{"id":1906,"date":"2026-06-24T20:11:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T20:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/?page_id=1906"},"modified":"2026-06-26T13:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:06:11","slug":"campus-bookstore-transition","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/campus-bookstore-transition\/","title":{"rendered":"Campus Bookstore Information and Updates"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Letter to SMCM Community, Jun. 26, 2026<\/p>\n

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A Message from the President<\/h2>\n

Campus Bookstore Transition<\/h2>\n

Over the past several weeks, I have heard from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others regarding the Board of Trustees' recent recommendation to transition Campus Bookstore operations to Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. I appreciate the thoughtful feedback, questions, and concerns that many have shared. One thing has become abundantly clear: people care deeply about the Campus Bookstore and the Daily Grind.<\/p>\n

I understand why this decision has prompted concern, particularly for those who have strong connections to the Campus Bookstore and Daily Grind and recognize that these spaces create opportunities for students to gather and connect, form friendships and community, and create memories that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. They are truly woven into the fabric of the St. Mary's experience.<\/p>\n

Because of the importance of these spaces to our community, the Board's recommendation was not made lightly. The recommendation followed a comprehensive review process that included a formal Request for Proposal, evaluation by a cross-functional review team, and consideration by multiple Board committees before reaching the full Board for action. Throughout that process, the College evaluated how best to ensure the long-term sustainability of bookstore operations and services.<\/p>\n

An important factor in that evaluation was the financial performance of the bookstore. Like many campus bookstores across the country, ours has experienced significant operating losses for several years. As an auxiliary enterprise, however, it is expected to be financially self-supporting. All sustained losses by auxiliary enterprises must be covered by other institutional resources that are ultimately intended to support the College's mission and student experience.<\/p>\n

As stewards of the College, we have a responsibility to carefully evaluate how resources are used and to make decisions that position the institution for long-term success. At the same time, financial sustainability alone cannot be the only consideration. Preserving the distinctive character of St. Mary's and the experiences that matter most to our students remains equally important. As that work continues, our focus remains on preserving the aspects of the Campus Bookstore and Daily Grind that are most valued by our community while ensuring a successful transition for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors.<\/p>\n

As planning continues, our focus will remain on three priorities:<\/p>\n

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  1. Serving as responsible stewards of College resources<\/li>\n
  2. Preserving the traditions and experiences that define St. Mary's College<\/li>\n
  3. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of bookstore services for future generations of students<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I recognize that not everyone agrees with this decision, and I respect those perspectives. Strong institutions benefit from engaged community members who care deeply about their future. I remain committed to listening, answering questions, and providing updates as additional information becomes available.<\/p>\n

    This page will serve as a central source of information regarding the transition, including answers to frequently asked questions and updates as planning progresses.<\/p>\n

    Thank you for your continued commitment to St. Mary's College of Maryland.<\/p>\n

    Sincerely,<\/p>\n

    Rhonda Phillips, Ph.D., FAICP
    \nPresident<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Letter to SMCM Community, Jun. 26, 2026 A Message from the President Campus Bookstore Transition Over the past several weeks, I have heard from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others regarding the Board of Trustees' recent recommendation to transition Campus Bookstore operations to Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. I appreciate the thoughtful feedback, questions, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1906","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1906"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1906\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1920,"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1906\/revisions\/1920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smcm.edu\/president\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}