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October 2024 Board Updates

Board of Trustees Reaffirms Commitment to Student Experience
October 31, 2024

At its annual fall meeting held Oct. 23-25, the Roanoke College Board of Trustees reaffirmed its commitment to investing in facilities and initiatives critical to student success.

This focus aligns with the college’s intention to elevate the student experience, which is one of six imperatives of Roanoke’s new strategic plan: “To develop an on-campus residential experience that is an exemplar of a 21st century learning laboratory—beautiful, integrated, practical, and inspiring.”

Trustees, who spent part of an afternoon touring residence halls of varying age, acknowledged the need to address deferred maintenance and upgrades for existing facilities to enhance the student experience.

“Clean, safe and inviting spaces for students foster a sense of well-being and community, and increase engagement, both socially and academically,” said President Frank Shushok Jr. “With student success at the forefront of all we do, we must invest in our facilities for today’s students and those to come.”

Trustees agreed that the college must allocate funding to renovate housing and complete the Student Success Center in Fintel Library, which will provide students with an environment ripe for living, learning and leading.

David Mowen, vice president of finance and administration, also updated the board on progress in the construction of the Shaun McConnon Discovery Center (Science Center). The project is nearing completion of Phase 0, which included pre-construction site work and the relocation of the college’s data center. Mowen announced that the college recently selected the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company as the project’s general contractor following a competitive bidding process. The trustees unanimously authorized the administration to proceed with finalizing the contract with Whiting-Turner and advance to the next phase of the project. Demolition of Massengill Hall will begin by the end of the calendar year and should take approximately three months. The McConnon Center will be completed during the summer of 2026.

In other news, trustees voted unanimously to increase tuition, fees and room-and-board costs by 3% for the 2025-2026 academic year. Shushok noted that there had been no room-and-board increases for the past two years despite rampant inflation and pressures on auxiliary costs. He and the board agreed that all funds from room-and-board increases would be invested back into housing and dining facilities and initiatives.

Trustees also voted unanimously in favor of appointing the following new faculty members:

  • Dr. Alysse C. Baker, Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Studies
  • Dr. Laura de Castro Quaglia, Assistant Professor of Public Policy
  • Dr. Skyler F. Fleshman, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sport Management
  • Prof. Mandy L. Garcia, Visiting Instructor of Psychology
  • Prof. Jonathan D. Joyce, Visiting Instructor of Biology
  • Dr. Tracy D. Lauder, Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Studies
  • Prof. Zane A. Mullins, Visiting Instructor of Economics
  • Prof. Adriana Pérez-Smith, Lecturer of Spanish
  • Dr. Avijit Sarker, Visiting Assistant Professor of Engineering Science
  • Dr. Michael J. Wise, Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies

The fall meeting was preceded by a community event on leadership with Dr. Nathan Hatch, president emeritus of Wake Forest University. Hatch, who has spent more than 40 years in higher education, is the author of “The Gift of Transformative Leaders,” which tells the story of 13 transformational leaders he has recruited and worked with throughout his storied career. He discussed the importance of differentiation in leadership, how leaders can be identified through unconventional search processes, and the value of creating roles around talented people with vision, strategy, curiosity and strong character. Hatch’s talk was followed by a social hour for faculty, staff and trustees.

On Thursday, trustees heard updates on the progress of the Shared Governance Task Force, which was approved by a resolution of the board last fall. Two of the task force’s chairs, Trustee Kirk Betts and Dr. Jennifer Berenson, professor of religion and philosophy, shared the guiding principles and draft definitions of shared governance that the group developed collaboratively over the last few months. The task force is charged with creating a new model for shared governance at Roanoke College “to provide clear, deliberative, inclusive, and agile pathways for policy development and strategic decision-making” and to “support innovation and effectiveness, making Roanoke an exemplar among small colleges navigating a dynamic and rapidly changing higher education environment.” The task force expects to complete its work in late spring of 2025.

Before the annual fall board dinner at Olin Theater, Trustee Joanne Cassullo ’78 shared a presentation about the Maurice Berger Memorial Archive and Library, a collection of papers, photos and artifacts that make up a material history of systemic racism in American culture. The collection, donated by Cassullo and housed in Fintel Library, encourages “critical, creative, and conceptual thinking about the history of race, and asks researchers to make connections between past and contemporary forms of structural racism.” Student researchers are involved in all aspects of the collection’s management.

On Friday afternoon, Dr. Rachel Collins, Brian H. Thornhill Professor of Biology and director of the Environment Center at the Elizabeth Campus, along with other faculty members and four students, gave a tour of the center and its meadow restoration site. Collins explained how students benefit from transdisciplinary work centered on the environment, sustainability, and leadership at the center. She also spoke about the importance of interdepartmental collaboration and external partnerships through the center that are helping to fulfill the college’s strategic imperative to “become the Roanoke Valley’s most sought-after educational partner by industry, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.” Board members said they were impressed by the students and the work of the center.

Afterwards, the board enjoyed a special moment on the Maroon Athletic Quad, where they were greeted by the inaugural class of football and competitive cheer recruits. After the cheer team performed a routine, board members were gifted footballs signed by the team, which ended their season 4-0. Team members thanked trustees for their support in voting to establish football, cheer and band in the 2024 academic year. The programs brought more than 80 new students to the college this fall.

In final business, trustees voted unanimously for Kenneth Belton ’81 to take on the role of vice chair, replacing Kathryn “Kathy” Harkness ’73, and for Joseph “Joe” H. Carpenter IV ’99 to take on the role of at-large member of the Executive Committee, replacing W. Morgan Churchman ’65. Both Harkness and Churchman will continue to serve as voting members of the board. Chairman Malon Courts ’92 and Trusteeship Committee Chair Roger Petersen ’81 thanked Harkness and Churchman for their dedicated service to the college in their respective leadership roles. The board also voted to renew the terms of five trustees for an additional four years, including Courts, Peggy Fintel Horn ’78, Paris D. Butler ’00, Garnett Whitehurst, and Andrew K. Teeter ’71.

The 2024 fall board meeting culminated in a celebration of Shaun McConnon ’66, Linda and John Snyder ’64, and other committed Roanoke College supporters at President’s Evening, a dinner and social held each fall in Cregger Center.

The board will convene again on Feb. 6-7, 2025, for its annual winter meeting.