2008 Woodie Awards
Students, faculty give Ainlay high marks after first year
Cara Gallivan
Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: News
As the Union community weighed in this week on President Stephen Ainlay's first year, the unruffled eighteenth president and his wife, Judith, cordially greeted students as they dined in Upperclass Dining Hall. Ainlay stated from the start that he would have an open-door policy.
In his general geniality, Ainlay has impressed many students and faculty. Senior Bilal Mahmood, the Vice President for Academics, noted, "I think [Ainlay] really does put in an effort to remember names, and even stop and chat when he has the time."
Student Forum President Jess Rudin, '08, points to Ainlay's enthusiasm for interacting with students: "We've asked him to do multiple 'Fireside Chats' in Reamer, an opportunity for any member of the campus community to come out and meet and chat with him, and he's always been more than willing and excited to participate."
Ainlay's "hands on" approach has been noted by professors as well. Perhaps, mused Professor of Sociology Deidre Hill Butler, because of his past experience as an academic at Holy Cross, he has been able to "bring [the faculty] together, making us feel listened to and understood. You feel you can voice your opinion in a more open setting."
Since his inauguration, Ainlay has set many goals for himself and for the College, as articulated in the Strategic Plan.
One of the primary objectives outlined in the plan is to reduce Union's environmental impact. By investing in sustainability, Ainlay seems to have accelerated the efforts of long-time campus environmentalists.
According to Rudin, Student Forum approached Ainlay last year with a proposal to use $10,000 of the Student Activities budget towards purchasing wind power, hoping the administration would match their bid.
"The budget had already been set, but Ainlay went out of his way to move around a few numbers and make room for our request, and he in fact contributed over $10,000-enough so that now 15 percent of Union's [purchased electrical] energy is generated by Wind Power," Rudin explained.
In his general geniality, Ainlay has impressed many students and faculty. Senior Bilal Mahmood, the Vice President for Academics, noted, "I think [Ainlay] really does put in an effort to remember names, and even stop and chat when he has the time."
Student Forum President Jess Rudin, '08, points to Ainlay's enthusiasm for interacting with students: "We've asked him to do multiple 'Fireside Chats' in Reamer, an opportunity for any member of the campus community to come out and meet and chat with him, and he's always been more than willing and excited to participate."
Ainlay's "hands on" approach has been noted by professors as well. Perhaps, mused Professor of Sociology Deidre Hill Butler, because of his past experience as an academic at Holy Cross, he has been able to "bring [the faculty] together, making us feel listened to and understood. You feel you can voice your opinion in a more open setting."
Since his inauguration, Ainlay has set many goals for himself and for the College, as articulated in the Strategic Plan.
One of the primary objectives outlined in the plan is to reduce Union's environmental impact. By investing in sustainability, Ainlay seems to have accelerated the efforts of long-time campus environmentalists.
According to Rudin, Student Forum approached Ainlay last year with a proposal to use $10,000 of the Student Activities budget towards purchasing wind power, hoping the administration would match their bid.
"The budget had already been set, but Ainlay went out of his way to move around a few numbers and make room for our request, and he in fact contributed over $10,000-enough so that now 15 percent of Union's [purchased electrical] energy is generated by Wind Power," Rudin explained.
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