In April I announced that I will be retiring as president of Kalamazoo College at the end of the 2025–26 academic year. Serving as K’s president has been the greatest honor of my life, and it’s a job that I love coming to every single day. This community is incredibly special to Suzie and me, and it will be difficult to say goodbye when the time finally arrives.
However, this isn’t goodbye yet. As I said in my announcement, the next year will be filled with its new challenges and many exciting steps forward for K. As the Board begins their national search for K’s next president, I will be on campus supporting our community and out on the road sharing the amazing things happening at K, just like always.
Speaking of challenges, I’m certain you’ve observed the flurry of activity by the federal government via executive orders and directives from the Department of Education. We have been diligently monitoring the legislative environment and evaluating the impact to higher education and the work of this institution. At the time of this writing, the impact of federal grant funding freezes on K is still unknown. But it’s important to know that federal grants don’t just support faculty research; they also provide funding for students who collaborate on these projects, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in labs or research settings and build skills for their future careers. Through my work on various national and regional higher education association boards, I will continue to meet with our elected representatives and emphasize the importance of federal support in advancing research and developing our country’s current and future leaders in science, medicine, economics, the arts and other critical disciplines.
At a recent Board of Trustees meeting, we also had an important session in which we reaffirmed the College’s values. Creating a campus environment where all individuals feel valued, respected and empowered to reach their goals and aspirations is essential to K’s mission, and we will remain grounded in these principles. This includes inviting and welcoming exceptional students, faculty and staff from a variety of backgrounds and geographies. It also includes recognizing that each person comes to K with unique interests, skills and ambitions. As such, the tools and resources they need to achieve their goals may be different from one another, and we want to help all students reach their fullest potential.
Of course, just as the College holds these values at its core, we ensure K’s practices and programs also remain compliant with federal and state laws. As of this date, no federal or state laws have changed. We will continue to assess our current practices for any compliance concerns, and if any action is required, we remain committed to making decisions that are consistent with our values and mission: to prepare our graduates to better understand, live successfully within, and provide enlightened leadership to a richly diverse and increasingly complex world.
Jorge G. Gonzalez
President
