A New Ad Hoc Committee
Dear students, faculty, and staff,
In May, a Bowdoin Student Government referendum that passed by a vote of the student body raised questions about how Bowdoin should respond to calls for change in college investment strategies and communications about those strategies. Following a series of meetings that I had with students ahead of the vote, a group of trustees, Senior Vice President for Investments Niles Bryant, and I met with students holding a range of views. We listened, and told the students that we would consider these matters in greater detail over the summer. Since then, the board has continued our conversations about these issues. The board is committed to broadening engagement with the community on this topic. I have formed an ad hoc committee made up of trustees, faculty, staff, and students that is charged with making recommendations to our trustees.
Of course, the committee will be having these conversations in the context of this referendum. But rather than asking them to render a position on a particular issue, I have invited the committee to focus on developing a set of considerations and principles that we can turn to when analyzing questions that emerge at the intersection of the College’s mission and its investment practices. The committee will present their recommendations to the board, which, under the bylaws of the College, is responsible for establishing investment policy.
The committee's charge includes engaging with the Bowdoin community to gain as full an understanding as possible of the perspectives on these questions and to consult with those who have experience and expertise in such matters. The committee will also review past practices and approaches at Bowdoin, including responses to previous calls for change to our investments and communication about our investments. The committee will consider whether these past practices remain applicable or if new conditions and circumstances require different approaches.
I anticipate that the committee’s work will be completed by the end of the fall semester, but I will defer to the committee if they need additional time. The committee’s recommendations and the board’s response will be shared with the Bowdoin community.
I am grateful to the following individuals for their willingness to serve on this committee:
In May, a Bowdoin Student Government referendum that passed by a vote of the student body raised questions about how Bowdoin should respond to calls for change in college investment strategies and communications about those strategies. Following a series of meetings that I had with students ahead of the vote, a group of trustees, Senior Vice President for Investments Niles Bryant, and I met with students holding a range of views. We listened, and told the students that we would consider these matters in greater detail over the summer. Since then, the board has continued our conversations about these issues. The board is committed to broadening engagement with the community on this topic. I have formed an ad hoc committee made up of trustees, faculty, staff, and students that is charged with making recommendations to our trustees.
Of course, the committee will be having these conversations in the context of this referendum. But rather than asking them to render a position on a particular issue, I have invited the committee to focus on developing a set of considerations and principles that we can turn to when analyzing questions that emerge at the intersection of the College’s mission and its investment practices. The committee will present their recommendations to the board, which, under the bylaws of the College, is responsible for establishing investment policy.
The committee's charge includes engaging with the Bowdoin community to gain as full an understanding as possible of the perspectives on these questions and to consult with those who have experience and expertise in such matters. The committee will also review past practices and approaches at Bowdoin, including responses to previous calls for change to our investments and communication about our investments. The committee will consider whether these past practices remain applicable or if new conditions and circumstances require different approaches.
I anticipate that the committee’s work will be completed by the end of the fall semester, but I will defer to the committee if they need additional time. The committee’s recommendations and the board’s response will be shared with the Bowdoin community.
I am grateful to the following individuals for their willingness to serve on this committee:
Mary Hogan Preusse ’90, trustee, chair
Niles Bryant, senior vice president and chief investment officer, ex officio
Paul Franco, Barry N. Wish Professor of Government and Social Studies
Paul Franco, Barry N. Wish Professor of Government and Social Studies
Bertrand García-Moreno ’81, trustee
Matt Orlando, senior vice president for finance and administration & treasurer, ex officio
Khush Patel ’27
Arlenys Soler ’25
Mary Lou Zeeman, R. Wells Johnson Professor of Mathematics
All my best wishes,
Safa
All my best wishes,
Safa