elmsnews

Dear Colleagues,

It feels like this New England autumn season has been shorter than others. The transition of campus tree leaves from deep green to bright yellow to spectacular orange is happening as we watch. It is either an abbreviated fall or an illusion of time moving faster due to the continued level of positive energy and the pace of campus activities during the month of October. 

The past month has brought a wonderful mix of celebrations, meaningful conversations, and opportunities to reflect on what makes Elms College such a special community. In this issue of the Campus Newsletter, I want to take a moment to recognize some of the highlights from the past month and thank the many individuals whose efforts continue to make these moments possible.

We began the month with the President’s Evening of Appreciation on October 3, an annual gathering that recognizes the generosity and enduring commitment of our most dedicated donors. This year’s celebration included a special tribute to Alumna and Trustee Emerita Regina Hitchery who was recognized, along with her husband Joe, for their incredible generosity and support for the College, especially through the establishment of the Dolores Donlin Noonan ’39 Experiential Learning Program. My sincere thanks go to Vice President of Institutional Advancement Bernadette Nowakowski and the entire Institutional Advancement team for bringing this memorable evening to life.

Founder’s Day on October 14 offered another meaningful opportunity to celebrate the traditions that continue to shape our community. It is always a special day when we welcome the Sisters of St. Joseph to campus for Mass and lunch in recognition of their extraordinary service and ongoing commitment to Elms College, our students, and our mission. Many thanks to Director of Campus Ministry, Eileen Kirk, and Special Assistant to the President for Mission and Charism, Sr. Carol Allan, for coordinating the SSJ's visit to campus. Later that day, we hosted the Mary Dooley Lecture featuring Dr. Maria Teresa Davila of Merrimack College for a thoughtful presentation on our rights and responsibilities as citizens within the context of this year's Catholic Social Teaching theme. Thank you to Dr. Michael McGravey and the Institute for Theology and Pastoral Studies for organizing this timely and thought-provoking event.

The Board of Trustees convened on October 16 for their fall meeting. The Trustees discussed the regulatory landscape at both the federal and state levels and made important decisions regarding the College's budget, among other items. This morning, at our Town Hall meeting, I had an opportunity to share some of that financial perspective with faculty and staff: fiscal year 2026 resulted in an operating deficit; however, the College's overall net assets grew slightly due to investment gains. This is the second year that the College experienced negative operating results. I shared with faculty and staff our short-term and long-term plans for returning to sustained positive results. As per all our successes, this plan relies on the contributions of each and every member of the Elms community. I want to thank you in advance for your contributions to that important work. 

I also shared this morning that the Board approved the FY27 operating and capital budgets. The operating budget is balanced and includes the resumption of the College's match to up to 3% of employees' contributions to the their 403(b) retirement plan. Resuming to invest in faculty and staff remains an important priority and I am pleased that we are able to take some steps in that direction with the FY27 budget, given where the process started. This has been made possible in large part due to a transformational anonymous gift of $4 million, part of which is for current use. Many thanks to the Finance team, especially Sarah Simard and Dave Legitime under the leadership of Vice President of Finance and Administration Christina Wynn, for their work on setting and executing the FY27 budget.  

On October 21, we celebrated another exciting milestone with the dedication and ribbon cutting of the D’Amour Center for Faculty Teaching Excellence. Thanks to the generosity of Michele and Donald D’Amour, this new permanent home on the third floor of the Alumnae Library will serve as a gathering place for faculty collaboration, professional growth, guest lectures, and fellowships. This delightful event was a collaboration between Institutional Advancement and Academic Affairs. Many thanks to all who contributed to make it happen. 

On October 23, the day began with the Innovation Challenge, where First-Year Seminar students demonstrated their entrepreneurial, problem solving, teamwork, and presentation skills. Serving as judges, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Joyce Hampton; Chicopee Mayor John Vieau; and were impressed by the originality of  our students' presentations. This is a testament to the great mentoring of their First Year Seminar instructors. Many Thanks to Professor Tom Waskiewicz and Dr. Jenny Granger Sullivan who spearheaded the event. 

In the afternoon, we welcomed prospective students and their families for Fall Open House. Thank you to our colleagues in Enrollment Management and Marketing, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Athletics for collaborating on welcoming prospective Blazers to the Elms.

I also want to thank everyone who joined this morning’s Town Hall. I appreciate your participation and engagement as we continue to share updates, discuss important institutional priorities, and look ahead together. For those who were unable to attend, a recording is available further down in this newsletter.

As I said this morning, in the midst of all the uncertainty facing higher education, there is much to celebrate at Elms College, much that deserves our pride and satisfaction. In just two years, we will celebrate 100 years of educating students in the tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Our upcoming centennial is certainly an opportunity to reflect on our history and celebrate the shoulders upon which we stand; it is also a chance to imagine what the next century can hold.

Over the course of this academic year, I will be meeting with full-time faculty and staff in small-group breakfasts and lunches to hear your transformational ideas for Elms College, gather your perspectives, and discuss how we can make the most of this important milestone in the College's history. Each of you has played a part in the College’s continued growth and resilience. I want both our centennial celebration and our aspirations for our future to reflect the voices, experiences, and aspirations of the people who make Elms College the special place that it is.

Thank you for all that you contribute to Elms College each day. Wishing you a happy Halloween and a wonderful start to November!

With gratitude, 

Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA

President