to help you become the best version of yourself.
To faculty and staff colleagues, thank you for your earnest effort and support.
Finally, to the entire Wheaton community, I say thank you for accepting our unique challenge: The wonderful challenge of making Wheaton College a better, and I dare say better known, college and community every single day.
I consider myself magnificently fortunate to be a member of this community and to be entrusted with its presidency.
Today, with joy and enthusiasm, I publicly declare my membership and accept my responsibilities.
Let us go forward together confidently.
Thank you very much.
I would like to make an announcement that exemplifies the strength of Wheaton's community, the dedication of its character to improving our world and our shared determination to meet the challenges before us.
The story begins in 1939 when Nancy Lyon Porter came to Wheaton, graduating in 1943 with a degree in sociology. Following her graduation, she returned to Cleveland, married the late Frank Porter, and spent the next 54 years actively engaged in community service in the greater Cleveland area, always a steadfast advocate for children, families and the elderly. She played a vital role as a board member of numerous non profit and social service agencies too numerous to mention.
Both Nancy and her daughter, Elizabeth Porter Daane who graduated from Wheaton in 1977, felt their experiences at Wheaton helped shape the people they became. Throughout her lifetime, Nancy remained close to several of her Wheaton friends in the Class of 1943, including Jean Hutton, Dorothy Williams, and Elizabeth Schnabel Chamblin. Jean Hutton echoes that "armed with the talents she inherited from her parents," Wheaton impacted Nancy's life, giving her a "marvelous background to begin working in the community." Jean and Nancy met at the start of their freshman year, and the friendship they shared until Nancy's death played an immense role in Jean's life and the life of Jean's children.
Frank and Nancy Porter made their wealth in greater Cleveland, and upon their deaths, gave it back to the community, leaving the proceeds of their over $60 Million estate to the Cleveland Foundation. Their five children, Elizabeth, Frank Jr., George, Frederick, and Steven, will help direct gifts from the Cleveland Foundation over the next two and half decades. They are prepared to do this, as Nancy instilled the importance of community service in each of her five children, continually
This year, Elizabeth Porter Daane '77 and her four brothers, decided to make a gift through the Frank H. and Nancy L. Porter Advised Fund of the Cleveland Foundation to memorialize their mother. With a commitment of $1 million, they have established the Nancy Lyon Porter '43 Community Service Fellows program at Wheaton College, honoring their mother's lifelong dedication to her alma mater and to community service. Each year, Wheaton students will be selected by the Filene Center to serve as Porter Fellows, going to Cleveland and/or their own communities, engaging in meaningful community service opportunities in Nancy Porter's name. This summer, Wheaton will send the first two Porter Fellows to Cleveland to serve at the Center for Families and Children and the Center for Community Solutions.
I would like now to ask Elizabeth Porter Daane '77, currently the Trustee of the Main Trust of Frank H. Porter, Charles Daane, her brother, Frederick Porter, and Ron Richard, director of the Cleveland Foundation to stand as I thank Elizabeth, her brothers, and the Cleveland Foundation again for what they have done on behalf of Wheaton College.
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