The Lawrence University Board of Trustees invites nominations of, and expressions of interest from, potential candidates for the position of 15th president of the university. Lawrence is already one of the nation's finest small, private, residential, liberal arts institutions. The university's future development will require a president with unusual energy, dynamism, and vision; a firm commitment to the liberal arts; and a capacity to articulate the values of liberal arts effectively to all constituencies of the university and to the public at large.

Brief History of the University. Chartered in 1847, Lawrence University is a nationally recognized college of the liberal arts and sciences with, since 1894, a distinguished conservatory of music, the only conservatory of music within a nationally recognized college devoted exclusively to the education of undergraduates. The second college in the United States to be founded coeducational, Lawrence College consolidated in 1964 with Milwaukee-Downer College for Women to form the present-day Lawrence University. Lawrence is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, a consortium of 14 academically excellent, independent liberal arts colleges, among them Carleton, Colorado, Grinnell, and Macalester Colleges.

Academic Program. Lawrence University offers two degrees: (1) a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in the traditional disciplines of study in the humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and natural sciences and in such interdisciplinary areas as cognitive science, environmental studies, gender studies, linguistics, and natural sciences and (2) a Bachelor of Music degree with majors in performance, music education, and theory-composition. In addition, the university offers a five-year double-degree program that combines a major in the liberal arts and sciences with a major in the professional music curriculum. Teacher certification is available in secondary education for most subjects and in grades K-12 for art and music. Thirty-seven areas of study, the opportunity for student-designed majors, and the option after three (sometimes four) years at Lawrence to pursue professional studies in health sciences, engineering, forestry, and environmental studies at affiliated institutions provide a wide range of choice in the academic program a student elects to pursue.

To qualify for either degree, students must fulfill several requirements. All entering students (both those in the B.A. program and those in the B.Mus. program) enroll in Freshman Studies, a two-course sequence that is taught by the entire faculty and that uses classic works of systematic thought or creative imagination to acquaint students with the modes of inquiry characteristic of intellectual discourse at Lawrence and to nurture their reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Concurrently and subsequently (though the details depend on the degree program), all students fulfill general education requirements in each division of the university, take course work to explore the diversity present in the world, develop competence in quantitative reasoning, speaking, writing, and a foreign language, and complete a major. Many students supplement their majors in one area with minors in other areas, not only in the traditional disciplines but also in such interdisciplinary areas as biomedical ethics, ethnic studies, international studies, and neuroscience. The overwhelming majority of students elect tutorials, independent studies, or honors projects, thereby engaging in advanced study through close, one-on-one collaboration with a faculty member.

All courses in the college are open to students in the conservatory, and all courses in the conservatory are open to students in the college. By audition, non-music majors may participate fully in music ensembles and applied music studies. Frequent concerts by large ensembles, numerous recitals by students and by faculty members, and dramatic productions, operas, and musicals staged by the conservatory and/or the Theatre Department provide performance opportunities for majors and non-majors alike and substantially enrich the cultural experience of the entire Lawrence community and, indeed, the Appleton community.

Lawrence encourages students to engage in at least one term of study away from the campus, and more than half of its students take advantage of one of the opportunities presented by 40 off-campus programs. Lawrence's own off-campus programs and those offered through the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and other organizations with which Lawrence is affiliated have taken students all over the world. Other opportunities include scientific research at Biosphere 2, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory; independent study in the humanities at the Newberry Library; programs in the arts and urban studies in Chicago; and study of government and public policy in Washington, D.C.

Although a task force is currently exploring alternative arrangements, the calendar within which the Lawrence academic program is placed embodies three ten-week terms (plus a week for final examinations). The official teaching load is two standard courses per term and the nominal full-time program for students is three standard courses, but exceptions to these norms are not rare. Standard classes meet either three times a week in 70-minute periods or two times a week in 110-minute periods, but again exceptions do occur. Credit is awarded in units. A minimum of 216 units (equivalent to 120 semester hours) is required for the B.A. or B.Mus. degree.

Faculty. Lawrence's highly committed and talented faculty comprises 125 full-time tenure-track members, 93 percent of whom hold the Ph.D. or the highest degree in their fields. In addition, adjunct and part-time faculty teach in Freshman Studies, the foreign languages, and, especially, the conservatory. The overall student-faculty ratio is 11:1, though it is higher in the college than in the conservatory.

Forty percent of Lawrence's faculty members have been appointed in the past five years, nearly all as replacements for retiring faculty. This dramatic and rapid shift in faculty experience and composition offers Lawrence the rare opportunity to reconsider such fundamentals as the appropriate balance between teaching and scholarship and the place of interdisciplinary work in the contemporary liberal arts institution. This shift also has called on senior administrators and faculty to think more cohesively about the socialization and acculturation of new faculty. One result has been the development of a mentoring program for new faculty, who are matched for two years with a veteran faculty member from another department. By reaching across disciplines, the program ensures that the mentor can function as a friend rather than an evaluator and, in addition, builds cross-departmental knowledge and cooperation.

Within the constraints of its budget, Lawrence has worked hard to provide professional development opportunities for faculty, including summer research funding for faculty and students, support for conference attendance, pre- and post-tenure sabbaticals, and assistance with the preparation of grant proposals.

The university has consistently been able to hire its first choices for faculty positions, resulting in increased quality and gender balance. Like most liberal arts institutions, however, the university has found it difficult to attract and retain faculty of color.

Students. Students are successful at Lawrence and positive about their collegiate careers. They describe the academic program as challenging and their fellow students as motivated, energetic, and dedicated. Students deeply appreciate the excellence of the education Lawrence offers and the close relationships they enjoy with faculty members and staff.

The university's enrollment and student quality are both on an upward trajectory. By design, enrollment has grown to nearly 1,350 undergraduates, up from about 1,275 two years ago. Meanwhile, retention has improved, and the student-faculty ratio has held steady at 11:1. Nearly half of each year's entering freshmen are ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school classes and score in the top 20 percent of students taking national standardized college entrance examinations. About 72 percent of current students seek the B.A. degree, 13 percent seek the B.Mus. degree, and 10 percent seek the B.A./B.Mus. degree; 5 percent are special students who seek no degree. Enrollment is about evenly divided between men and women. About one-third of the student body comes from Wisconsin, one-third from the upper Midwest, and one-third from other states and nations. In all, 48 states and the District of Columbia and more than 40 countries are represented in the student body. Approximately 12 percent of the student body is international, and, while Lawrence enrolls relatively few domestic students of color, it is seeking to attain greater racial and ethnic diversity.

Lawrence has a very active student body with a commitment to strong self-governance. Student government comprises the Lawrence University Community Council, a student legislature with an unusually strong charter; the Honor Council, which adjudicates charges of academic dishonesty and helps make students aware of plagiarism; and the Judicial Board, which enforces student legislation. Students participate in a wide variety of clubs and groups, including an NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletics program in which approximately 25 percent of the student body (36 percent of liberal arts and sciences students) participates, and a wide array of nationally competitive and recognized musical ensembles.

Informed by a review of residential life that the university completed in September 2000, the board of trustees has committed the institution to a number of steps to improve residential life, a central feature and value of a Lawrence education. These include expanding the number and variety of housing options for all students and envisioning a new Campus Center that would consolidate food services, provide more and better space for student organizations, and serve as the centerpiece of student life. Also arising from that work was a decision to invite all qualified student groups at Lawrence to apply for group housing, which now serves students interested in such topics as the environment, theatre, foreign languages, and co-op living, as well as members of Greek organizations (to which about 16 percent of men and 8 percent of women belong).

In 2001, the board of trustees took three further actions to advance residential life at the university. First, the board authorized the design and construction of a new residence hall, which will open in fall 2003. Second, the board selected a site for the proposed Campus Center and authorized the administration to proceed with design work on that facility. Third, the board instructed the administration to investigate possible sites and designs for additional smaller residential facilities on campus.

Fund Raising. Lawrence completed a $66 million capital campaign in 1997, and gift income from private sources, including the Lawrence Fund (gifts for operations) and payments on pledges, totaled more than $18 million in FY 2002. Fifty percent of the university's unusually committed and generous alumni support the university financially each year, and gifts to the Lawrence Fund typically total about $2.8 million annually. The board of trustees has begun discussing the next capital campaign, which likely will begin in two to three years, with a goal in excess of $100 million. The campaign priorities will be set by the board of trustees in tandem with the senior administration, but they will most likely focus on building the endowment, generating operating support, and funding a new campus center. Fund raising will be a high priority for the next president.

Planning.Interest at Lawrence in a comprehensive and ongoing institutional planning process is widespread. This effort would enable the new president to facilitate interaction among all constituents concerning the university's current performance and future options, and a by-product would likely be a deeper understanding of the varying points of view of junior and senior faculty and an opportunity for faculty, trustees, students, administrators, and other constituents to enhance their relationships, learn from one another, and strengthen their sense of common purpose. Institutional planning would be a natural adjunct to ongoing discussions concerning Lawrence's next capital campaign.

Finances. Lawrence's operating budget is $44 million, net of institutional financial aid, and the endowment is $150 million, down about $40 million from its peak. The endowment spending rate is 6 percent of a twelve-quarter average, which the university plans to lower gradually to 5 percent. Major financial priorities for the university have been to maintain faculty and staff salaries, support financial aid for domestic and international students, continue the current need-blind admissions policy, make significant investments in new and renovated campus facilities, and move toward full funding of depreciation. As a result of capital expenditures, Lawrence is carrying $56 million in long-term debt and $7 million in short-term obligations. The university has consistently balanced its operating budget, with the exception of covering its depreciation expense; it is anticipated that $3.2 million of the $5.4 million in depreciation will be covered in fiscal 2004 and that depreciation will be fully covered within three years. Moreover, the university has succeeded in lowering its tuition discount by a few points over the past two years to its current 44 percent. While the university is making financial progress, enhancing the institution's financial condition will be a major focus of presidential attention for the foreseeable future.

Facilities. The beautiful and uncommonly well-maintained 84-acre Lawrence campus is situated on a bluff overlooking the historic Fox River. It comprises 60 instructional, residential, recreational, and administrative facilities. Main Hall, constructed in 1853 and substantially renovated in phases during the past few summers, is perhaps Lawrence's most visible symbol. It originally contained all of the college's classrooms, the laboratory, the library, administrative and faculty offices, a dining room, a chapel, and even living quarters. During the Civil War, Main Hall was rumored to have been a station on the Underground Railroad to Canada. In 1974, it was entered in the National Register of Historic Places. It now holds faculty offices, classrooms, and a computer laboratory for the humanities departments.

Recent construction on campus includes Science Hall, which was dedicated in October 2000, and Youngchild Hall, which was first occupied in 1964 but was fully renovated in 2000-2001. These two buildings provide faculty offices, classrooms, and modern and well-equipped laboratories for the natural science departments and are connected by a glass-enclosed atrium that facilitates easy interaction among the sciences.

Briggs Hall, which was opened in 1997, holds faculty offices, classrooms, seminar rooms, and laboratories (especially computer laboratories) for the social science, mathematics and computer science, and education departments, offices for the Dean of Student Academic Services, and facilities for the Center for Teaching and Learning.

The 1989 opening of the Wriston Art Center brought all facets of the studio art and art history programs to one central location. Shattuck Hall, completed in 1991, links the Music-Drama Center and Memorial Chapel and provides expanded office, practice, and especially rehearsal spaces for the Conservatory of Music. The four-story Seeley G. Mudd library was extensively renovated in the summer of 2002, improving the serviceability of the circulation and reference areas and expanding and modernizing the media center.

Student housing is provided in seven residence halls, the six-building Quadrangle, and several small houses on the perimeter of campus. Only a handful of students live off campus. Lawrence is now constructing a new residence hall for occupancy in the fall of 2003. It will be the first air-conditioned residence hall on campus and will house 183 students in suite-style accommodations.

An on-campus health and counseling center is staffed by a nurse for eight hours each weekday and by a physician for one hour each weekday morning. The center also houses the university's three full-time mental health counselors.

Governance. Lawrence is governed by a self-perpetuating board of trustees with 42 members plus the president of the university. The board is national in membership and is committed to ensuring the university's financial and academic future. The president will want to work with the board to continue to build its capacity for leadership. In turn, trustees will welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the president in setting goals for the university and raising the funds that will help make progress possible.

Location. Adjacent to downtown Appleton, the Lawrence campus is bordered on two sides by attractive Victorian-era residential neighborhoods, in which the president's home, which was built in 1901 and completely renovated in 2000, is located. In addition to the Appleton campus, Lawrence owns Björklunden vid Sjön, a 425-acre rural and mostly wooded estate on Lake Michigan in Door County, which serves as the university's northern campus and supports weekend retreats and seminars for students throughout the academic year and week-long continuing education seminars during the summer. Travel time from the Appleton campus to Björklunden is about two hours.

Appleton, a city of 70,000 in northeastern Wisconsin, is at the center of the Fox Cities, a community of 14 towns and cities along the Fox River. This area is one of the fastest growing in the state and has consistently been named one of the best medium-size metropolitan areas in the nation, based on quality-of-life indicators. Outagamie County airport, served by several major airlines, is located about five miles west of the Lawrence campus.

The university is a rich cultural resource to the community, and the presence in the community of amenities such as the newly opened Performing Arts Center is a great potential benefit to Lawrence. The new president will enjoy participating in and enhancing town-gown relationships.

Above all, the president of Lawrence University must be a true leader, able to combine a clear personal vision for the institution with a sincere commitment to collaboration, all in pursuit of an ever stronger and more secure institution. Specifically, it will be important for the next president to possess the following attributes:

• Passionate commitment to educational excellence in the liberal arts, sciences, and music, with the ability to articulate the benefits of the Lawrence experience, both internally and externally.
  
  
• Talent for working with faculty, students, and administrative colleagues at all levels to build a vibrant and cohesive intellectual community.
  
  
• Aptitude, energy, and enthusiasm for fund raising and external advocacy.
  
  
• Significant and successful administrative experience, with demonstrated abilities in the areas of budgeting and planning.
  
  
• Ability to create, lead, and empower an administrative team.
  
  
• Desire and capacity to work effectively with a talented and committed board of trustees.
  
  
• Energy, stamina, enthusiasm, and a sense of humor.
  
  

The Presidential Search Committee will begin to review candidates' materials in October 2003 and will continue until an appointment is made. Materials received by November 1 will be assured of full consideration. Nominations and expressions of interest, which will be treated in confidence, should be sent to:

Dr. Barbara E. Taylor of the Academic Search Consultation Service is assisting the search committee. Inquiries may be directed to her at 703-527-0138 or via e-mail at bet@academic-search.org.

Please visit www.lawrence.edu for more information about Lawrence.

Lawrence University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.