Sharing the Vision

Calgaard marketed his vision to the parents of prospective students in his State of the University address in 1985. He emphasized the in-progress curriculum changes that aimed to focus the Trinity education more on communication skills, quantitative reasoning, and historical perspective. Quality educators and on campus residency are vital to this goal, and these cost more. But, as Calgaard summarized, “[education] is a preparation or life, and that in most respects, the best preparation for a career are the skills and perspectives developed in a strong general education-liberal arts program (“Calgaard Interview”, 2019).”

It took some time to convince students of Calgaard’s plans as well. In a poorly attended school forum, Dr. Calgaard and Dean of Students Coleen Grissom talked about controversial topics on campus. “Calgaard assured students that no sudden changes would be made in the athletics programs at Trinity,” while promising to judge sports based on number of participants, Trinity’s ability to be competitive in that sport, and non participant student interest (McClendon, 1980). These criteria demonstrate a desire for excellence and concern for how a certain sport impacts the campus as a whole. If liberal arts is a culture, as Calgaard believed it is, then its ideals infiltrate daily student lives; overall excellence means academic prestige, but it also means sports teams that excel. Student interest in sports is both a cause and consequence of a desire for excellence. It is hard to be a successful sports team if no one wants to play, and no one will want to watch if the sports team is not good. The article covering the event includes a photograph of the forum, which appears to have been held in a classroom. This setting, along with the administrators’ separate seating positions at the bottom of the stadium style room, represent the noble intentions of those in charge, but perhaps their failure to see eye to eye with students.