Farewell President Sharon Herzberger
Portraits of past Whittier College presidents line the walls of the stairs leading up to the second floor of Mendenhall. One more will soon be added.
Sharon Herzberger announced her retirement on June 5th, 2017, surprising the Whittier community. With 13 years at her post, Herzberger willl retire as the second-longest Whittier College president, leaving behind a formidable legacy when she goes.
Herzberger says she had some clear goals in mind when she took the job. “One of things that I wanted very much to do [was] build Whittier’s reputation nationally,” says Herzberer, speaking from her perch behind a well-organized desk while she takes a break from her busy schedule near the end of the fall 2017 semester. Her office is as tidy as her desk, adorned with a few modest paintings and some cheery plants.
“A second goal was to work on the fact that at that time, Whittier was 120 years old and the buildings were pretty tired and we had a lot of deferred maintenance,” Herzberger continues, “so, I needed to work with key people here to do a lot of capital improvements to our campus and to raise money to be able to do that.”
A third goal was to fundraise by friend raising; which simply means raising funds for the college by reaching out to friends of the college.
The improvements to buildings around the campus are probably the most noticeable of Herzberger’s impacts on the campus. Dorms have been undergoing much needed renovations and last year the Spot at the Campus Center got a makeover. Athletic facilities and the campus grounds have also been upgraded.
Of course, the gleaming glass and steel Science and Learning Center, which was opened for business in September 2016, is the project that will be most closely associated with Herzberger’s tenure.
Students around campus have mixed feelings about the $52.5 million building. Class of ’20 history major Maria Caliz says, “I think it looks nice. Though being a history major — and the history department getting less funded as time goes on — seeing the amount of effort that was put into the SLC is a little unsettling. Science is not the only subject that is important to today’s society.”
On the other hand, biology major Analis Hetter, class of ’20, thinks that President Herzberger has made the correct choice in investing so much into the SLC. “I look forward to having my classes in the SLC because of the spectacular views the building offers of life both on and off campus. Each and every room is unique in its own way. However, the building itself blends together and creates a positive environment for students and faculty that enter the building,” says Hetter. “Studying in the SLC makes me feel at home, where I can relax and decompress after class… it’s extremely motivational and comforting.”
Regardless of how they feel about the merits of investing so much into the SLC, students and faculty agree that Herzberger has been a visible presence around campus. “[When I’m on campus], if it’s a game day I like to go to the game or if it’s a musicale I like to go to the musicale,” Herzberger says.
Joseph Price, Genevieve Shaul Connick Professor of Religion, noted, “A number of students and alumni will remember her most favorably for the support of athletic programs. Not simply by recognizing them at formal events, but cheering for them and being present at so many different games.”
Adds Price, who is also the co-director for the Institute of Baseball studies, “One thing I will personally appreciate the most, is not simply her approachability as an individual but her support of the Institute for Baseball Studies.”
Many students have been concerned with the yearly tuition increases, but have are unclear about the math that’s behind them.
“I’m concerned about it too. Everyone who works here is concerned about it,” Herzberger says. “We realize that college affordability is one of the major challenges that we have. The issue always is that a college’s quality is based on the human capital. We have very small classes which means we need more faculty in comparison to a big university, where you would have 600–1000 students in a lecture with one person teaching those people. [Keeping class sizes small] is expensive .
“Every year we talk about how we can continue to have a college education of this quality and what is it going to take to actually run the college. We want to give raises to faculty members and staff who devote their lives here. We have to deal with increases in the cost of running the college from utility expenses to insurance. We have to spend more money on health care for our employees and those are the kinds of things that drive up costs.”
Adds Herzberger, earnestly, “If students have ideas for what we can give up, we’d certainly like to know that.”
“We realize that college affordability is one of the major challenges that we have. The issue always is that a college’s quality is based on the human capital.”
Herzberger will also eave behind a smoke-free campus following the success of an initiatve last fall by the Wellness Coaltion, a group of faculty, staff and students that works on health and wellness on campus.
“They studied how it actually can be implemented and they came back last spring and we pulled together a group of people: students, faculty, and staff across the campus [where] the Wellness Coalition presented their ideas for this and we heard some challenges, but the vast majority of people thought it was a very smart idea. So, I said let’s run with it.”
According to a student survey, most students favor the initiative. “What we are hoping, once implemented, is that fewer students coming to college will start smoking, that’s a time when students do start smoking,” explains Herzberger. “Second, we’re hoping that both students and staff will be helped in quitting and then another thing we are hoping to see is a decrease in our health insurance costs.”
Late last year President Herzberger disclosed that she was in a battle with Leukemia. According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the five-year relative survival rates overall were 70.7 percent. Herzberger revealed that she is currently cancer free and in good health. She says her decision to retire, in fact, has a lot to do with being in good shape.
“I have been working fulltime in academia for more than 40 years, and it is time to take a step back. I want to stay involved by consulting, but my husband and I also want to travel and take advantage of good health and — as long as we can — a good knees and hike and bike all over the world.”
My husband and I also want to travel and take advantage of good health.
President Herzberger says there is no typical day in the life of the Whittier College president. When she is not on campus doing her signature walk and talks with students, meeting with alumni, or going to athletic games to support student athletes, she is lobbying for the Pell Grant and work study in Washington, the need for the Cal Grant in Sacramento, and also visiting with friends of the college in order to support students in their educational endeavours.
“One thing I greatly appreciated was that she allowed me to grow into my position. I was not merely a secretary to a task-master boss, but an assistant to a leader who worked alongside me,” says Irene Gallardo, a 17-year Whittier College employee who has been Herzberger’s administrative assistant since she arrived here. “She encouraged me to use my creativity and skills, allowing me to flourish, and be respected on campus.”
Danielle Ruacho-Murillo, ’18, an English & Spanish double major says, “I feel that this school has gone through difficult times in which President Herzberger has shown her astounding qualities as a leader in order to guide us. It is a shame to see her leave, however I know that Whittier College has been lucky to have her. She is an inspiration to me, and I hope she will continue to inspire and shine her light wherever life may take her.”
With her Whittier College pin proudly displayed on her blazer, Herzberger insists that, “Being the president of a small liberal arts college is the best job in the world, … I love what I do. I especially love interacting with students and seeing how they develop from their first moments here until they walk across the graduation stage, that’s a thrill.”
President Herzberger has a parting message for incoming first years and graduating students.
“As much as you know you’re getting an extraordinary education while you’re here, when you go on to graduate school, and you compete really well with students from other colleges and universities, you realize what you really learned here. I would always advise students, when you get a degree from Whittier you can do anything. And you should think about what you really want to do, what your aspirations are, and go for it, because you are really well prepared.”
“You should think about what you really want to do, what your aspirations are, and go for it, because you are really well prepared.”
As for advice for the new incoming president, Herzberger said, “Whittier has the best student body of any college or university. We have the most dedicated faculty who are here because they are interested in student success. So, don’t change those things… I pass on the next major project being residential life and residential living arrangements,” she says. “Finally, just take the time to get to know this wonderful community.”
For those who will be on campus next semester, look for the portrait of Sharon Herzberger, proudly hung above the stairs on the Mendenhall second floor. As for the new incoming president, the search committee is working hard to ensure she or he will continue to uphold the values and missions of Whittier College.
