Dear Members of the Principia Community,

Welcome back from Spring Break. We are looking forward to a productive quarter and increasing opportunities to spend time with faculty, staff, and students on both campuses. Helen Elswit of Los Angeles, California, and a member of the Board of Trustees since 2000, will be living on the Elsah campus during spring quarter. Helen will be available to participate in the resolution process and become better acquainted with the St. Louis and College communities. In addition, Chairman Bill Hays will be involved in the resolution process and will spend as much time on both campuses as possible. All the Trustees will be in town for the April 19-21 Board meeting.

As we continue to ponder the governance issues that have been raised recently, we want to update you on our current thinking and plans for further progress. On January 30, CEO Stuart Jenkins offered his resignation to the Board. In his letter, Stuart stated that he loved Principia and all the students, faculty, and staff too much to get in the way. We did not accept Stuart’s resignation. Following numerous meetings and discussions with individuals on both campuses and in the field, we continue to believe that the interests of Principia would not be well served by Stuart leaving at this time. Anyone who knows Stuart understands his commitment to the students, to Mrs. Morgan’s vision of whole man education, and to striving to improve our school. The Trustees are confident that the resolution process now underway will clarify controversial issues and confirm that Stuart has acted with integrity.

We are committed to fulfilling our duties from our highest sense of Principle. If any of our actions are found to have been in error, we will take appropriate steps to correct them. No individual, whether Trustee, CEO, administrator, faculty, staff, or student, should act outside the standards that are the bedrock of Principia.

The Trustees fully understand that there may be further organizational changes that could be made to improve communications and governance at Principia. After we consult with the resolution group and other members of the community, we plan to establish a governance study group as soon as possible. The study group will include an outside expert or experts in educational governance who will join representative members of the Elsah, St. Louis, and alumni communities. This group will be charged with evaluating Principia’s organizational structure and procedures in the context of best practices at other educational institutions, with appropriate consideration for the Purpose and Policies of Principia.

Last quarter, we took the step of separating the roles of Chairman and CEO by naming Bill Hays as Chairman of the Board. Bill resides in Dallas, Texas, and does not operate as a full-time, resident Chairman. We will be considering an additional change to enhance the independence of the Board at our April meeting. At that time, three new Trustees will join the Board and CEO Stuart Jenkins has offered to step off the Board. Such a move would establish more clearly the separate roles of the Board of Trustees and the CEO. The organizational structure would then more closely resemble the one that existed at Principia prior to 1983. A number of people inside and outside of Principia have suggested this change, and we will be considering it in light of contemporary best practices and how well it would meet the school’s present needs.

As we move forward in the resolution process, begin the transition in leadership at the College, and consider further changes in governance practices and structure, we appreciate the ongoing prayerful support of the community. We are most grateful for the united focus on providing a high quality, unique whole man education in the best tradition of Principia.

The Board of Trustees

Katharine Bullock                   Helen Elswit                         Margaret Foerster
Willard Hanzlik                       William Hays                        Durant Hunter
Stuart Jenkins                        Michael Sharples                  Charles Spaulding, III
Christopher Towle