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Dear Colleagues,

Move-in day is this weekend, Elms Essential is on Monday, and classes begin next week. Welcome to a new academic year! 

I hope that you had a restful and rejuvenating summer break and that you are ready to jump into the new year with both feet first! Many thanks to everyone, especially Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, for all the preparations to be ready for the start of the academic year. Among some of the most visible activities, last week Student Affairs started welcoming students back to campus and held the last Blazer Day of the summer. This week, Student Affairs accompanied students who participated in the First Year Encounter in the Spirit of Dorothy Day. On Wednesday, Academic Affairs held an orientation for the new Master of Social Work program, among several exciting academic programs that are being launched this fall. Thank you to VP of Academic Affairs, Dr. Joyce Hampton, and all faculty and staff who have made those new programs possible. These are just a sample of the many activities on and off-campus to be ready for the new academic year. 

On the community-building side, it was good to see faculty and staff at the Institutional Advancement team's traditional Alumni Summer Social last week, marking the end of the season. I am also looking forward to seeing many of you at this afternoon’s New Academic Year Employee Bash. Afterwards, be sure to also stop by Leary Field to support our Blazers for the first women’s soccer game at 1 p.m. and men’s soccer game at 4 p.m.

It has been good to see student athletes, resident advisors, and first-year encounter students crossing the Sr. Kathleen Keating Quadrangle and going about campus. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite times of the year. I hope that it is yours as well. Together, we get to reassure parents and families that their loved ones are in good hands for their academic journey. We get to foster the supportive learning environment in which our students thrive. Many thanks in advance to the Student Affairs team and all the volunteers who will be here this weekend to roll out our typical Elms welcome!

And as you have received communications from me over the last couple of weeks, this message will serve as a recap of many of those updates

• On Wednesday August 6, the Board of Trustees were on campus for its annual Retreat with an overarching theme of “Governing at the Strategic Level to Advance the Mission in Times of Turmoil. Trustees received updates on the FY26 preliminary budget, and presentations on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and Catholic Social Thought, and the national and New England higher education landscape. Trustees also participated in discussions, carried over from the annual Cabinet Retreat, centered around setting priorities for the upcoming year.

• The Finance team continues to work diligently on closing out the FY25 budget and establishing a balanced FY26 budget.

• Enrollment Management and Marketing continues to deploy all efforts, along with academic departments, to recruit new students for the fall semester. In addition, a cross-campus team is working to make sure that existing students return. Director of Institutional Research, Karalee Yvon, is providing almost daily reports as we approach Census Day. All of this coordination is resulting in overall enrollment that is slightly favorable when compared day-to-day with last year. This team effort, which involves the entire campus, will continue until the last student enrolls or registers. Many thanks to everyone! 

• As you may have noticed walking around campus, construction work has started to convert the small computer laboratory in the Dooley Center into an open, multi-use lounge for students, per the objectives of the PRISM strategic plan. The project's estimated completion date is mid-September. In addition, the sound system is currently being replaced in the main dining hall. I would like to thank the VP of Finance and Administration, Brett Carroll, the Facilities team, and Information Technology for leading these campus improvement efforts.

• As mentioned previously, the College has established a housing partnership with Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College to offer on-campus residency options to their qualified students. These students will be moving into Devine Hall on September 1. The partnership will increase the vibrancy of the campus and will offer an early recruitment opportunity to convert these students into future Blazers. I would like to thank VP of Student Affairs, Dr. Andrew Coston, and VP of Finance and Administration, Brett Carroll, for solidifying the partnership and Director of Residence Life, Ryan Failing, for serving as the program’s point of contact.

• As per my previous message, I am pleased to share that after a competitive pool of candidates, Dr. Molly Miner has been selected as the next Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing and will begin her post on September 29. Thank you to Dr. Andrew Coston and Professor Laurie Downes for co-chairing the search and to all the search committee members for their time and assistance, vetting out the best possible candidates for this very crucial Cabinet position. I am confident that Molly’s experience and drive will fit seamlessly with the Elms team. I would like to thank Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing, Patrick Quinn, for his leadership over the last several months and for extending his service flexibly at the College as we took the time necessary to find the best suitable fit for the role.

• We continue to complete the structure to pursue our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice objectives in the absence of a Chief Diversity Officer. As I mentioned in previous communications, Dr. Tyra Good has been appointed Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Equity with responsibility to coordinate the Black Experience Summit, to chair the cross-campus Institutional Diversity Committee, and to serve as the point person on the Cabinet for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Also, Special Assistant to the President for Charism, Sr. Carol Allan, will serve as the Cabinet Liaison to the DEIJ Committee of the Board. I am pleased to share that, as Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Liaison, Professor Jasmine Hall has accepted to take on the additional roles of coordinating (a) the Peer Diversity Educators with the First Year Seminar, (b) DEIJ professional development for faculty and staff, and (c) the Bias Response and Education Team (BRET). 

• Everyone is invited to the Blessing of the Athletes and Dedication of the New Scoreboard, generously donated by Westfield Bank, which will take place at noon on September 3. I hope to see many of you there as we bless our student-athletes with good health for their upcoming season.

I am excited to embark on the new year. Even as the external environment for higher education continues to present many daunting challenges, I am confident that, united as an Elms community, we will have yet another successful academic year.  Together, we will remain focused on our mission, providing the highest quality education to our students and modeling for them our embrace of the dear neighbor without distinction. 

I do want to express, once again, my sincere appreciation for all that each of you contributes to the success of Elms College. This success is made possible by your efforts with each new day, each new semester, and each new academic year. I wish you all a wonderful start to the academic year 2025-2026! Thank you for all that you do for our students and for one another.

With gratitude, 

Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA

President