To the Board of Trustees of Wells College,

COVID-19 has created an unprecedented time for many institutions, and our dear Wells, but admittedly, we've been on the precipice for awhile now. The shifting landscape of higher education, the options available to students with SUNY's Excelsior Program, and increasing costs of services needed to run an institution of higher education have left Wells College in dire financial straits. While COVID-19 has amplified our troubles, our college was at a deficit prior to COVID-19. The leadership of the college, primarily President Gibralter, had a responsibility to share this information with faculty, staff, students, donors, and alumni/ae but instead sat silent, seemingly accepting our fate rather than acting. 

Over the course of COVID-19, it has become apparent that President Gibralter is ill-equipped to meet the needs of Wells. Employees and community members have shared with alumni/ae that he is an absent President. A grim President. A President that does not work alongside his team. A President that does not celebrate wins, and it seems--does not lead at all. Our current president was, and is, ill prepared for the challenges of leading our college. From where many of us sit, it would appear President Gibralter is waiting for his golden parachute. He has let down our brilliant faculty and staff in his messaging and actions, and has not employed all of the tools in his town-gown arsenal, wanting instead to use Wells College to retire from his career, rather than giving Wells the attention and invigoration she deserves.

We have heard that the President receives a salary far outpacing that of area colleges with a greater student population, and bonuses for services not rendered and metrics not met. We have heard that faculty and staff have had flatlined salaries while the President continues to earn. We have heard that the President maintains a residence in Aurora but does not occupy it. We have heard from faculty, staff, and students about the lack of leadership from this President. We have heard that concerns have been brought by faculty to the Board of Trustees and were given the answer that they will not remove the President. How can alumnae/ni watch while the lifeblood of the institution (faculty, staff, and students) are left without leadership, bereft of any chance to succeed? 

This petition to the Board of Trustees is asking that:

That President Gibralter resign from Wells College effective July 1st, 2020, vacating his contract, and that President Gibralter pledge $50,000 in good faith to Wells College, repaying a bonus he was given under false pretenses. 

We ask that the Board of Trustees Members recognize that it is unethical to reward poor leadership and repeated failure while relying on the backs of people still paying off their Wells education. We have 14 days to meet our goal of raising 7.5 million. It is imperative that we have new leadership, accountability, and transparency moving forward so Wells has a chance to survive not only COVID-19, but the additional challenges that are sure to follow. 

Signed,