Board Documents

• The minutes of the January 25-26, 2025 meeting were approved.
• The President’s report addressed highlights from the spring semester, campus climate matters and their correlation to national trends, key accomplishments, such as the increase in honors graduates projected for 2025, the creation and launch of an AI Task Force, the formation of the Task Force on Community and Civility, and the completion of the Colton Arena. President Hutson also presented the Strategic Plan Scorecard, which shows the progress made to the College’s strategic plan goals.
• Key cabinet members provided reports from their areas, including:
  • Christopher Smith, Vice President for Enrollment
  • Merrilee “Mimi” Wroten ’93, Director of Riding
  • Jason Vittone, Athletic Director
  • Kerry Greenstein, Dean of Student Life
  • Claire Griffith ’80, Vice President for Alumnae Relations & Development

• The Finance and Investment Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Buildings and Grounds Committee provided their reports.
• The Alumnae Alliance Council delivered its annual report to the Board of Directors, including their efforts to workshop their structure to better serve the needs of alumnae and the College.
• The President led a discussion on the 5-year business model outlook and strategies. Key insights and priorities included the need to reduce dependence on fundraising by diversifying revenue sources, efforts to increase tuition revenue and lower the discount rate, a review of the impacts of tuition increases since 2018, the ongoing challenges of slower-than-anticipated enrollment growth, and the importance of expanding auxiliary revenue streams.
• Davenport Investments presented financing options and associated time frames.
• The Board established a Task Force on Financial Modeling.
• Members of the Board convened for an information session with Elizabeth Weatherly of Compass Group to discuss campaign planning.

• The Board received a presentation from the Association of Governing Boards.
• The Executive Committee of the Student Government Association (SGA) made a presentation to the Board.
• The Board presented resolutions of exceptional service to outgoing Board members Mimi Fahs ’71, Kelley Manderson Fitzpatrick ’85, Holly Prothro Philbin ’95, and Norma Valentine ’93.
• The minutes of the July 26, 2024 meeting were approved.
• The Board approved a resolution to appoint Lynette Arner as Assistant Secretary and a resolution to approve Bob Kenny, Interim CFO, signing authority for the College.
• The President’s report included updates on FAFSA, staffing, fundraising, capital improvements, financial modeling, retention rates, and the admissions policy.
• The Finance Committee provided its report to the Board and the budget for the 2025 fiscal year was approved.
• The Board approved the extension of the Chair’s term by one year to allow her to finish her term as Chair of the Board of Directors.
• Katherine Williams’s nomination to the Board of Directors was approved.
• The term renewals for Sally Mott Freeman ’76, Fred Griffin, Keenan Colton Kelsey ’66, J. Chapman Petersen, and Claude Wasserstein ’82 were approved.
• The Board received a report from the OCIO Committee on its endowment portfolio.
• The Board approved goals for the strategic plan.
• The Board received feedback from the Alumnae Alliance, Faculty Senate, and various constituents regarding the admissions policy.

• The minutes from the May 28, 2024 Board of Directors meeting were approved.
• The Board received an update on plans for the president’s inauguration activities.
• The President’s report addressed fundraising, her participation in the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools conference as their keynote speaker, enrollment and recruitment, and the academic, economic, and developmental goals for the 2025 fiscal year.
• The Board discussed the College’s finances, including the budget forecast for the new fiscal year.
• The Board received an update on enrollment, financial aid, and retention.
• The Strategic Plan was reviewed, including tactics and metrics for implementing the plan in the next three years.
• The Board introduced four new Board members:
  Phil Stone, Sweet Briar College’s 12th President;
  Tori McClure, former president of Spalding University;
  J. Eric Greenwood PA ’12; and
  Michela English ’71
• The Board met in Executive Session.

The Board of Directors discussed the College’s Admissions Policy, including consulting with the College’s attorneys and administration. The Admissions Policy was adopted and its full text is as follows: 

Consistent with the Will and the Charter of Sweet Briar College and with Virginia and federal law, the Board of the College has adopted a policy that an applicant must confirm that her sex assigned at birth is female, and that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman. Should the applicant’s sex assigned at birth not be female, and should the applicant not consistently live and identify as a woman, the applicant is not qualified for admission.