Dear Madam President,

We, the representatives of continuing education students at Guilford College, call upon you to amend your Charge to Strategic Planning Committee, which will design and direct the implementation of Guilford’s next Strategic Long Range Plan (SLRP-2015). As the steward-in-chief of Guilford’s core values, you, more than anyone, have a primary responsibility to ensure that this ad hoc committee, which you will chair, is structured diversely and implements its tasks with integrity.

You charged the committee to sit members from a diversity of ranks, disciplines, experience levels and positions. Notably, you left out identity. Not surprisingly, the committee’s current membership is comprised of white people, with the exception of Irving Jimenez ‘08, assistant director for Multicultural Education and Latino community coordinator.

In keeping with Guilford’s stated core value of “diversity,” we call upon you to amend your Charge to Strategic Planning Committee to sit committee membership from a plurality of Guilford’s demographic. This might increase the likelihood that the SLRP-2015 is sensitive to the needs of the entire community.

You directed that, “committee members will be invited (though not required) to participate in a subcommittee to assist in the evaluation of the college’s progress toward established goals in subsequent years following implementation.” You have essentially invited the committee to self-evaluate its work outcomes.

In keeping with Guilford’s stated core value of “integrity”, we call upon you to charge the formation of a neutral evaluation committee for SLRP-2015, which excludes original committee members, except for a small number serving in non-voting advisory capacities. This will reduce the potential for impropriety and the temptation to hide failure. It might also increase the likelihood of accountability for the course that SLRP-2015 sets Guilford upon.

Respectfully Yours,

Guilford College CCE SGA