Reexamining Wellesley’s Modernist Classic
An exhibition this fall in the Jewett Art Gallery, a question of imagination and taste: the Jewett Arts Center, then and now, included original artifacts, blueprints, furniture, drawings, and photographs related to the history and the contemporary life of the building, which was designed by Paul Rudolph and opened in 1958. Samara Pearlstein, gallery director and program coordinator, worked with students to recreate photos from earlier in the College’s history, like the one above.
Unearthing College Hall
Digging Into History: The Wellesley College Hall Archaeology Project, a Davis Museum exhibition on view until Dec. 14, showcases artifacts uncovered by more than 100 Wellesley students, staff, and faculty members. From 2017 to 2022, former Wellesley anthropology faculty member Elizabeth Minor ’03, now an assistant professor of anthropology at California Polytechnic State University, led excavations on Severance Hill, the site of the 1914 College Hall fire. “By examining a single, transformative moment in the College’s history, this collaborative research offers new ways of thinking about memory, belonging, and how communities shape their narratives,” Minor wrote in the exhibition materials. Some of the dozens of artifacts on view include melted glass and boiled brick from the intense fire, a diode likely from the physics lab (the second in the nation for undergraduate students), a piece of a dining hall tray likely used as a sled, and this tiny silver thimble, inscribed “Mamie,” discovered by Megan Rodriguez-Hawkins ’25.
Non-Tenure Track Faculty Ratify First Contract
On Sept. 5, WOAW-UAW, the union representing Wellesley’s non-tenure track (NTT) faculty, announced that it had voted to ratify a three-year contract with the College. The contract went into effect immediately.
The comprehensive agreement includes higher starting salaries, additional adjustments associated with a new salary scale, and a 10.75% across-the-board salary increase over the three-year contract for all union members. NTT faculty who elect to teach a fifth course will receive an additional significant increase to their base salaries. The contract also includes new titles and a new dependent care benefit.
“We want to express our deep appreciation to all who were involved in the negotiations over these last 18 months,” stated Courtney Coile, provost and Lia Gelin Poorvu ’56 Dean of the College. “Their hard work and dedication enabled us to reach this important milestone. We recognize that this has been a challenging journey at times, and we look forward to starting this next chapter, united in our commitment to providing an outstanding education for our students.”
Check Out the New Clapp
The Margaret Clapp Library reopened to the Wellesley community on Sept. 2 after 18 months of renovations. During the first days of the semester, students were already taking advantage of new study spots and services, including the redesigned public service desk, pictured at left. A feature on the Clapp renovation will appear in the spring magazine, after the final work on the library is done—including the creation of a new café on the first floor.
“Wellesley will be there every step of the way so that when you move out into the world, including into areas not yet fully welcoming to women and people of color, you will be taken seriously and have a network of alumnae supporting you. … We are doubling down on this strength by making it easier for students to connect to our powerful alumnae network and finding new ways to share our alumnae’s stories to show the impact of a Wellesley education.”
By the Numbers Student Research, Summer 2025
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106 posters were on display in the Science Center on July 31, when more than 100 students presented their work
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65 Wellesley faculty members and research scientists mentored students conducting summer research, representing over a dozen departments across the College, including the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the Wellesley Centers for Women.
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1,025 sweet treats were consumed at the poster session, including 450 mini desserts at lunch and 16 platters of cookies at the afternoon break.
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2 students traveled to Iceland with Justin Armstrong, associate teaching professor in writing and anthropology, to work on an audio ethnography project funded by the College’s Mellon Foundation Humanities for All Times grant.
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