<p>Statement from Roxanne Wilson, Chair,
Scripps College Board of Trustees
February 21, 2007</p>
<p>With mixed emotions, I have accepted, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, the resignation of Nancy Y. Bekavac, sixth president of Scripps College. </p>
<p>President Bekavac accomplished tremendous things during her 17-year tenure as the College</p>
<p>tenure as the College</p>
<p>first woman president. Through her fierce determination and extraordinary leadership, Scripps has achieved enormous success, bringing the College to an entirely new level of excellence.</p>
<p>Seems like there’s some trouble posting this, so here ya go (statement from the board followed by statement from President Bekavac followed by official press release, all taken from <a href=“http://www.scrippscollege.edu%5B/url%5D):”>http://www.scrippscollege.edu):</a></p>
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<p>Statement from Roxanne Wilson, Chair,
Scripps College Board of Trustees
February 21, 2007</p>
<p>With mixed emotions, I have accepted, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, the resignation of Nancy Y. Bekavac, sixth president of Scripps College. </p>
<p>President Bekavac accomplished tremendous things during her 17-year tenure as the College’s first woman president. Through her fierce determination and extraordinary leadership, Scripps has achieved enormous success, bringing the College to an entirely new level of excellence. </p>
<p>She implemented two strategic plan initiatives during the past 12 years, featuring a revitalized and rigorous new core curriculum in the humanities, increased diversity in the faculty and student body and added new faculty positions to meet the needs of a growing student body.</p>
<p>President Bekavac presided over the most successful capital campaign in the College’s 81-year history, the Campaign for the Scripps Woman, and she oversaw the design and construction of the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Commons, the construction of the Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Residence Hall, the renovation of Garrison Theater, the creation of the Scripps Performing Arts Center, and the beginning of construction for the Sally Tiernan Field House.</p>
<p>Most importantly, during her presidency, the student body grew from 600 to 850 while increasing the academic qualifications of entering students, to the point that Scripps can rightly claim a place at the forefront of women’s and liberal arts education in America. The faculty has continued to excel, and new faculty appointments have brought Scripps remarkable teachers and able scholars. </p>
<p>During Nancy Bekavac’s tenure, alumnae involvement with their college has truly made Scripps a family, and one of the most engaged academic communities anywhere. As one measure, an incredible 85% of alumnae supported the College in its last capital campaign. In every sense, the value of a Scripps degree has multiplied during President Bekavac’s leadership of Scripps. Most recently, she led the strategic planning effort, which resulted in the adoption of a new strategic plan, Scripps College in the Next Decade: Leading with Excellence, which will take the College to the next level.</p>
<p>Within the Claremont Consortium, President Bekavac has been a leader as well. As the first woman president at The Claremont Colleges, she set the stage; currently, there are four women presidents among the five colleges.
Nancy has much to be proud of as she looks back on her tenure as president of Scripps, and the Board of Trustees is justifiably proud of her, and sincerely and profoundly thanks her for her many years of service to the College and to the Claremont Consortium.</p>
<p>It is never easy to accept the departure of a skilled leader; but part of leadership is determining when it is time for change, and the Board will move quickly to appoint an interim president and to assure a smooth transition in the leadership of the College and implementation of the new strategic plan. We will draw on the advice and involvement of the entire Scripps community, as is our tradition, and we know that as President Bekavac has wished for all of us at Scripps, a great era lies ahead.</p>
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<p>February 21, 2007 </p>
<p>Dear Members of the Scripps College Community:</p>
<p>For many years, I have thought of myself as one of the luckiest people alive. One proof has been the great joy and honor it has been to serve as president of Scripps College. I am, and always will be, profoundly grateful to have seen this small women’s college grow into the extraordinary, dynamic institution it is today and to play a part in its development.</p>
<p>With all good things there are times to move ahead and open new chapters. Most presidents know when they have accomplished enough and when it is time for new challenges, both for them and for their colleges. I have always felt it is important to leave when things are going well, and for Scripps things are going very well.</p>
<p>So it is with profoundly mixed emotions that I announce I will step down after 17 years as president of Scripps College, effective June 30, 2007. After notifying the Board of my decision, I can report that an interim president will be appointed in the near future while a national search for Scripps’ seventh president takes place. </p>
<p>At the forefront of my decision is one driving force: what is best for Scripps at this very important time in our history. With an exciting and comprehensive new strategic plan in place following a highly successful capital campaign - both accomplished through the support of the entire Scripps community - this moment is right for Scripps, and for me. </p>
<p>All that has been accomplished during my tenure is the result of unstinting support and wisdom from the Board of Trustees, from faculty and staff colleagues, and from our amazing alumnae and supporters. I have also had the benefit of the counsel and support of generous colleagues at the other Claremont Colleges and the consortium. The Scripps faculty is world class, our staff second to none, and our students are insightful, inquisitive - and the reason we love coming to work each day. We are blessed, and our state, nation and indeed the world are better because of the contributions Scripps women make to our collective futures. I believe it is time now for a new president to work with all who love Scripps to see the next era of excellence unfold and develop.</p>
<p>On a personal level, I have reflected for some time during our recent strategic planning about when a presidential succession should occur. I have turned less often to what comes next for me, in what has been a thirty-four year career in education, the law, public policy, and philanthropy. One of the blessings of this announcement is that I will now have time to contemplate that question. I plan to take a sabbatical, read, reflect, and then proceed with the confidence, courage, and hope of a Scripps woman in choosing my future path. In due course you will hear of my plans.</p>
<p>In closing, let me say that I am so proud of all that the Scripps community has accomplished and continues to achieve every day. I leave with full confidence in the direction of the College, in its remarkably dedicated trustees, administration and donors, in the quality of its outstanding senior faculty and the ambitions of newer faculty, and in the invaluable contributions of its staff. Above all, I have confidence in the Scripps women of today and of tomorrow. I will miss our daily contacts greatly, and I will always cheer you on. </p>
<p>It is with enormous gratitude that I wish the best for my successors and our College’s wonderful future.</p>
<p>Sincerely,
Nancy Y. Bekavac
President
Scripps College</p>
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<p>CLAREMONT, Calif. (February 21, 2007) –After 17 years of service, Nancy Y. Bekavac announced that she will step down as president of Scripps College, effective June 30, 2007. </p>
<p>Los Angeles attorney Roxanne Wilson, chair of the Scripps College Board of Trustees, said: “It is with great sadness and heartfelt appreciation that the Scripps College Board of Trustees accepts President Bekavac’s resignation. Through her fierce determination and extraordinary leadership, Scripps has achieved enormous success, bringing the college to an entirely new level of excellence. The Board will move quickly to appoint an interim president and to assure a smooth transition in the leadership of the college.” </p>
<p>When Nancy Bekavac was appointed Scripps’ president in 1990, she was the sixth president in the college’s history and its first woman president. In fact, she was the first woman to be president of one of the five Claremont Colleges; now there are four women presidents. </p>
<p>During her tenure, the college completed two successful strategic plans and two capital campaigns, the last one raising $101 million, surpassing the $85-million goal by $16 million.</p>
<p>Fund-raising success allowed Scripps to expand its student body, hire new faculty, add scholarship support, build essential new facilities, and substantially increase its endowment. The college also rose in national prominence: in 2006, Newsweek named Scripps one of the “25 hottest colleges in the nation,” and U.S. News and World Report listed the college among the top tier of national liberal arts colleges. In addition, alumnae participation in giving was among the highest in the nation, at 59.7%. </p>
<p>“I am and will always be profoundly grateful to have had the opportunity to see this small college grow into the remarkable, dynamic institution it is today and play a part in its development,” said Bekavac. “I leave with full confidence in the direction of the College and, above all, in the Scripps women of today and of the future.”</p>