May 1, 2013 (updated May 2nd, 2013) Peter van Oppen Chair, Whitman Board of Trustees Trilogy Equity

Partners P.O. Box 53010 Bellevue, WA 98015-3010 RE: Jim Hanson/Speech & Debate Program at Whitman College

Dear Mr. van Oppen: We, Whitman debate alumni and community members spanning several decades, write to express our deep sadness and great frustration with the abrupt and mishandled transition of Jim Hanson from the position of Whitmans Director of Forensics. We ask the Board of Trustees to intervene in this matter to ensure that a pillar of Whitmans communitythe debate programis not further damaged. As you are well aware, Whitmans nationally recognized debate program is an integral part of the campus tradition and reputation. There is no question that the debate program has hadand hopefully will continue to havea sustained and profound impact on the College. It draws some of Whitmans best and brightest students. It enhances the academic and intellectual rigor of conversations throughout its disciplines. One would assume that the Trustees and those responsible for the stewardship of this special place would not countenance any harm to one of its signature programs. But, unfortunately, from the events of the past week, and the abject failure of communication from the administration and exceptionally poor management of this situation, we are left at a loss as to how to move forward and repair the damage. With at least three endowments and funds dedicated to the debate programMedica, Withycombe, and Hansonand a successful and enriching debate reunion less than two years ago, we are deeply concerned that, without proactive movement from the campus, the impact on alumni giving could be substantial. First, we should be clear that we are not presuming to second-guess the administrations decision to transition Dr. Hanson from his position of Director of Forensics to the chair of the Department of Rhetoric Studies. We do not possess the facts to do so. We understand, sometimes, management must address difficult decisions. We are not interested in dwelling on the past or pretending we understand the complexity of such a decision. We are, however, disturbed at the mismanagement of the announcement, communication, and apparent lack of transition planning that accompanied the decision. Jims email announced the transition, and it was sent to current students on Monday. It is our good faith belief that the message was less-than-voluntary and designed by the administration to contain whatever decision was made. There was no outreach to current students, who had just completed a rigorous debate season (with the top national ranking in Parliamentary Debate, we might add). There was no outreach to alumni to partner to make the transition productive. Moreover, the communication plan, if any, demonstrates a distressing lack of understanding about the debate program specifically and the Whitman 1

community in general. It is a tight-knit, reinforcing, positive place where successes are celebrated and problems are solved. The culture of secrecy and lack of communication fly in the face of those core values. By contrast, twenty years ago, when Jim joined the Whitman community, the administration set about an orderly transition so Dr. Withycombe could move to a full time faculty position and Jim could move into the Director of Forensics role. It was collaborative. It was well-conceived. Most importantly, it was student-centered. We may forget, as managers and administrators, amid all of the hand-wringing and risk management, that when one works at a college or university, it needs to be about the students. This, plainly, was not. Sadly, without much thought at all about a transition and virtually no communication about the decision, we are left, at the beginning of May, with: No leader, interim or otherwise, for a nationally ranked debate program; Due to the employment cycle and public questioning about Whitmans commitment to debate, virtually no ability to recruit a suitable replacement for the fall; Dozens of current students attracted to Whitman because of the program, left in the dark; and The cancellation of the Whitman National Debate Institute this summer, a critical recruiting and fund-raising tool for the program.

Because, as it appears, no real thought was dedicated to the transition, Whitman is on the brink of squandering one of its most important, and impactful, programs. With no clarity on what the school wants or expects, and a rudderless program without tangible support, how can the school expect to attract national caliber candidates to lead the program? Jims reputation in the national debate community is sterling and uncompromised in any fashion he is a beacon of professionalism and skill in his field. Given the abrupt nature of this transition, any candidate that Whitman would want to attract will undoubtedly think twice about submitting an application to Whitman, let alone moving to Walla Walla to start a new job. Further, the cancellation of the Whitman National Debate Institute is likely to have ripple effects for some time. Aside from the effect on revenue for the debate program and college, summer jobs for the current students on the team, and travel expenses and airline tickets purchased by high school students, the reputational impact could be devastating. By not adequately considering and planning for the transition, circling the wagons, and utterly failing to communicate in any meaningful way with students and alumni alike, the feckless conduct of the administration may have cost Whitman some of its best students (and the tuition dollars they bring), thousands of dollars in alumni gifts (in the middle of a capital campaign), and perhaps most significantly, its reputation. What is next? In some way, the failure of the administration must be remedied and the damage to Whitman debate halted. Every day that passes without decisive action is a day that Whitman and its community suffer. In the words of Whitmans capital campaign: Now Is The Time. At a minimum, the College should marshal its resources and attention to securing a credible interim successor with the capacity to satisfy the students and stabilize the program. It should be among, if not at the top, of the Trustees priorities. The College should provide for a meaningful and productive transition, with Jims consultation. The College should include students, at every turn, and if possible, include alumni who have great insight into the program and its value. The 2

College should admit its mistakes and reach out to those that help fix them. And, finally, the College should appropriately and adequately celebrate Jim and his immeasurable contributions to Whitman College. He has touched hundreds of lives and will continue to do so in the classroom. The next few days and week will demonstrate what Whitman values most its reputation or secrecy in decision-making. We stand ready to assist in righting this wrong. We may be contacted at whitmandebatealumni@gmail.com. Regards, Cathryn Posey Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson-Doyle Brian Marshall Simmonds Denice Kelley Eric Suni Jean Claire Tobin Emily Cordo Patrick Carter Loan Lam Charlotte Main Ryan Hagemann Rowland Hobbs Sean Harris Kristofer Peterson Adam Symonds Kathryn Bergh Randolph Miller Stephen Reed Chris Chamness Jessica Clarke David Perry Jason Smith Jared Phillips Jennifer Becker Charles Olney Michaelle Browers Steve Rowe Carson Booth Keola Whittaker Dr. Nicholas A. Thomas Luke Sanford Amanda Elegant Galen Phillips Trond E. Jacobsen Jeff Shaw Lewill Shedd Rick Peacor Christopher McCool Gay Gilmore Verity Smith Matt Schissler Natalie Havlina Matt Schissler Annie Hickman Chris Fryefield Christopher Fleming James Hovard Matt Levin Nicole Levin Brian Ward Anjali Vats Danielle Marie Williamson Erich Smith Chris Coovert Maricela Sanchez-Garcia Bridget Kustin Katie Imbeau Judy McKeever Anea Barer

c:

Members, Whitman Board of Trustees Sarah Wang, Esq., Chair, Whitman Board of Overseers Preston Frederickson, Esq., President, Whitman Alumni Board Dr. George Bridges, President Dr. Timothy Kaufman-Osborn, Provost & Dean of Faculty John Bogley, Vice President, Development & College Relations Dennis Hopwood, Human Resources Dr. David Schmitz, Chair of the Faculty