Alumnae Association Name Change

On Wednesday, August 20th several of us of the MHC Class of '63 met with Trisha Tanner '00, Executive Director of the Alum Association; Rochelle Calhoun '83, P '13; Kijua Sanders-McMurtry and 2 other members of the AA administration Lauren Gaia and J.T. Martin. Lauren and J.T. are involved in work about inclusion and belonging, via their roles in the DEI office. Here is a summary of our discussion.  

Summary of Discussion 

August 20, 2025

  After an introduction by the AA participants, I began with a statement of our support for Mount Holyoke College's commitment to its identity as a gender diverse women's college. 

   There were 3 parameters that framed our discussion about the AA name change.

 - We are not arguing to change decisions already made 

 - On the other hand we are not engaged in this discussion in order be assuaged of our opinions 

 - Rather we hope to effect the AA Administration's thinking as it moves forward.  

 The central points we made were that:

1) We were surprised by the January 2025 announcement of the Alumnae Associaion’s name change and the quick steps to full implementation by June 30, 2025  We have learned that in 2022 the general strategic plan survey sent to alumnae also gathered responses from the Mount Holyoke College community spoke indicated clearly the College’s new commitment to inclusivity. However, that survey did not ask directly for responses to a plan to change the name of the Alumnae Association. That was not clear until, in January 2025 the AA held one virtual meeting so that all alums might respond to the name change.There were no further opportunities to comment. The short notice and single virtual event meant that only a few members of our class were able to participate.

2) We stressed our concern that the promotion of academic excellence for women, and the advocacy for women's rights not be understated. We support Mount Holyoke College's commitment to gender diversity. We also believe that the importance of women's rights should continue to be central to the mission of Mount Holyoke College and the AA. Women have long struggled and continue to struggle to succeed in our male dominated world. 

 3) As Eli Rogan said, we do not want women to be erased in any aspect of Mount Holyoke College's presentation to the outside world.

  4) In response to a question from Alice Andrus we are encouraged to nominate classmates and other older alumnae to the board of the AA. Several of our classmates are good candidates. Please think of those you want to nominate.

  5) We heard good news from Jane Bragg that she has not seen a decrease in giving since January 2025 when the AA name change was first broadcast to the Mount Holyoke College community.

As a result of this discussion we learned from the AA that :

  1) President of the Alum Association board, Rochelle Calhoun, stated that the main take away is that the "roll out" of the AA name change was not well done.

  2) Our  feedback has been welcomed and is very important to the AA.

  3) We have been assured that the importance, since its founding, of Mount Holyoke College's historical role in educating and encouraging women's successes in the world will not be lost in on young alums and students. 

 4) Our points of view were all acknowledged as valid critiques.

To conclude, this discussion about the AA's new title and new public facing identification, encourages us to continue our involvement in the AA and to help shape its future. We can and should certainly speak up about our concerns, and we trust we will be recognized.  

To continue to find ways to participate in Mount Holyoke College's future please note that as President Holley has told us, she welcomes stories about the impact alum's college experience has on our lives and careers. She has launched a project titled Forged in Dissent. President Holley will appreciate our stories herself, and if she is called on to defend and/or testify to justify Mount Holyoke's existence and value to our nation she will be able to rely on the stories of alums as affirmation of the important impact of a Mount Holyoke College education. 

Links are here for the Forged in Dissent project with the form needed to post our stories:

https://www.mtholyoke.edu/why-mount-holyoke/forged-dissent-raise-your-voice-mhc

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPtYTHlvOMPsDzwWqW09bbn_1ycYe6P_s58l3uVvbEtFRPRg/viewform

     Karel Koenig, class president  MHC ‘63. 

 

 

Alumnae Association Name Change Dicussion August 20, 2025 1 - 2pm ET

Trisha Tanner ‘00 Alum Association Executive Director will hold a conversation with us on zoom on August 20th 2025 1- 2pm ET.  If you would like to participate in this discussion, and learn more about the reasons  many of us are concerned, you are welcome. To receive the registration link please email Karel Koenig.

We will discuss with the Trisha Tanner and other AA leaders the name change of The Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association which is now The Mount Holyoke College Alum Association. The purpose stated by the AA leadership is a desire to reflect the College's committment to gender diversity. Your 1963 Class leaders and officers have written a letter to Trisha Tanner '00, AA Executive Director, to state our objections to the name change. In response the AA has offered this discussion. Our letter is posted in the Business Section of this website. The names of our class leaders and officers are: Karel Koenig, Nancy Welker, Stephanie Smith, Fran Hargreaves, Jane Bragg, Eli Groeniger, Paula Bruice, Jenni DeWolf, Diane Rapp, Mary Ann Weiss, Sally Nunneley, and Judy Widmann. The letter is copied to President Danielle Holley. 

 

Trisha Tanner, Executive Director of the Alum Association                                      April 1, 2025

Mount Holyoke College

50 College Street

South Hadley, MA 01075

Dear Trisha Tanner,

  As leaders and officers of the Class of 1963, we object to the name change of The Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association. We speak for ourselves but we are also considering more recent graduates who may or may not identify as exclusively female. As individuals, we are each proud to be an Alumna of Mount Holyoke College. We are proud to be women graduates of an exceptional and gender diverse women’s college.

  “Alum” is slang and sloppy. “Alum’ is a dumbing down when used as an official term.  We object that “Alum” is now the title of our association of graduates when used in any official communications. “Alum” as an abbreviation of Latin sounds ignorant. We feel uncomfortable using it and think it may cause others to ridicule us. Referring to graduates of any institution as alums in casual conversation is common. As one class leader said, “I do not get as exercised about the name change as some of our classmates do. However, I do agree that an official organization (The Alum…. Association or its publications) should not use abbreviations or slang.”

    Alumna/Alumnae words are in accord with the College's statement that those eligible for admission are "women" and "those who identify as women". Moreover, Mount Holyoke is proud to be a women’s college. We of the Class of 1963 are proud to be alumnae of Mount Holyoke, a college that excels in offering liberal arts education for women. The Association should be proud to use the correct name “Alumnae” to designate the organization of Alumnae.

   Although the Association has stated that using the name Alum Association is meant to reflect the College’s gender diversity, we think it a poor choice. Although you may consider us, the Class of 1963 as unaccepting of Mount Holyoke’s commitment to gender diversity, we are not.  Please do not assume that we would like to return to the 1960’s as far as female identity is concerned.  Gender diversity was not part of our Mount Holyoke world, nor was it a prominent part of the world around us in the early 1960’s.  However, we respect and agree and support Mount Holyoke’s identity as gender diverse. We, too, and our families have evolved as has Mount Holyoke. We support our children and grandchildren, their peers, and our extended family and friends many of whom do not identify as “traditionally female.” 

   In addition to objecting to the use of “alum” in an official title of any kind, we strongly object to the fact that alumnae were not consulted before this change was made.  We recall that many decades ago surveys went to all alumnae to request opinions about whether Mount Holyoke should become a co-educational college. Alumnae had a voice. The decision to remain a women’s college is one we and many others applauded then and we applaud it now as well.  We are sad and disappointed. We have had no voice in the decision to change the Alumnae Association’s title. It appears that neither did other alumnae did not have a voice. 

   As noted above, Mount Holyoke is open to all who are born female or identify as female. The officers of the Class of 1963 see no reason why the name of our association should not continue to reflect this fact and remain designated “The Alumnae Association”. Moreover, we object strongly to the fact that alumnae were not consulted before this change was made.     

We request reconsideration of this decision.

Another related point:

      Most graduate associations at colleges and universities that previously had been open to women only but subsequently opened to all genders have continued to use the title Alumni Association. If alternatives for naming Mount Holyoke’s Alumnae Association were to be considered, we strongly object to the word “Alumni.”  Alumni is not an appropriate term for Mount Holyoke graduates.  When used for a co-ed institution “Alumni” is meant to include women. However, “Alumni” in the Latin subsumes women.

Karel Koenig, Class President 1963 and the Class of 1963 Officers and Leaders

Cc: Danielle Holley, President, Mount Holyoke College