Strengthening our students, faculty, and staff and furthering connections with alumni

There is nothing more central to Carleton's continued leadership in the liberal arts than our ability to continue to attract and retain the highest quality people. Among students and employees, both financial and non-financial forces are at work. Prospective students are influenced by the education they believe they will receive and by the financial realities of attending Carleton relative to other schools. Faculty and staff are influenced similarly both by the compensation they receive and the quality of the working environment of the College. The recommendations in this section take both elements into account and are divided into four areas: admissions, students and student life, faculty and staff, and alumni.

One essential element of a liberal education, as we understand it, is to prepare students to become fully contributing members of society. In order to realize this goal, our students, faculty, and staff should more closely reflect the diversity of our society. As we enter the next century, distances will continue to shrink and the accelerating movement of peoples will bring us into increasing contact with contrasting cultures, races, religions, values, languages, and a host of other differences. Globalization is inevitable and its implications are profound. A liberal arts education must prepare young adults to enter this world. It is important, therefore, that the recommendations in this section address our need to achieve greater diversity and to provide a campus environment that supports and promotes a more diverse population.