NOTE: This is a supplementary listing redirected from The Hilltop Monitor’s investigative report dated May 2, 2025.
Dec. 5 declaration of exigency
From | Jewell President
To | All students
Subject | Reimagine Jewell: The Path Forward
—
To our students,
We are reaching out today with an important update.
Like many small liberal arts colleges across the country with modest enrollments and endowments, Jewell is facing significant financial challenges brought about by increasing costs. There have been many strategic innovations in the last several years leading to increased enrollment, but the cost of operations has increasingly exceeded the pace of revenue. It’s essential that we confront inefficiencies to build a solid foundation for future growth and sustainability.
The College has implemented a variety of strategic cost-cutting measures to achieve efficiencies. These included asset sales, savings on what we purchase, operational cost cuts, deferral of non-essential maintenance expense, and most recently, a reduction in administrative staff. Additional immediate cost-saving measures must be implemented to balance our budget and ensure Jewell’s future success.
Following extensive analysis and thoughtful deliberation, the William Jewell College Board of Trustees has voted to declare financial exigency, an intentional step toward creating financial stability and securing the path forward for the College. In doing so, the Board is deploying an important tool that enables reallocation of resources, restructuring of academic programs, scholarships and significant reductions in force. We will transition out of the financial exigency period in less than one year after efficiencies are being achieved according to plan.
This is a challenging time and will involve difficult decisions. Ultimately, we exist for you, our students, and your futures. We are passionately committed to navigating these challenges to transform William Jewell College—now and for decades to come. We are grateful to faculty for their collaboration and for engaging in meaningful ways in this process to ensure Jewell’s future relevance as a leading higher education institution.
A committee comprised of faculty and members of the Board of Trustees will be tasked with evaluating departments, programs and majors in the context of marketplace demands and needs of prospective students. Further details will be shared in the coming weeks as the College’s leadership, faculty and staff act to deliver programs more cost effectively and responsive to marketplace demand, while maintaining our reputation for the quality education and highly developed critical thinking skills demonstrated by our graduates.
We recognize this is a busy time as you prepare for finals and the upcoming break, and we are here to answer as many questions as possible. Faculty Council will host open office hours from 10:45-11:55 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, in Yates Dining Room to discuss the work we are doing. We also encourage you to reach out to your faculty advisor, coach or other Jewell staff at any time, and visit jewell.edu/reimagine to learn more.
We are committed to reimagining a Jewell that serves students, employers and our Greater Kansas City community long into the future. We welcome feedback and questions at president@william.jewell.edu.
With Gratitude and For Jewell,
Bill Gautreaux, Chair – William Jewell College Board of Trustees, Class of ’85
Susan Chambers, Interim President – William Jewell College, Class of ’90
Feb. 3 academic restructuring announcement
From | President
To | All Students
Subject | Update on Academic Programs
—
Dear Students,
We are glad to have you back on campus and look forward to a great spring semester. We want to update you on the College’s recent announcement and share recommendations made by the Financial Exigency Management Committee (FEMC) and approved by the Board of Trustees on January 22.
The approved plan reorganizes majors into five new Academic Divisions: 1) Business and Communication, 2) Behavioral and Natural Sciences, 3) Analytical Science, 4) Community Engagement and Applied Arts, and 5) Culture, Society and Justice. View our full list of majors at www.jewell.edu/programs.
Jewell remains committed to scholarships awarded to current students for the remainder of this year and into 2025-26. All majors, courses and athletics programs are continuing as planned for the spring 2025 semester. An athletics task force convened by the Board of Trustees and comprised of department leaders, coaches, athletic alumni and Trustees is working to complete the new vision for Cardinal Athletics before the end of the academic year.
Beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, the following majors will be phased out: Nonprofit Leadership, Healthcare Leadership, Integrated Healthcare, Theatre and Musical Theatre. Non-major programs that will be phased out include The Honors Institute, Cardinal Sound athletic band and French language courses. For students with majors being discontinued, teach-out planning is underway to ensure currently enrolled students can complete their major as planned. Despite savings from unfilled positions and 13 retirements and resignations, a reduction in force of 14 faculty and 18 staff was necessary as part of the reorganization of work college wide. This process has required much work and discussion, and we are grateful to faculty for engaging in meaningful ways in this process to ensure Jewell’s relevance as a leading higher education institution.
Students in impacted programs have been engaged by faculty and leadership to learn more and plan. Faculty advisors will be meeting soon with all student advisees to help them understand the revised academic structure and what it means for each of you.
We appreciate your support and patience as we work to sustain Jewell’s mission. We are committed to ensuring the Jewell community has the information it needs throughout this journey. Please send questions or comments directly to president@william.jewell.edu.
For Jewell,
Bill Gautreaux, Chair – William Jewell College Board of Trustees, Class of 1985
Susan Chambers, Interim President – William Jewell College, Class of 1990
Mar. 25 Core announcement
TO: All Students
FROM: The Student Success Center and Dr. Sara Morrison, Associate Dean for the Core Curriculum
RE: New Core Curriculum Requirements: Effective Immediately
DATE: March 25, 2025
As of Spring 2025, there are some changes to the Core Curriculum that have gone into effect
immediately; this memo explains the new requirements. Please read this memo in advance of
Advising Day (4-1-25) and discuss the new requirements with your academic advisor. If you have any
questions, please see your advisor or email Dr. Morrison at [institutional email redacted].
The following Core requirements are effective immediately, and Self-Service has been updated to
reflect them.
NOTE: There are two new requirements in Level 1—Writing in the Disciplines (WR, in Self-Service)
and Quantitative Reasoning (QR). All current students have likely completed these requirements
already, so this change should not affect current students.
All New Core Requirements:
- CTI 100, 150, WR or 102, QR
- World Language Requirement for BA students, up to 112
- CTI Level 2: 3 different Level 2 areas, with no exemptions based on majors
- CTI Capstone
Things to be aware of as you’re planning your Fall 2025 course schedule:
- CTI 100, 150, and the Capstone requirements did not change.
- World Language Requirement: BA students must complete language courses through 112.
- Level 2 Requirements: Students are required to take courses in 3 different Level 2 areas, but those areas are their choice. There are no longer exemptions based on students’ majors. (For example, students majoring in the Sciences may now take CTI Level 2: Science, Technology, and the Human Experience.)
NOTE: Students must have Sophomore status to take CTI Level 2 courses.
- DU/DG Requirements: This requirement has been eliminated. The majority of CTI courses have been DU/DG certfied, and maintaining a diverse curriculum remains a priority. Even though this requirement has been eliminated, students will still take courses in the Core with a focus on diversity in a range of ways.
Apr. 22 Spanish announcement
From | Dr. David Lisenby, Professor of Spanish
CC | Dr. Sara Morrison
To | All current students with a declared Spanish major or minor
Subject | Spanish major and minor program
This email is for all students with a declared major or minor in Spanish. If you are graduating in May, you may disregard. Here are several points all others should know:
- The Spanish major will be discontinued at Jewell, but all students with a currently declared SPA major will have a pathway to program completion. This decision was made by the Financial Exigency Management Committee (FEMC).
- The Spanish minor will be retained, and 300-level SPA courses will continue to be offered for the minor (and for already-declared majors). The minor requirements will likely be revised to increase flexibility. Any revisions will not present obstacles for students. More information to come. There are no changes to Fall 2025 SPA courses scheduled. The Spring 2026 course schedule is not yet determined and may include a 200-level SPA course as well as a 300-level SPA course, either of which would count toward the minor.
- A new major called “Literature & Culture” is being created, and upper-level SPA courses will count toward this program. It will be available to current Jewell students as well as new ones. If you want more information, reach out to me or Dr. Sara Morrison, Professor of English ([institutional email redacted]).
The changes above will have little or no impact on academic planning for most of you. If you are a student who has not yet taken SPA 211 or 212 and have declared a Spanish major or minor, you should consult individually with me.
Reach out with any questions. I’m here to help.
Atentamente,
Dr. Lisenby