Dear Ken,

I am sick and have not been able to heal as fast as I have expected and wanted. That has prevented me from getting to talk to you in person, which I have regretted. I have been trying to keep on doing everything and it's hard not to try to do that I don't have all the energy I need but still I wanted to tell you that I got your letter, and to thank you for the care and caring that went into it. I wanted you know that I want to do justice to your letter and I am thinking about it and reflecting deeply. I don't know what the next steps are, but I do know the seriousness, I respect your passion and dedication, and the dignity with which you expressed your feelings. I appreciated how you kept your comments very professional. In your last letter I was very hurt that you attacked my character, and it hurt my family very much, for they know the love and respect I have for Goddard, how much it means to me and how hard I work. And as you know I have never said anything to malign your character or be unkind. I see everyone here trying their best in their own ways. My battles are with issues like enrollment, diversity, consistency of policies, retention, monies for development of faculty and staff, renovation, the reputation of the college, the fiscal stability, legal status, etc. I respect how open and honest you have been in your prinicpled opposition to presidency and the board, and as you know I think our students are fortunate to have such a dedicated faculty as you. I have never lost optimism that we could sit down and come up with great ideas together about the college, and I look forward to doing that still and always. It is why I came. As for me I have the highest regard for your (and our colleagues') integrity and beliefs. There are differences and that doesn't make anyone good or bad, right or wrong. We need diversity and we need to feel ok about these differences, for they define a learning community. I am glad we have an environment in which you know that you can express your ideas and that they will be heard with respect and, I am quite sure, love for you on all sides. I feel in very large ways misunderstood and mistrusted, in ways that are sort of unfair, but I also accept that is how it is and that I guess it comes with leadership and leaving beloved ranks of faculty. But I gave that up to serve faculty and students. I have this feeling that Goddard could be different in the traditional distrust of administrators. I know that many of your fears and concerns you express as to my intentions or the board's are really unfounded, and that it is a matter of time and patience for understanding of what I am trying to do as your president for that to emerge in any way you could trust. We have to figure out better and different ways of communicating and I hope you will help do this. I see many opportunities to discuss issues you raise. In the meantime I just want to say I am sorry my illness prevents me from being with you to respond to you more personally right now.

Blessings, Barbara