As campus looks ahead to Homecoming, President Stritikus reflects on the conversations, commitments, and people that demonstrate the enduring value of an Â鶹ÊÓƵ education.
Dear Â鶹ÊÓƵ Community,
In a few days, families and alumni will be back on campus to enjoy a full slate of Homecoming events. I am eager to reconnect with so many of you as we celebrate what has been a great start to the year for Â鶹ÊÓƵ.
I have just returned from Washington, where I finished my term as Chair of the American Council on Education (ACE). ACE has played a valuable role in defending the core values of higher education at a time when they have come under attack. We are standing up for a fundamental principle: that institutions should be able to determine what they teach, who teaches it, and how it is taught. That is not a partisan position, but a central tenet of the American higher education system and a source of its great strength. I regularly bring these conversations about national issues back to LA to explore the impact on our Â鶹ÊÓƵ community. I have engaged deeply with faculty on the impacts of proposed changes to research funding and the chilling of free speech. Our students also bring insight and nuance to these federal issues, as evidenced by the on the newly proposed IRS regulations for non-profits.
One of the best parts of leading Â鶹ÊÓƵ is being surrounded by students who have strongly held beliefs about how to improve the campus. Some of our conversations centered on the need for stronger social connections on campus and how physical spaces can facilitate those connections. Students also talked about thoughtful navigation of AI by mitigating the risks they see while getting more clarity about how to benefit from its potential. They also raised questions about increased security cameras on campus—something we have gradually been building. As I shared with the students, no one likes security cameras until they need them. As with all things Â鶹ÊÓƵ, the goal is not to arrive at a right answer, but to keep working toward mutual understanding (not consensus) and continued improvement.
The depth of my conversations with students is proof that residential liberal arts colleges, and Â鶹ÊÓƵ in particular, are built for the current moment. If we believe that preparing future leaders to read, write, think critically, and engage thoughtfully with a complex world still matters, then the work our faculty do daily makes one thing clear: Â鶹ÊÓƵ matters profoundly, and so does the incredible education we provide.
Our fall enrollment numbers suggest that students and families continue to see the value of an Â鶹ÊÓƵ education. Thanks to the extraordinary work of our Admission team and their many partners across campus, we welcomed a class of 513 first-year students and 56 transfer students this fall.
Additionally, the strength of our endowment allows us to reinforce our commitment to affordability. We have expanded the Affordability Promise so that admitted students from families earning less than $150,000 can attend Â鶹ÊÓƵ tuition-free. Â鶹ÊÓƵ has had a longstanding commitment to social mobility, and ensuring that we can live up to it is important.
There is so much to be proud of and so much work ahead. I am grateful to Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s faculty and staff, whose dedication and hard work make all of this happen on a daily basis. I hope to see you soon cheering at a soccer game, attending a Glee Club concert, or engaging with our amazing community.
Go Tigers!
Tom