Rachel Vitello
Equinox Staff
The Board of Trustees Hiring Committee for Keene State College held a number of open sessions for Melinda Treadwell to present reasons as to why she should be appointed the next president of KSC. The sessions took place on Monday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday, Sept. 18.
During one of the September 17 sessions, Treadwell spoke to faculty/adjunct faculty about what she can offer to KSC and what she has done for KSC already during her time as Interim President.
“What I have realized in the past year is that I do deeply appreciate this work. I appreciate the ability to work with a community at this level and make a difference. I came back to Keene State because I believed I could make a difference,” Treadwell said.
Treadwell also spoke about how she did not see a career as the president of KSC in the past, but now she enjoys, “engaging in really challenging issues and working with people I respect and can be challenged by to solve those issues.”
After giving a statement, Treadwell answered questions from attendees. Associate Professor of Management Linda Hadden, asked, “What are some of the strategies you have for access with higher education, with affordability?”
Treadwell said, “This past year we launched a new type of scholarship campaign, it was a presidential challenge scholarship. That was very resonant to people because the focus of that was for the neediest New Hampshire residents to attend Keene State tuition free. It was the way we were going to underwrite our Granite guarantee. It’s called the KSC Promise.”
Professor of Public Health at KSC, Becky Dunn, asked, “How do you see graduate education folding into that?”
Treadwell said, “We had a task force that looked at graduate program development and I think the campuses are timid to embark upon a whole new slate of graduate programs with our current staffing model…but we have tremendous opportunities to think of ways to create access to certificates or graduate studies post-baccalaureate. I’m looking forward to see where the faculty and the Provost take that.”
Treadwell also spoke on increasing diversity on campus. She said this will be done by working with nations that KSC already has relationships with, like Nepal and Rwanda, to increase faculty/student exchange. Also, the KSC admissions team and Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Dottie Morris have begun speaking with groups of first in the country immigrant families across New Hampshire in Manchester, Concord and Nashua about KSC admission.
After answering some questions and addressing various topics, Treadwell left the room so that attendees could openly voice their ideas and opinions to the hiring committee. The hiring committee also answered any additional questions that faculty members had.
Most attendees agreed that they want a president who is going to take action to make KSC an engaged and productive college. Having a president who is engaged with the Keene community outside of campus was also expressed as an important trait.
A link was sent to the emails of students, faculty and staff to share an opinion or concern about Treadwell’s candidacy for President if attending a session was not an option. Any additional questions about the hiring process for the president can be directed to Executive Assistant to the Chancellor and Board Liaison, Tia Miller.
Rachel Vitello can be contacted at
rvitello@kscequionox.com
