We are pleased to report that Lafayette is doing incredibly well across the board under college President Nicole Hurd’s leadership. Applications have increased 28% since 2021 with a record 10,528 applicants for the Fall 2025 incoming class. Forbes’ list of the top U.S. colleges placed Lafayette in the top 12%. The Wall Street Journal rankings included the top 500 colleges and universities, and the list for liberal arts colleges placed Lafayette at #9 overall and #3 for top liberal arts colleges in the Northeast. Standard & Poor’s and Moody‘s credit rating services have reaffirmed our A+/A- and Aa3 ratings, respectively.
Yet, as you probably know, the college faculty met several weeks ago and approved a “No Confidence” motion against President Hurd’s leadership by a vote of 102-86 with 6 abstentions. This suggests that about 66 faculty members did not vote. Therefore, those who voted “No Confidence” represented less than 40% of the total 260 faculty members. This vote, in our view, led to a vindictive effort to discredit the president.
A faction of 10 faculty members led by Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies professor Mary Armstrong, sees the faculty as having “a uniquely central role” in the governance of the college. (Note, Professor Armstrong also signed the open letter after the 2016 presidential election – which had the effect of upsetting many alums and led to the creation of the ACL). We believe this faculty group saw their own self-importance beyond the point of reasonableness, refusing to see the need for the Board of Trustees to find a proper balance among disparate interests across the whole of the college community, including students, administration, parents, alumni/alumnae and faculty. The singular point is that the faculty have an important voice, but no more important than all the others in combination. During the review process, the new “strategic plan” was unanimously approved by the trustees, the Student Government, and the Alumni Association Board. The college staff approved the plan by an overwhelming 244-3 vote.
Fortunately for Lafayette, the Board of Trustees, under the outstanding leadership of Bob Sell (board chair), has unanimously approved a resolution endorsing complete confidence in President Hurd. This no-confidence vote by the faculty damages the college’s reputation, and it is important that we, as alumni, stand up and strongly support President Hurd and the Board of Trustees.
Stephen Benson, 1969
Jack Bourger, 1971
Bruce McDermott, 1969
William Messick, 1968
Bill Rappolt, 1967
Alden Siegel, 1960
Randy Thornton, 1967
This letter is signed on behalf of the Alumni/Alumnae Coalition of Lafayette. The Alumni/Alumnae Coalition of Lafayette is not directly affiliated with Lafayette College.