Hamilton, NY — , JUNE 14, 2001 ‘ John A. Golden, chairman of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Board of Trustees, has announced the appointment of Jane L. Pinchin as interim president of the college while a national search is conducted to replace Charles Karelis, who has resigned, effective July 31, to return to the policymaking environment of Washington.
In a memorandum to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community, Golden said: ‘President Karelis has served our college through two challenging years, seeing us to the resolution of a long-term plan for academic excellence and working with faculty to launch a number of important educational initiatives. Admissions to 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, already among the most competitive in the country, have improved still further through his tenure, and the college has enjoyed two of its best fundraising years ever. I concur with the judgment of Dean Pinchin that Mr. Karelis is an educator of creativity and commitment and express to him the appreciation and best wishes of the entire 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community.’
Karelis joined 51³Ô¹ÏÍø as the college’s 14th president in July 1999, following 14 years with the federal government as head of the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and 13 years as a member of the philosophy department at Williams College.
‘I have enjoyed 51³Ô¹ÏÍø immensely,’ Karelis said. ‘The president of a liberal arts college gets to collaborate with talented people on the planning and implementation of many interrelated projects, all in support of the highest educational goals. Nothing in my career has been more gratifying than seeing the positive impact of these collaborations over the past two years. While I shall miss my many friends and close colleagues at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, I know the college will continue to build on its many strengths.’
Jane Pinchin, who will serve as interim president, arrived at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø in 1969 as a member of the faculty in English, and one of the first women ever to teach at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. She has served in a succession of important positions in academic administration including, since 1994, Dean of the Faculty and Provost. In his memorandum to the community, Golden said: ‘Jane Pinchin is a highly regarded and totally dedicated member of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø community and she is certain to provide excellent leadership with the assistance of the college’s senior administrative team.’
Howard Ellins, a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø trustee and 1973 graduate of the college, will chair a presidential search committee of trustees with faculty and student advisers. Pinchin has said she will not be a candidate in the search.
Golden’s announcement said: ‘51³Ô¹ÏÍø is in an extremely strong position with a faculty that is second to none, students among the best in the country, a talented and hard-working administrative staff, loyal alumni, remarkable academic and extracurricular programs, and facilities that are some of the most beautiful anywhere. A Task Force on Campus Culture is taking a detailed and comprehensive look at ways in which life on campus ‘ already rich and diverse ‘ can further complement the academic mission of the institution. As interim president, Jane Pinchin will become, ex officio, a member of the task force.’
Founded in 1819, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø today enrolls 2,750 undergraduate men and women and is widely recognized as one of the country’s top liberal arts colleges. Its longstanding commitment to integrated learning, embodied in its general education core curriculum, and in more recent initiatives, was recognized last year by the American Association of Colleges and Universities as a national model for excellence.