Stepping Down: Caspersen will end 5-year reign as chair

Many students on campus are familiar with the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, but few are aware of the person behind the name-Barbara Caspersen, current chair of the Drew University Board of Trustees. Caspersen recently announced plans to step down from the position of board chair following five years of service.

The Drew Board of Trustees is a volunteer group that works with the administration to help ensure that Drew retains its commitment to a liberal arts education. Caspersen stressed that the board has three main responsibilities-to ensure the fiscal well-being of the University, hire the president and set policies. "The board is a self-perpetuating board. They elect new trustees. We have a very good committee on our board, and the Committee remains balanced with a variety of backgrounds," Caspersen said. She also remarked on the benefit of having representative graduates from all three schools as well as the continued participation of trustees emeriti. "They are all people who have demonstrated an interest in higher education and demonstrated an interest in public service or alumni affairs." The board is broken down into numerous committees, such as the Finance Committee or Buildings and Grounds Committee, to tackle individual issues, said Chief Communications Officer Dave Muha.

Caspersen first became involved with the board of trustees when she was attending graduate school at Drew. "I had an unusual case, because I became a trustee as a graduate student here. I was already on a bunch of other boards and had many years of experience as a civic volunteer. [Former University President Tom Kean] took me out to lunch, asked, and I said sure." After serving as vice chair for several years, she became board chair.

It is the job of board chair to keep all projects in the various committees moving and work closely with the president to achieve the University's objectives. "You always want to be attending to the board, and keeping focus. Keep it motivated," Muha said. "I always try to think of Drew as a whole and also all of its parts. Part of my job is making sure things continue on and don't get forgotten about. It's a very multifaceted job and part of it also is making sure the board itself is thriving. You have to keep attending to things," Caspersen added. As board chair, Caspersen assumed the role of spokesperson-presiding over various meetings, graduations and the inauguration.

In 1999, the Graduate School was renamed the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. "I always loved the graduate school-that's how I first got involved with Drew and during the last campaign, then Kean came to my husband and me and asked if we would consider a major gift to help out the graduate school-this would be a naming gift. We were very happy to participate because of our great love for the Graduate School."

Regarding her greatest accomplishment as board chair, Caspersen said, "I think perhaps, in the end, the greatest accomplishment, if you take the whole five years together, my best accomplishment was managing the great change taking place at Drew during this period. The vast majority of my time in this position has been during a period of change. I think it's worked out very well, and I'm very happy about it. Change is always difficult-anywhere at any institution. It's hard for people to envision anything else." Caspersen was an active participant leading the search for a new University president. She feels the transition moved smoothly. "The Search Committee wanted a strong academic leader and I think we certainly found that with President [Bob] Weisbuch. I think he's doing a great job. He's fun to work with because he's a very energetic, very visionary leader and really understands academia. The breadth and depth of his academic vision as well as his pure energy make for a very exciting presidency."

It was the success of this transition and its accomplishment that influenced Caspersen's decision to step down. "I felt the timing was right to step down, both from my personal perspective and for the University. I assumed the role of chair at a time when Gov. Kean's presidency was nearing its end and led the board through the transition," she said. "We're clearly beyond that-President Weisbuch is in his third year and is doing a great job running the University. Now Drew is heading toward its next big challenge, which is the upcoming capital campaign. It's a good time to step aside and let someone else lead the Board through this next important period." While no longer serving as board chair, Caspersen plans to remain active on the board itself.

The capital campaign will address the financial needs of the University by reaching out to alumni, families and individuals within the committee and other organizations to begin raising money. "A few of the likely projects talked about are a new student center and an addition to the Hall of Sciences," Muha said.

Choosing to remain on the board illustrates Caspersen's strong ties to Drew. Entering the Graduate School, Caspersen recalled an immediate affinity with the institution. "I came to graduate school to study English literature. I just loved it. My first course was with Professor Merril Skaggs and it was a course on Willa Cather. I just loved that course so much, and I got very interested in Willa Cather. My husband took up this interest and gave me many first editions of Cather which now we have given to Drew."

While volunteering on the board, Caspersen enjoys devoting time to other interests and pursuits such as her grandchildren. "Family commitments take up time. I like to participate in various sports, particularly rowing, skiing, golf. We move around, which takes a certain amount of time." She credits the success of technology with making it easier to take care of her responsibilities at Drew while off campus and traveling.

Caspersen remains positive on the future of the University, again emphasizing the importance of the new transitions. "No way would I give up any interest in Drew," she said. "I am very pleased about the future and look forward to seeing it unravel. I've been here for a long time and I'm very committed to it and I'm very excited about the direction that Bob Weisbuch is leading it." She adds that the "Board is 100 percent behind [Weisbuch]. We are all very supportive."

"We are very lucky at Drew-I've served on many boards at many different academic institutions over the years and I feel that we are blessed with an excellent board," she said. "The trustees are really engaged, care deeply about Drew, work very hard for Drew, of course contribute financially and they've contributed their wisdom and good judgment. All these things have helped make Drew a better place over the years."