Haverford President Wendy Raymond will end her tenure in June of 2027, according to an email sent out to Haverford’s student body and the wider community earlier today.
Raymond, who served as president of Haverford College for the past six years, wrote in her message that although it has been “the honor of [her] lifetime,” she is “ready to step away from academia.”
“Leading the College has been a profound privilege,” Raymond wrote. “Together, we have achieved so much: implementing key elements of the Haverford 2030 strategic plan—work which has and will continue well into the future; advancing inclusion through the work of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Access; launching the Michael B. Kim Institute for Ethical Leadership and Inquiry; implementing a comprehensive compensation study; completing the construction of the Jaharis Recital Hall; and securing a solar power purchase agreement to provide clean energy to campus—to name just a few milestones.”
Raymond’s time in office has seen great strides taken towards the College’s goals in student success, institutional equity, sustainability, and more; but prevalent too were the moments of great unrest which marked recent years at Haverford and in the wider world of higher education.
Raymond wrote in her recent email, “My presidency has also coincided with periods of great challenge for our community, our country, and the world—from a global pandemic and the strike for racial justice to more recent times of social unrest and public scrutiny.”
The global pandemic of 2020 coincided with a student strike for racial justice across the bi-co, sparked largely by President Raymond’s email to the student body regarding the shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. by Philadelphia police.
Three years later, the events of October 7, 2023 and the ensuing war between Israel and Palestine caused national student protests, joined by student groups at both Haverford and Bryn Mawr. Soon after, the College was sued by the anonymous group “Jewish Students at Haverford,” represented by The Deborah Project for an alleged breach of Title VI. The lawsuit was dismissed earlier this year after numerous amendments to the complaint.
A mere year following the encampment movement, Raymond was called to testify before the Congressional Committee on Education and the Workforce regarding alleged antisemitism on Haverford’s campus. The federal investigation is ongoing.
Raymond noted, “I am grateful to the Board of Managers, the Corporation, my Senior Staff colleagues, and the many, many faculty, staff, students, alumni, and families who have offered support and partnership throughout my presidency.”
Michael B. Kim, Chair of the Board, wrote in a follow-up email to the community, “I hope you will join me in expressing appreciation to Wendy for her tireless dedication and steadfast leadership. I look forward to continuing our partnership in the months ahead as we work toward sustaining Haverford’s excellence and ensuring a smooth and successful transition.”
The search for Haverford’s 17th president will begin early next calendar year, and will coincide with the search to replace Dean McKnight, whose departure was announced earlier this week.
With both institutional leaders departing in the midst of great uncertainty regarding the stability of high education under the current political administration, the College looks towards a period of transition.
