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Letters
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Business New Haven
9/7/1998
By: BNH
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Requiem for Diana
The August 10 issue of Business New Haven contained a news brief concerning the recent resignation of Gateway Community-Technical College President Diana Van Der Ploeg. The item states that Van Der Ploeg “was never fully accepted by members of the Gateway community” due to her being selected for the college presidency over a local candidate, and further notes that “Van Der Ploeg is said to have become disgusted over petty politicking and, some would say, race baiting that proved a distraction throughout her brief tenure.” Sources for this hearsay and innuendo are not quoted.
Contrary to what your narrative implies (and what a July 30 press release I sent to you states), Van Der Ploeg is leaving the college to pursue a unique business opportunity in Colorado, and to be closer to her ailing mother who lives there. She is not leaving for reasons dealing with “race baiting” or “petty politicking.”
During her “brief tenure” at the college, Van Der Ploeg instituted a number of significant, positive changes. She led the development of a new institutional mission statement, purposes and values; planned for the relocation of the college; started to change the student intake process to become more customer-oriented; completed staff reorganization; focused on the institution's efforts to acquire re-accreditation; and reorganized the college's fundraising efforts through a new foundation board of directors.
Far from being “never fully accepted by the Gateway community,” Van Der Ploeg was well liked and well respected by faculty, staff and students at the college. She recently stated that her decision to leave is bittersweet. “On the one hand, I'm excited about my new business opportunity and trying out the corporate world. On the other hand, I'm sad to leave the college and the community because of the wonderful people I work and associate with every day, and the students I've come to know.”
In addition, she was very active in the community and served on the advisory council of the recent International Festival of Arts & Ideas; was a member of the personal committee and the board of directors of the Regional Workforce Development Board; and served on the boards of directors of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity. In 1997, she was United Way state campaign co-chairperson while also participating in New Haven's Regional Growth Partnership and the Executive Orientation Program of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Van Der Ploeg will be truly missed by those who have come to know her as a person and respect her as a professional.
- Zoe Stetson
Director of Public Information & Marketing
Gateway Community-Technical College
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