Dear Members of the Principia Community,

This past weekend the Trustees gathered in St. Louis for our regular spring meeting. During the three-day period, we had the opportunity to meet with students, parents, faculty, staff, and the leadership team from both campuses.

We would like to provide an update in several areas:

As previously announced, three new Board members began their service at these meetings. We’re grateful for their contributions. Due to a full schedule of business commitments, Durant A. “Andy” Hunter announced that he will not stand for re-election at the November 2007 Board meeting. Andy, who was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2004, will be missed. In his letter of resignation, Andy stressed his continued strong commitment to Principia and the work of the Board of Trustees. We are grateful for his substantial contribution to the work of the Board and the time he was able to give in this capacity. Stuart Jenkins’ offer to step off the Board was not accepted at this time.
The 2007-2008 budget was approved.
The Board authorized the formation of a Governance Study Committee. 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. Edwin Harper (US’59, C’63) and David Anable (Principia parent, grandparent, and graduate of Cambridge University) have agreed to serve on the committee. Beginning this fall, a Washington, D.C.-based educational consulting firm recommended by the Association of Governing Boards will be engaged to provide resources and experience to support this process. This consulting firm is likely to conduct surveys of designated groups and interview widely on both campuses, using the elected representatives of the Resolution Committee as a resource. Recommendations to the Board are expected early next year.
The Board of Trustees appointed Bob Schwentker as the Trustee representative for the Alumni Association Board and Cathy Raffles as the Trustee representative for the Trustees’ Council, a volunteer group devoted to supporting Principia through contact with its donors. Bob and Cathy will serve as liaisons to further strengthen the partnership between the Board and these two important groups.
We are grateful for the diligent work of the Resolution Committee and appreciated hearing a report about its work during our meetings. This group’s commitment to a fair, even-handed process is inspiring, and they deserve our consecrated prayers in support of their efforts.

As the school year moves toward conclusion, we wish students, faculty, and staff on both campuses a peaceful, productive time filled with growth and progress.

Sincerely,
The Board of Trustees