The Board of Trustees met on campus last weekend for the first of its three annual conferences, receiving updates on a number of ongoing projects at the College and meeting with student leaders of Bowdoin Climate Action to discuss their divestment campaign. Individual committees met early Friday, and the whole Board of Trustees convened Friday afternoon and Saturday to hear from the committees.
“It’s very important for the Trustees to visit campus and to be fully engaged in what’s going on here,” said Scott Hood, vice president for communications and public affairs.
The Trustees heard presentations from Bowdoin professors regarding the Coastal Studies Center and the Digital and Computational Studies Initiative, both of which are in the midst of fundraising campaigns.
“It’s an opportunity for the Trustees to get first-hand information from the faculty about what they’re teaching, why they’re teaching it, why they think it’s important, why they think students need to know this, and some of the benefits that students are getting out of both of those programs,” said Hood.
An email to Bowdoin employees and students reported that the Presidential Search Committee has identified a list of candidates and is in the process of reviewing them, but the candidates remain confidential. Trustees received a similar update this weekend.
Additionally, the Trustees approved up to $1 million of renovations to the historic Harriet Beecher Stowe House, but no specific plans have been made.
The Trustees also received an overview of Bowdoin’s economic and community impact in Brunswick and in Maine. The College is the 11th largest taxpayer in Brunswick and pays a total of $66.1 million in salaries to faculty, administrators, support staff and employees. Bowdoin spends $24.8 million annually on Maine goods and services and Bowdoin students contribute an estimated 60,332 hours of community service a year.
“While there’s no earth-shattering news that comes out of this Board of Trustees meeting, it’s still important and worthwhile,” said Hood.