Sept. 27 Staff Meeting recap
President Marc C. Conner and other College administrators provided updates on upcoming events, strategic planning, and opportunities for professional development and reflected on the success of the first month of the academic year.
Sarah Delaney Vero, general counsel and vice president for Human Resources, opened the meeting by thanking staff for their participation in In It 9, a suite of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs designed to raise cultural fluency and strengthen community by providing educational opportunities.
She also emphasized the importance of professional development and encouraged staff to invest in learning opportunities.
HR Updates
Julie Delay, chief human resources officer, introduced seven new employees across various departments, including the Division of Finance and Administration, Student Affairs, and Academic Affairs.
She reminded staff about upcoming events, including the , which begins, Monday, Oct. 7 and focuses on mental and social well-being, and the Networking Breakfast on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Delay also announced the continuation of workshops aimed at fostering an inclusive campus, and the addition of a webpage for employee affinity groups, which will offer resources and spaces for faculty and staff to connect based on shared interests, identities, or backgrounds. Existing groups include the Black Faculty and Staff Affinity Group and the Queer Faculty and Staff Affinity Group.
Title IX
Joel Aure, Title IX coordinator, provided updates on mandatory Title IX training and new regulations implemented on Aug. 1. He reminded staff of their responsibility to report any disclosures of sexual or gender-based misconduct.
Aure encouraged staff to complete their mandatory training and stressed that this knowledge helps support students and colleagues during difficult situations. Training will now be completed in two parts and must be completed by Dec. 6. Part One is available on the鈥�. Training on the new Title IX regulations will be available in the coming weeks.
Updates from the President
President Marc C. Conner shared his reflections on the start of the academic year. He expressed pride in the positive energy on campus and the engagement of the incoming first-year class. President Conner also highlighted several ongoing campus initiatives:
- Election programming: Skidmore is running a semester-long series of lectures and discussions in the lead up to the U.S. Presidential Election. These events aim to foster civic engagement and political discourse among students. He noted the large turnout for the recent Environmental Studies and Sciences keynote lecture by Maggie Thomas and commended the Election Newsletter, which is released every Monday and covers upcoming events, news items, and other updates relating to the election season.
- Middle East programming: The campus will continue to host a series of events focused on the complex sociopolitical issues in the Middle East throughout the academic year.
Strategic Action Agenda
President Conner discussed the ongoing strategic planning process, emphasizing that this year, the College is focused on four main goals:
- Racial Justice Initiative
- Speech and Expression
- Strategic Planning
- Strategic Resources
Strategic Plan
He invited staff to contribute ideas through white papers, which will inform the final strategic plan to be presented to the Board of Trustees in early 2025. Employees will soon receive an email with more information about how to contribute.
Artificial Intelligence Working Group
To address the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI), President Conner announced the formation of a President's Working Group on AI. This group will explore how AI can be integrated into various aspects of campus life, beyond the classroom, and identify any necessary policies. F. William Harder Chair of Business Administration Matt Lucas will serve as the group鈥檚 vice chair.
Other updates:
- Oct. 7: There will be drop-in hours open to all at Wilson Chapel from Noon to 5 p.m., offering opportunities for prayer, reflection, and a moment of silence.
- Community budget updates: The first of two community budget updates for 2026 will be held in person (Murray-Aikins Dining Hall, second floor) and at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 4. President Conner emphasized the importance of transparency in the budget process and invited staff to participate.
- The president encouraged all Skidmore community members to register for 鈥�Foundations in Creating an Affirming Campus for Trans & Nonbinary Students,鈥� on Friday Oct. 11. The interactive session offers employees a deeper understanding gender identity and expression, as well as promising practices for communicating with and about trans students.
Q&A Session
The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session. Questions included clarification on whether there is a hiring freeze (there is not), the upcoming benefits open enrollment period, and what keeps leadership up at night. President Conner reframed the latter by sharing what excites him about Skidmore鈥檚 future, despite the challenges facing higher education.
The next Staff Meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1.