Three topics—the curricular review process, the nature of the College’s social and civic community on campus, and the College’s current and future budget picture—were central to the address. 

In his comments on the curricular review process, Hersh praised the Curricular Review Committee for producing “an achievement, not simply a report,” and affirmed his support for an ambitious timeline for the review process in the months to come. “The key to success now will be how to engage the entire faculty in a comprehensive conversation about the issues in such a way that we achieve reasonable consensus on matters of curriculum and pedagogy. The goal of achieving reasonable closure on the essence of these matters by May, while ambitious, is necessary, for in such matters delay leads to entropy.” 

Hersh moved on to report on the nature of the College’s social and civic community on campus—a report that focused largely on the issue of free speech and its role at the center of campus debate of late. 

A lengthy discussion of the rough economic waters through which Trinity and all colleges and universities must currently sail followed as Hersh outlined the challenges that schools face nationally, as well as those particular to Trinity.

“Two years ago our endowment value peaked at  $375 million but has now declined to approximately $325 million including the $37 million bequest from the Henry Fuller estate,” Hersh said. ”In sum, if the economy and the markets do not rebound significantly, we are facing a shortfall of approximately $5 million in the next several years with little on the horizon to suggest that fund raising will be easy.”