Dana Hall Case
Charles Leasure
Social Values – Dana Hall Case Study
Elaine Betts is addressing Mr. William McMurtrie about changes that might be necessary for the survival of Dana Hall. This imaginary dialogue is based on a case study titled Dana Hall: Funding Mission article by McFarlan, Leonard & Tritter, 2006.
E.B. = You and I certainly have a very serious mission in formulating a new mission for Dana Hall. The present mission of the school has served it well in the past but is it right for the future of Dana Hall?
W. M. = I have only been involved with Dana Hall a short time but I am a trustee because I believe in what the school has done for its students as a single sex school. The girls are more confident, more academically engaged, and happier than students in coeducational schools. Why do we need to change?
E.B. = Yes, I agree that Dana Hall is a wonderful school and that the students have flourished. But can the school continue to survive with declining enrollment and ongoing financial difficulties? We have gone from 450 students a few years ago to 374 now. This decline occurred even as we expanded into other grades and ages. Tuition had covered expenses in other years but now we are relying more on other sources of income that give us an unstable financial base. We seem to be living from year to year. This will make it very hard to grow our student body numbers.
W.M. = It is easy to see the deficits adding up and fewer students in the future. The present method of financing of the school will surely lead to eventually closing the institution. I feel that we have three choices. We could continue on as we are until the school closes, we could make the school coeducational or we could somehow improve the financial and enrollment situation. It is my objective to keep Dana Hall open. What do you think will work?
E.B. = Again, I can say that Dana Hall has been excellent for girls for the past hundred years (McFarlan, Leonard, & Tritter, 2006). I
Social Values – Dana Hall Case Study
Elaine Betts is addressing Mr. William McMurtrie about changes that might be necessary for the survival of Dana Hall. This imaginary dialogue is based on a case study titled Dana Hall: Funding Mission article by McFarlan, Leonard & Tritter, 2006.
E.B. = You and I certainly have a very serious mission in formulating a new mission for Dana Hall. The present mission of the school has served it well in the past but is it right for the future of Dana Hall?
W. M. = I have only been involved with Dana Hall a short time but I am a trustee because I believe in what the school has done for its students as a single sex school. The girls are more confident, more academically engaged, and happier than students in coeducational schools. Why do we need to change?
E.B. = Yes, I agree that Dana Hall is a wonderful school and that the students have flourished. But can the school continue to survive with declining enrollment and ongoing financial difficulties? We have gone from 450 students a few years ago to 374 now. This decline occurred even as we expanded into other grades and ages. Tuition had covered expenses in other years but now we are relying more on other sources of income that give us an unstable financial base. We seem to be living from year to year. This will make it very hard to grow our student body numbers.
W.M. = It is easy to see the deficits adding up and fewer students in the future. The present method of financing of the school will surely lead to eventually closing the institution. I feel that we have three choices. We could continue on as we are until the school closes, we could make the school coeducational or we could somehow improve the financial and enrollment situation. It is my objective to keep Dana Hall open. What do you think will work?
E.B. = Again, I can say that Dana Hall has been excellent for girls for the past hundred years (McFarlan, Leonard, & Tritter, 2006). I