Introducing a Campus Journal

Gathering Voices begins publication at an opportune moment: The recent budget crisis is gradually abating, but serious challenges lie in our institution’s future.

During the crisis of 2008/2009, many faculty expressed a desire to consider budget cuts in the context of the overall mission and special identity of Vassar College: How can we best preserve the things that make a Vassar education valuable? While some of us made significant efforts to frame budgetary choices in this larger context, serious discussion of these issues never really got off the ground. Perhaps it is not realistic to expect extended, thoughtful discussion of educational philosophy in the middle of a crisis. In any case, general faculty meetings are too caught up in day-to-day issues to allow it. Furthermore, discussions surrounding the budget crisis revealed divisions among the faculty, and between faculty and administrators, about fair treatment of employees; the social responsibilities of the college; and the best means for faculty and administration to collaborate with each other.

Looking to our future, many of us see significant challenges, some of which may even threaten the viability of liberal arts colleges like Vassar.  For example, as the cost of higher education rises steadily, many public figures seem not to understand the goals and purpose of our work and question the value of liberal education itself. Demands for quantitative assessment of the “value added” in college study would use a narrow investment/return model to evaluate schools like Vassar.  Our institution is making strides toward diversifying the community, but the current climate suggests we may have a long way to go. Yet we also see opportunities: We sense a desire among faculty, students, administrators and staff for serious discussion of our identity and mission, as well as a host of other issues that arise in our work.

We launch Gathering Voices believing it may serve as a forum in which discussions of such issues can take place. We hope the journal will help our community develop a shared vision, or perhaps a shared understanding of our diverse views, that will sustain us in facing the challenges ahead.  What do we share in terms of a dream for Vassar?  Our journal opens a forum for discussion of some of the intellectual and ethical challenges facing Vassar as we continue to find our way.

We invite submissions from all members of the Vassar Community on topics that the authors believe to be important.  We also seek collaboration with additional editors who are willing to help find writers for this journal.  Our editorial policy is one of openness. We will normally review submissions only with respect to broad relevance to the college, and appropriate standards of civil discourse; however, we will suggest paper topics or give comments on submissions if requested. Readers of the journal may submit comments on articles directly on the web site. All comments will be moderated by the editors, but only for broad relevance and civility.