Letter to the Editor: “New TrinColl President”

Dear Tripod Editors,

I am writing on behalf of the administration to correct a few errors in the September 24 op-ed entitled “A New TrinColl President: What Do We Need?” written by Talia Cutler ’27. While we recognize it was an opinion piece, it’s important to understand the importance of presenting accurate data even when it’s in the context of a writer expressing their opinion. An outcome is our having received inquiries from members of our community, on and off campus, with questions about some of the points made in the piece. 

First, Trinity did not run a $10M deficit in FY2023. Per our audited FY23 Financial Statements, the College made $7M.  Our total net assets increased from $941M to $948M.  Higher education financial statements are complex, and the Finance and Operations Unit is happy to hold a workshop to review the College’s statements, including a discussion about the differences in financial statements and tax documents.  If the editors of the Tripod want to attend a workshop, please follow-up with Ashley Lombardo at ashley.lombardo@trincoll.edu.

Second, last year we saw a 17% increase in admissions applications to Trinity. Under President Berger-Sweeney, the financial aid budget has risen 50% and the academic quality of our students remain highly competitive. The current ALL IN capital campaign, in which we hope everyone participates, prioritizes a strong investment in financial aid, as well as the student experience, for the sake of the College’s future. The methodology for arriving at the graduation rate is complex and raw data needs to be contextualized to fully understand how the college supports students with graduating on time.  Additionally, we would caution against giving too much credence to rankings, which use inconsistent methodologies from year to year and are often flawed or incomplete. But bear in mind that our US News and World Report Ranking is #36, and improvement from #46 in 2021.

Third, President Berger-Sweeney is deeply engaged in the life of the college and attends campus events during the day, during evening hours and on the weekends. Her office is in Williams Hall, and she does hold office hours which are well attended and a productive way to learn about what is happening in the lives of members of our community. President Berger-Sweeney is frequently working to engage all constituents—faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni. We are sorry that the writer has not seen her recently, but we hope she sees her soon or attends her next office hours to have a direct conversation. Similarly, members of the Board of Trustees, all of whom are dedicated volunteers meet with students during their Board meetings and are also on campus at other times to attend and participate in a variety programs and events.

We are always looking to improve how we serve the college and welcome feedback that is productive.  

Thank you.

Jason Rojas