1. law, govt and politics
2. legal issues
3. civil rights

January 16, 2015
The Andover
Gazette
The Newsletter of the Phillips Academy Community
DUTY OFFICER: Paul Murphy
cell.................................................. 978-764-8601
pager.............................................. 978-749-4550
DEAN ON DUTY: Frank Tipton
home............................................... 978-749-4554
cell.................................................. 978-761-8251
pager.............................................. 978-749-4558
GRAHAM HOUSE: Max Alovisetti
cell.................................................. 978-407-1239
STUDENT ACTIVITIES: Chris Capano
cell.................................................. 978-761-3081
office.......................978-749-4174, 978-749-4183
“We must learn to live together as brothers
or perish together as fools.”
—Martin Luther King Jr.
CONTENTS
The Scene.................................................. 2
MLK Jr. Day Keynote Speaker............. 3
MLK Jr. Day Schedule............................ 3
Faculty Piano Recital.............................. 4
The Boys of St. Paul’s Choir.................. 4
Debby Irving Workshop for Faculty.....4
ISEEN Institute........................................ 5
A Cappella Concert.................................. 5
Gurry Rink Dedication.......................... 5
2015 Grants Call for Applications........ 5
CAMD Scholar Presentation................. 6
Candidate Visits...................................... 6
Mediterranean Landscapes................... 6
MLK Jr. Day Schedule at a Glance...... 7
MLK Jr. Day Workshops........................ 8
From the OWHL.................................... 10
Employment and Benefits News........ 11
Athletics Schedule................................ 12
Classified Ads........................................ 12
Winter ASM Schedule.......................... 12
Academic Council Minutes................. 13
FAC Minutes.......................................... 13
Upcoming Faculty Meetings............... 13
SAC Minutes.......................................... 14
MLK Jr. Day 2015
Diversity and Inclusion Equals Excellence
While many schools and businesses give their students and employees a day off on
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the PA community will spend the day exploring issues of
race, class, sexual orientation, gender, and activism. The school’s regular class schedule
will be preempted so that students, faculty, and staff can take advantage of an extensive
offering of workshops, presentations, and guest performances. Please see details of the
day’s offerings on pages 3, 7, 8, and 9.
We view Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an opportunity to promote dialogue on issues
that matter to all of us, but often are difficult to discuss. Through workshops led by students and faculty members, as well as presentations and lectures by several off-campus
guests, we hope to create a climate on campus that will allow us to reflect and talk about
the challenging issues that face an increasingly diverse community and world.
With the recent publication of Out of the Blue, we are offering a special performance
devoted to dramatizing and discussing the stories and poems published in the book.
We are excited to provide an opportunity for our youngest students to engage in dialogue about the wide range of experiences covered in Out of the Blue as each ninth-grader
received a copy of the book in December. Adults in the community are invited to attend
any event happening on MLK Jr. Day, including the OOTB performances.
Finally, I am excited to announce that Brian Gittens ’89 will kick off the day’s events
with a special All-School Meeting at 9:30 a.m. in Cochran Chapel. The Phillips Academy
Gospel Choir also will entertain us and set the tone for the day.
Please contact the CAMD office with any questions or concerns.
—Linda Griffith
Dean, Community and Multicultural Development
An Evening with Lorene Cary
An African American author, educator, and social activist, Lorene Cary grew up in a
working-class neighborhood in Philadelphia. In 1972 she was awarded a scholarship to
attend the elite St. Paul’s boarding school, entering in the school’s second year of coeducation as one of the fewer than 10 African American female students
there. Once there, she was forced to find her identity. While being
educated in a system constructed by whites, she struggled as best
she could to hold on to her African American culture. Conflicting
messages and emotions eventually inspired her best-selling book,
Black Ice.
Today, January 16, at 7 p.m. in Kemper Auditorium, Cary will
reflect on her experiences as a student at St. Paul’s as well as
address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in
independent schools.
Cary is the founder of the Art Sanctuary in Philadelphia and
a senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania. Her visit is sponsored by the Office of Community and Multicultural Development and funded by the Elizabeth Rogers Fund and John H. Hosch III Memorial Fund.
Gazette submissions are due at [email protected] by 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
JANUARY 16, 2015
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2
THE SCENE
Schedule of Community and Extracurricular Activities
Gelb Gallery Exhibition
A Sense of Place: Connecting with
Nature, open through January 30.
Friday, January 16
6:30 p.m.—Drama Labs
“Fugue,” directed by Felipe Chamon ’16
“Late Night Sandstorms or The Writer
& the Sandman,” directed by Erica
Nork ’16
“Shuffle,” directed by Cam Mesinger ’16
Free admission. Theatre Classroom.
7 p.m.—An Evening with Lorene Cary
The social activist and author will discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in
independent schools. Kemper.
7:30 p.m.—Apollo5 A Cappella Concert
Enjoy the British ensemble’s repertoire
of retro jazz, pop, and classical arrangements. Cochran Chapel.
Saturday, January 17
9:30–11:30 a.m.—Apollo5 Workshop
Open to the PA community. Timken
Room, Graves Hall.
1 p.m.—Gurry Rink Dedication
Formerly South Rink, Gurry Rink is
named in honor of Faculty Emeritus
Chris Gurry ’66. Preceded at 11:50 a.m.
by annual coed alumni hockey game.
7:30 p.m.—Faculty Piano Recital
Featuring Stephen Porter performing works by Schubert and Debussy.
Cochran Chapel.
Sunday, January 18
3:30 p.m.—The Boys of St. Paul’s Choir
Concert
Followed at 4:45 p.m. by a Choral
Workshop. Cochran Chapel.
Monday, January 19
9:30–11:30 a.m.—Special All-School
Meeting
Brian Gittens ’89 is the keynote speaker.
Cochran Chapel.
12:30–3 p.m.—Faculty Workshop
Featuring Debby Irving
Focused on increasing our understanding of issues surrounding equity and
inclusion. Lunch served from 11:30 a.m.
to 12:20 p.m. Underwood Room.
6:30 p.m.—CAMD Scholar Presentation
Kailash Sundaram ’15 will present
“The Fight to Be American: Indian
American Political Activism.” Kemper.
Tuesday, January 20
7 p.m.—Mediterranean Landscape
Archaeology
Hear Natalie Susmann speak about her
research during her presentation, which
Save the Date!
Former PA Writer in Residence
Jeffrey Harrison will read his poetry
on Friday, January 23, at 7 p.m. in
the Garver Room at the OWHL.
is part of the Mass. Archaeological
Society’s Northeast Chapter meeting.
Peabody Museum.
Wednesday, January 21
1–2 p.m.—Peabody Museum Tour
Get better acquainted with the museum’s collections by attending this
week’s tour. Peabody Museum.
Friday, January 23
5:30–6:30 p.m.—ISEEN Institute Panel
“The Past, Present, and Future of
Experiential Education at Independent
Schools.” Kemper. Followed by dinner
in Paresky, Upper Left (RSVP required;
see page 5 for details.)
6:30 p.m.—Drama Labs
“Things Get Hairy,” directed by Ravn
Jenkins ’15
“The Role of Della,” directed by Niko
Skrivanos ’17
“Left to Right,” directed by Amadi
Lasenberry ’17
Free admission. Theatre Classroom.
Religious Scene
Friday, January 16
5:30–6:30 p.m.—Jewish Shabbat Service
Led by Rabbi Michael Swarttz and
members of the Jewish Student Union.
Paul’s Room, upper level, Paresky
Commons.
Sunday, January 18
3:30–4:40 p.m.—Concert by
The Boys of St. Paul’s Choir
Presented by the Catholic Chaplaincy.
See page 4 for details. Cochran Chapel.
4:45 p.m.—Choral Workshop
In association with The Boys of St.
Paul’s Choir. Led by Dr. Mary Kantor.
Kemper Chapel, side entrance to
Cochran Chapel.
5:30–6:30 p.m.—Confirmation Class
Led by Dr. Mary Kantor. Classroom
#015, lower level of Cochran Chapel.
6–7 p.m.—Protestant Service
Led by the Reverend Anne Gardner.
Special music by the Phillips Academy
Gospel Choir and Dr. Abbey Siegfried,
piano. Cochran Chapel.
6:45–7:30 p.m.—Roman Catholic Mass
Overseen by Dr. Mary Kantor, Catholic
chaplain, with priests of the Archdiocese of Boston presiding. Special music
by The Boys of St. Paul’s Choir, and
Dr. Abbey Siegfried, school organist. Kemper Chapel, side entrance to
Cochran Chapel.
Monday, January 19
7–8 p.m.—Andover Christian
Fellowship (ACF)
Advisor: Ms. Shawn Fulford. Student
board members: Evelyn Liu ’15 and
Duschia Bodet ’16, coheads. Baldwin
Cloister, lower level (side entrance) of
Cochran Chapel.
Tuesday, January 20
5:15 p.m.—“Culture, Politics, and
Religion” (CPR)
Giving life to discussion about religion, culture, and politics, led by
the Rev. Anne Gardner. Student
coheads: Rebecca Somer ’15 and James
Taylor ’16; associate board members:
Religious Scene continued on page 3
JANUARY 16, 2015
Religious Scene continued from page 2
Roshan Benefo ’16, Alessa
Cross ’16, and Arzu Singh ’16.
Ada’s Room, upper level, Paresky
Commons.
5:15 p.m.—Catholic Student
Fellowship (CSF)
Advisor: Dr. Mary Kantor.
Student board members: Paul
McGovern ’15, president; Tom
Johst ’15, Kristen Overly ’15, and
Paul McGovern ’15, senior executive team; BrianPaul Robert ’16,
Veronica Nutting ’16, Jules
Comte ’16, and Nicole Durrett ’17,
board members; Michaela
Barczak ’15, Tom Burnett ’15, and
Elizabeth Duserick ’16, liaisons to
music ministry and liturgical ministries. Paul’s Room, upper level,
Paresky Commons.
5:15 p.m.—Jewish Student
Union (JSU)
Advisor: Rabbi Michael Swarttz.
Student board members: China
Kantner ’15 and Charlotte
Chazen ’15, copresidents of
secular events; Ellie Blum ’15,
president of religious events;
Leah Adelman ’17, Sydney
Alepa ’15, Ethan Brown ’17, Chaya
Holch ’17, Jen Kaplan ’15, and
Rosie Poku ’17, board members.
CAMD Office, Morse Hall.
Thursday, January 22
5:15–6:15 p.m.—Gospel Choir
Director: Michael Belcher; advisor: Dr. Abbey Siegfried; coheads:
Isabella Berkley ’15 and Duschia
Bodet ’16. All are welcome. No
experience needed. Classroom
#015, lower level of Cochran
Chapel.
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Brian Gittens ’89 Is
MLK Jr. Day All-School Meeting Speaker
Phillips Academy will celebrate Martin
Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 19.
As we have in the past, we will spend the
day exploring issues of race, class, sexual
orientation, gender, immigration, and the
value of diversity.
Kicking off the day’s many highlights is
the special All-School Meeting at 9:30 a.m.
in Cochran Chapel. This year, I am pleased
to announce that Brian Gittens ’89—credited with being the impetus for PA’s current Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations—will be the ASM keynote speaker.
In January 1989, during his senior year
at PA, Gittens led a boycott of classes on
the steps of SamPhil in protest of what he
perceived as PA’s limited recognition of
MLK Jr. Day as a national holiday. During
his speech, he will reflect on the journey,
motivations, and inspirations that compelled him to lead the protest, discuss the
importance of developing a personal value
system and using it to act with confidence
and conviction, and challenge the audience
to examine their values and the strength
of their convictions as they navigate the
volatile wake of recent social injustices. His
speech will be accompanied by remarks
from Rebecca Sykes, president of the
Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation and
PA’s former associate head of school.
Gittens’ visit is sponsored by the Office
of Community and Multicultural Development (CAMD) and funded by the
John H. Hosch III Memorial Fund. For
details on the workshops, presentations,
and sessions to be offered on MLK Jr. Day,
please see pages 7 through 9.
More about Brian Gittens
Upon graduating from PA, Gittens had a
13-year career in the Marine Corps, serving
in the enlisted and officer ranks. He earned
a BA degree in communication studies and
a master’s degree in public administration
from Virginia Tech, as well as a doctorate
in higher education administration from
George Washington University.
Today, Gittens continues his commitment
to diversity and inclusion as the director
of diversity initiatives for the University of
Virginia’s School of Medicine. In this role,
he works collaboratively to implement the
school’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan that
addresses recruitment of underrepresented
health professionals and students, community outreach and engagement, and health
equity issues.
—Linda Griffith
Dean, Community and Multicultural Development
MLK Jr. Day Schedule
Monday, January 19
7:30–9:30 a.m.—Breakfast (Paresky)
9:30–11:30 a.m.—Special All-School
Meeting (Cochran Chapel)
The Andover
Gazette
Tracy Sweet (ext. 4313)
Director of Academy Communications
Audrey Doyle (ext. 4659)
Editor and Designer
Printed on recycled paper in Central Services. Please
recycle your Gazette.
11 a.m.–2 p.m.—Lunch (Paresky)
11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.—Faculty Lunch
(Underwood Room)
11:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m.—Workshops
(see pages 7 through 9 for details)
12:30–2:45 p.m.—Faculty Development
Program with Debby Irving (Kemper)
1:45 p.m.—Lowers: “Ferguson, Media, and
Crime,” presented by Dr. David Canton
(Tang Theatre)
3:30 p.m.—Juniors: “Out of the Blue,”
presented by Drama Labs
(Tang Theatre)
5–7 p.m.—Dinner (Paresky Commons)
MLK Jr. Day continued on page 7
JANUARY 16, 2015
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Faculty Piano Recital
On Saturday, January 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Cochran Chapel, the
music department will present a Faculty Piano Recital featuring Stephen Porter performing works by Schubert and Debussy.
New York Arts calls Porter’s playing “a transcendent experience,” and his Schubert performances in particular are praised as
“superb” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), “extraordinary ... compelling
and moving” (Berkshire Review), and “a revelation ... disturbingly
beautiful” (Early Music America). The Boston Musical Intelligencer
describes his Debussy as “masterful ... everything is graceful and
appropriate.”
This event is free and open to the public. For more information,
please contact the music department at [email protected] or
ext. 4260.
The Boys of St. Paul’s Choir
to Perform Sunday, Jan. 18
On Sunday, January 18, at 3:30 p.m. in Cochran Chapel, the
Catholic Chaplaincy will present a concert by The Boys of
St. Paul’s Choir. Funded by an Abbot Academy Association grant,
the concert is made possible through the “St. Paul’s Choir School
Project,” initiated by Tom Burnett ’15, a St. Paul’s Choir School
alumnus, with advisor Dr. Mary Kantor, Catholic chaplain.
4
MLK Jr. Day Faculty Workshop
Featuring Debby Irving
On Monday, January 19, we are very fortunate to have Debby
Irving, author of Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story
of Race, on campus to run an adult-only workshop. Faculty who
read her book describe it as providing powerful examples of
systemic privilege that furthered their understanding of complex issues surrounding equity and
inclusion. This workshop presents an
extraordinary opportunity for faculty
to come together and work collaboratively toward increasing our understanding of these critical issues.
For many years now, our students
have been required to participate in
MLK Jr. Day activities. Many faculty
members have chosen to participate as
well. We are at a pivotal point in the
history of our country given the recent
tragic deaths of Michael Brown and
Eric Garner. Our underrepresented
students of color used The Phillipian and a presentation to faculty
as platforms to heighten our awareness of how race affects the
Phillips Academy community. It is our hope, then, that all faculty
members will choose to attend Debby Irving’s workshop in
Kemper Auditorium on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Lunch
will be served for the participants in the Underwood Room
from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., and the workshop will run from
12:30 to 2:45 p.m.
More about Debby Irving
The St. Paul’s Choir School is an academically rigorous Catholic
day school for boys in grades four through eight. Since 1963, the
Choir School has formed and educated boys in the rich musical tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. The boys of the
St. Paul’s Choir School sing daily mass at St. Paul’s Church in
Cambridge, Mass.
Led by Director of Music John Robinson, the former assistant
organist at Canterbury Cathedral, the St. Paul’s Choir School is
noted for its extraordinary choral singing. Recently, the Choir
School received critical acclaim for its international recording,
Christmas in Harvard Square.
The concert is free and open to the public. Following the concert,
a Choral Workshop will be held at 4:45 p.m. (open to the PA community only) and Catholic Mass will be held at 6:45 p.m. (open
to the public). For more information, please contact the music
department at ext. 4260 or [email protected].
Debby Irving brings to racial justice the perspective of working
as a community organizer and classroom teacher for 25 years
without understanding racism as a systemic issue or her own
whiteness as an obstacle to grappling with it. As general manager
of Boston’s Dance Umbrella and First
Night, and later as a classroom teacher
in Cambridge, Mass., she struggled to
make sense of tensions she could feel but
not explain in racially mixed settings. In
2009, a graduate school course, Racial and
Cultural Identities, gave her the answers
she’d been looking for and launched her
on a journey of discovery.
Debby now devotes herself to working
with white people to explore the impact
white skin can have on perception, problem solving, and engaging in racial justice
work. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA
degree from Kenyon College and an MBA degree from Simmons
College. Her first book, Waking Up White, tells the story of how
she went from well meaning to well doing.
—Patrick Farrell, Dean of Faculty
—Linda Griffith, Dean of Community and Multicultural Development
—Nancy Lang, Associate Dean of Faculty
JANUARY 16, 2015
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PA to Host ISEEN Institute
Please help me in welcoming 130 educators from around the
world for the 10th annual Independent Schools Experiential
Education Network (ISEEN) Institute, to be hosted by PA from
Wednesday, January 21, through Saturday, January 24. Practitioners in the fields of service learning, global travel, outdoor education, sustainability, and youth leadership will convene on campus
to learn from one another and participate in workshops conducted by experts in experiential philosophy and methodology.
In addition, the following events, open to staff and faculty
friends, will take place on Friday, January 23.
• Panel: “The Past, Present, and Future of Experiential
Education at Independent Schools”—5:30–6:30 p.m., Kemper
Moderated by Prescott College’s Dan Garvey and joined by
Charter Trustee Peter Currie ’74, this panel will be lively and
stimulating.
• Dinner—6:45–9 p.m., Paresky Commons, Upper Left
If you’d like to join the conversation, consider staying for
dinner. Just a few seats remain, and there is a cost associated
with participation (paid for by PA), so please RSVP to
[email protected] by the end of today, January 16.
Everyone from the Institute will be wearing a green lanyard with
“ISEEN” printed on it, as well as a nametag. Please say hello and
strike up a conversation if you have the chance!
—Mark Cutler
Instructor in Spanish; Director of Outdoor Pursuits
A Cappella Group to Perform Tonight
Tonight, January 16, at 7:30 p.m. in Cochran Chapel, the music
department will present the British a cappella ensemble Apollo5.
With a repertoire ranging from retro jazz, pop, and classical
arrangements to Christmas a cappella, Apollo5 has been praised
for its engaging and entertaining performances.
Apollo5 has performed throughout the United Kingdom and
Europe, and began touring in the United States in 2014. The
group works with numerous charitable foundations, among them
Voces Cantabiles Music (VCM), whose education program aims
to inspire creativity through music.
The concert is free and open to the public. In addition, for the
PA community, the group will hold a workshop on Saturday,
January 17, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Timken Room in Graves
Hall. For more information on the concert and workshop, please
contact the music department at [email protected] or ext. 4260.
5
Gurry Rink Dedication
On Saturday, January 17, PA faculty,
administrators, and staff are
invited to join alumni, parents,
and friends for the dedication of Gurry Rink. Formerly
South Rink, Gurry Rink is
named in honor of Faculty
Emeritus Chris Gurry ’66,
who worked at Andover
for 40 years as a history and
social science instructor, house
counselor, and head hockey
coach, with coaching stints for the
golf and lacrosse teams.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, Gurry Rink joins Harrison
Rink—named for legendary hockey coach and former athletics director Ted Harrison ’38, who coached decades of players,
including Gurry, for whom he was a longtime mentor—in being
dedicated to an icon of Andover academic and athletic excellence.
The dedication and plaque unveiling will take place at 1 p.m.
Speakers will include Gurry and Head of School John Palfrey.
Refreshments will follow in the Horner Room (at the rink). The
dedication will be preceded by the annual coed alumni hockey
game at
11:50 a.m.
For more information, please contact Jenny Savino at ext. 4278.
Call for Applications
For Faculty Professional and Curricular Development Grants and
Kenan Grants for Graduate Study, Summer 2015
The Faculty and Administrator Supplement to the General Policies
Handbook notes: “The Academy has funds available for partial
tuition grants for formal courses—usually taken during the
summer—that will directly enhance an instructor’s professional
competence.” The supplement further notes that funds are also
available to faculty for summer work needed for the planning of
new or significantly revised courses.
If you have a proposal for professional or curricular development
or would like to apply for tuition aid for graduate study, please
complete the online application at http://bit.ly/1DRYPsN. The
application requests a summary of your proposal and a detailed
budget. Faculty members must seek approval from the appropriate supervisor (department chair, division head, director, dean,
etc.) before submitting the application. The deadline for applying is Wednesday, February 11, at 5 p.m. The offices of the dean
of faculty and dean of studies will collaborate to make decisions
on applications by mid-March. Please direct questions to me at
ext. 4008 or [email protected].
Important Note Regarding Kenan Grants: Anyone who has
received tuition aid for the present academic year and who wants
this aid to continue in fiscal year 2016 (beginning July 1, 2015)
will need to reapply.
—Nancy Lang
Associate Dean of Faculty
JANUARY 16, 2015
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CAMD Scholar Presentation
Kailash Sundaram ’15
CAMD Scholar
Monday, January 19, 6:30 p.m.
Kemper Auditorium
Dessert will be served.
Free and open to the public.
Faculty advisor: Theodore Parker,
instructor in history and
social science
“The Fight to Be American:
Indian American Political Activism”
Numbering around three million, Americans of Indian descent
compose approximately one percent of the U.S. population.
While the Indian American community has fared well in fields
such as medicine, business, and technology, its political activism often has centered on establishing its “Americanness” and
fighting the Perpetual Foreigner Syndrome. Economic success—
Indian Americans are one of the most-educated and highestearning populations in the United States—has not translated to
political success.
Through an examination of the American political landscape and
the Indian American community, Kailash Sundaram ’15 will shed
light on Indian American political activism and political figures
in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Sundaram’s presentation will be followed by a guest speaker
who will address the importance of having people of color in
public service.
Sponsored by the Office of Community and Multicultural
Development, the CAMD Scholar program, established in 2006,
allows selected students to pursue independent summer research
projects related to diversity, multiculturalism, community, and/
or identity with the guidance of a faculty advisor.
Remaining 2014–2015
CAMD Scholar Presentations
Friday, January 30: Carrie Ingerman ’15*
“Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities: An
Analysis of the Past, Present, and Future of Overcoming
Ableism in Private New England Boarding Schools”
*Ingerman is the Barbara Landis Chase CAMD Scholar.
Faculty advisors: Patricia Davison, director of the Academic
Skills Center and coordinator of Student Disability Services;
Susanne Torabi, international student coordinator
Friday, February 13: Xinyi “Joyce” Wang ’15
“The Institutions of Inequality: An Examination of
Migrant Schools in Mainland China”
Faculty advisor: Susanne Torabi, international student
coordinator
6
Candidate Visits January 20 & 21
For Director of Academy Research,
Information and Library Services
Phillips Academy is restructuring its library function to include
both academic and institutional information services. The search
committee is presenting two finalists for the inaugural position of
Director of Academy Research, Information and Library Services
to the community next week.
Faculty and staff are invited to meet the candidates and exchange
views on the future of the OWHL. The sessions will take place
from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Trustee Room on Tuesday, January 20, and
Wednesday, January 21.
Background information on both candidates will be posted in
Campus News on PAnet prior to the visits.
Investigating Meaningful Places
in Bronze and Iron Age Crete
Are dismantled ancient or historic
structures “ruins” and symbols of a
more glorious past? Or did they provide an incentive for departing from
cultural and political forms of the past?
“Ruined” structures imply failure, but
the term may imply the opposite from
what actually occurred. Removing the
term “ruin” from the archaeological
vocabulary will help us understand
the ways in which individuals engaged
with their landscape and give greater
meaning to natural space, not just
structures.
A PhD candidate in the Department
of Archaeology at Boston University,
specializing in Mediterranean landscape
archaeology, Natalie Susmann will
speak about her research in this field
on Tuesday, January 20, at 7 p.m. at the
Massachusetts Archaeological Society’s
Northeast Chapter meeting held at the Peabody Museum, which
will begin with chapter business.
JANUARY 16, 2015
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7
MLK Jr. Day continued from page 3
MLK Jr. Day Workshops, Presentations, and Sessions at a Glance
Event (see pages 8 and 9 for descriptions)
Time
Location
Leader(s)
1. A Conversation and Lunch with Brian Gittens ’89
Noon
CAMD Office,
Morse Hall
Brian Gittens ’89, ASM keynote speaker
2.
11:30 a.m.
Unobskey,
Room 205
David Gutierrez ’15, Ryan Kim ’15, Carrie
Ingerman ’15 (Noah Rachlin)
3. A Tale of Three Cities: Hip-Hop in the 21st Century
11:30 a.m.
Tang Theatre
Dr. David Canton, associate professor of
history, Connecticut College
4.
Catch Me If You Can: Identity Politics and Performances in
Socioeconomic “Passing”
11:30 a.m.
SamPhil, Room B02
Fadzi Gambiza ’16, Ashley Scott ’16
(LaShonda Long)
5.
LGBTQA+ Ally Training
Noon
1924 House
AJ Augustin ’15, Jaleel Williams ’15,
Hana Vale ’15 (Andrea Orben)
6.
No, Where Are You Really From? The Asian American
Perpetual Immigrant Dilemma
Noon
Museum Learning
Center, Addison
Gallery
Victoria Bian ’15 (Adrian Khactu;
C.N. Le, PhD, UMass Amherst)
7.
#LiftEveryVoice: Examining the Contemporary Language
Around Race and Privilege
12:30 p.m.
Tirana Room,
Bulfinch
Fiona Yonkman ’16, Andrew Wang ’16,
Auguste White ’17 (Catherine Tousignant,
Isabel Geathers)
8.
Dominant Standards of Beauty: How They Affect the
Self-Perception of Women of Color ALL WOMEN
11:30 a.m.
SamPhil, Room 102
Veda Robinson, former PA college counselor
and Brace Center Faculty Fellow
9.
Race Science: 19th- and 20th-Century Justifications for
Racism and Eugenics
2 p.m.
Gelb, Room 108
Carrie Ingerman ’15, Nikky Navarrete ’15
(Damany Fisher)
10. Different Strokes for Queer Folks
2:30 p.m.
Gelb, Room 103
AJ Augustin ’15 (Kassie Archambault)
11. Use of the N Word
3 p.m.
Kemper
Emmanuel Odjo (Madison Pettaway ’17,
Zach Ruffin ’17)
12. I Got Next: Basketball, Power, Community, and Spirit
3 p.m.
Freeman Room,
OWHL
Cem Vardar ’15 (Onaje Offley Woodbine)
13. Do You Look Like Captain America? A New Age of Heroes
3 p.m.
Tirana Room,
Bulfinch
Bella Oliva ’16 (Adrian Khactu)
14. An Oppressive Ideal: Contemporary Representations of
Black Men in Television, Film, and Pop Culture and Their
Repercussions
5 p.m.
CAMD Office,
Morse Hall
Avery Jonas ’16 (Tracy Ainsworth)
15. CAMD Scholar Presentation—”The Fight to Be American:
The Lack of Indian-American Political Activism”
6:30 p.m.
Kemper
Kailash Sundaram ’15 (Theodore Parker)
Lowers: “Ferguson, Media, and Crime”
1:45 p.m.
Tang Theatre
Dr. David Canton, associate professor of
history, Connecticut College
Juniors: “Out of the Blue” (Drama Labs presentation)
3:30 p.m.
Tang Theatre
Emma Kukielski ’15, Nate Redding ’16
(Allen Grimm)
Race and Socioeconomic Status in Achievement Gap
MLK Jr. Day continued on page 8
JANUARY 16, 2015
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8
MLK Jr. Day continued from page 7
MLK Jr. Day Workshops, Presentations, and Sessions
Phillips Academy will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 19.
The following workshops, presentations, and sessions are scheduled to take place throughout the day.
1. A Conversation and Lunch with Brian Gittens ’89
(Noon; CAMD Office, Morse Hall)
4. Catch Me If You Can: Identity Politics and Performances in
Socioeconomic “Passing” (11:30 a.m.; SamPhil, Room B02)
Brian Gittens’ commitment to issues of diversity and equity was
shaped by his experiences as a student at Phillips Academy, as
he is credited with being the impetus for the current celebration
of PA’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. In January 1989,
during his senior year, Gittens led a boycott of classes on the steps
of Samuel Phillips Hall in protest of what he perceived as PA’s
limited recognition of MLK Jr. Day as a national holiday. Almost
25 years later, Gittens continues his commitment to diversity and
inclusion as the director of diversity initiatives for the University
of Virginia’s School of Medicine.
—Brian Gittens ’89, MLK Jr. Day Keynote Speaker
This workshop will explore the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., the
subject of Steven Spielberg’s film Catch Me If You Can. We will
utilize the history of racial passing as a jumping-off point to
examine socioeconomic passing in American culture, and particularly here at Andover. Prerequisite: Watch Catch Me If You Can on
MediaSpace.
—Fadzi Gambiza ’16, Ashley Scott ’16 (LaShonda Long)
2. Race and Socioeconomic Status in Achievement Gap
(11:30 a.m.; Unobskey, Room 205)
The term “achievement gap” refers to a consistently documented
gap in academic performance among students of different races
and socioeconomic status. With regard to standardized test
results, college completion rates, and other measures of academic
success, white students consistently outperform their nonwhite
peers, and young people who come from low-income families do
not perform as well as those who come from wealthier families.
The factors that perpetuate this gap are often systemic, and efforts
to diminish, and ultimately eliminate, the achievement gap have
been the focus of education policy in recent years. Through the
use of media, simulations, and discussion, this workshop will
examine the forces that create the achievement gap, as well as the
long-term impact that the achievement gap has on both individuals and society as a whole.
—David Gutierrez ’15, Ryan Kim ’15, Carrie Ingerman ’15
(Noah Rachlin)
3. A Tale of Three Cities: Hip-Hop in the 21st Century
(11:30 a.m.; Tang Theatre)
Many hip-hop scholars view 1988 as the golden era in hip-hop
because commercial radio played all hip-hop genres—political,
gangsta, and pop. Over the past 10 years, commercial hip-hop has
dominated mainstream radio, but Internet and social media have
also provided opportunities for noncommercial hip-hop artists.
This workshop will examine the three genres of hip-hop: commercial, battle rappers, and underground.
—Dr. David Canton, Associate Professor of History,
Connecticut College
5. LGBTQA+ Ally Training (Noon; 1924 House)
This is the first of many sessions of LGBTQA+ ally training for
Phillips Academy. Participants will learn how to become more
effective and active allies through discussion and group activities.
(Sign-up only through first choice.)
—AJ Augustin ’15, Jaleel Williams ’15, Hana Vale ’15
(Andrea Orben)
6. No, Where Are You Really From? The Asian American
Perpetual Immigrant Dilemma (Noon; Museum Learning
Center, Addison Gallery)
We all have seen Asians portrayed as the math whiz, the quiet
girl, and the computer geek in the media. We all have seen or
heard someone mix up two Asians who “look the same”; perhaps we’ve even done it ourselves. What makes these forms of
stereotypes and generalizations so widespread and so socially
acceptable? Why are ideas of the “model minority” and the “tiger
mother” such established concepts? Why are all Asians, including Asian Americans, assumed to be one and the same, always
foreigners, even though many have lived in the United States for
many generations? In this two-hour workshop, guest speaker
C.N. Le, PhD, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, and the creator of the website “AsianNation: The Landscape of Asian America,” will address these
questions and more in both historical and present-day contexts. A
student-led discussion on the complexities of these issues faced by
Asian Americans and their connections to Andover will follow.
—Victoria Bian ’15 (Adrian Khactu; C.N. Le, PhD,
UMass Amherst)
7. #LiftEveryVoice: Examining the Contemporary Language
Around Race and Privilege (12:30 p.m.; Tirana Room, Bulfinch)
This workshop will give students the chance to discuss the language we use to talk about race and racism at Phillips Academy
and beyond, and explore some of the theories that can explain our
use of that language.
—Fiona Yonkman ’16, Andrew Wang ’16, Auguste White ’17
(Catherine Tousignant, Isabel Geathers)
MLK Jr. Day continued on page 9
JANUARY 16, 2015
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9
MLK Jr. Day continued from page 8
8. Dominant Standards of Beauty: How They Affect the
Self-Perception of Women of Color ALL WOMEN
(11:30 a.m.; SamPhil, Room 102)
In 1994, as one of the first Brace Center Fellows, Veda Robinson
examined how dominant standards of beauty impacted women
of color. In 2015, all women are judged by a standard that is
mostly unattainable. Instead of battling one another, young
women must come together to say, “Enough is enough.” This
interactive session, which is open to women only, will look at
ways women of color and white women can join forces to combat
the impact of these standards on their lives.
—Veda Robinson, former PA college counselor and
Brace Center Faculty Fellow
9. Race Science: 19th- and 20th-Century Justifications for
Racism and Eugenics (2 p.m.; Gelb, Room 108)
In the late 1800s, support for racial superiority emerged from
Social Darwinism’s “survival of the fittest” and was justified
through the use of scientific techniques demonstrating superiority of one group over another. This workshop will examine
Social Darwinism and race science through impromptu scientific
experiments, discussion, and media.
—Carrie Ingerman ’15, Nikky Navarrete ’15 (Damany Fisher)
10.Different Strokes for Queer Folks (2:30 p.m.; Gelb, Room 103)
This workshop will examine the differences in LGBTQ culture
in white communities versus communities of color through the
lenses of history and contemporary media.
—AJ Augustin ’15 (Kassie Archambault)
11.Use of the N Word (3 p.m.; Kemper)
What does the “N word” mean to you? Who is allowed to use the
word? Who is not allowed to use it? When, where, and how do
people use it? Does it have a universal or personal meaning? In
this workshop, Emmanuel Odjo, instructor in French, will spark
discussions about all of these questions, and more. With his help
you will learn about the term’s history as well as its perversion
among modern media and racial groups. Ideas about the weight
and ramifications of the word when used will be shared with
participants in the hope that, by the end of the workshop, participants will be able to answer an important question: Who feels the
burdens of this word?
—Emmanuel Odjo (Madison Pettaway ’17, Zach Ruffin ’17)
12.I Got Next: Basketball, Power, Community, and Spirit
(3 p.m.; Freeman Room, OWHL)
From its creation by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 to its integration in 1950, competitive basketball had embodied white male
privilege and excluded men and women of color. Despite
systemic obstacles, basketball evolved into an African American
social practice and spiritual activity. This workshop will explore
the early roots of black basketball and its role in self-image for
teenagers in disadvantaged black communities. Additionally, this
workshop will question the impact of commercialized basketball
on black communities and will help you develop an understanding of where the line between self-agency and dehumanization is
drawn on the court.
—Cem Vardar ’15 (Onaje Offley Woodbine)
13.Do You Look Like Captain America? A New Age of Heroes
(3 p.m.; Tirana Room, Bulfinch)
The multiverse in mainstream comics reflects our society as it is
and as we want it to be. In turn, these stories provide opinions on
a multitude of political and social ideas: everything from current
national security to fascism in the early 20th century. With the
birth of Captain America in the 1940s, the mainstream has given
us one image of a hero: white, straight, able-bodied, and cisgender. Whether or not they’re fictional, our superheroes are sworn
to protect us, so shouldn’t they be like us? With an increasing
need for a diverse mind-set in a now socially conscious world,
the comic book industry has been changing. Using case studies
and multiple articles, this workshop will look at the pioneers of
representation in comic books and the heroes of our new age.
—Bella Oliva ’16 (Adrian Khactu)
14.An Oppressive Ideal: Contemporary Representations of
Black Men in Television, Film, and Pop Culture and Their
Repercussions (5 p.m.; CAMD Office, Morse Hall)
This presentation will explore the different representations of
black masculinity in the media and the negative impact they
have on the American mainstream.
—Avery Jonas ’16 (Tracy Ainsworth)
15.CAMD Scholar Presentation—The Fight to Be American:
The Lack of Indian-American Political Activism
(6:30 p.m.; Kemper)
This presentation will explore the political activism of IndianAmericans throughout American history, including the fight
for citizenship and the community’s voice post-9/11. Specific
topics also covered include anti-black racism, the evolution
of citizenship laws, the 1965 Immigration Act, and the Model
Minority myth.
—Kailash Sundaram ’15 (Theodore Parker)
JANUARY 16, 2015
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From the OWHL
Math at the OWHL
If you attended the LAMs Lunch earlier this week, you
may have been struck by the diversity of resources
arrayed on the OWHL’s table. This month’s topic was
math, and our exhibit included materials across a wide
range of subjects, genres, and media.
You likely are aware that our collection includes sources
in theoretical and applied mathematics, biographies
of famous mathematicians, and statistical sources that
trace recent and historical trends. For the LAMs event,
we promoted lesser-known areas of our collection:
children’s books on mathematical topics, puzzles, maththemed films, and a selection of the best math apps.
Math in Children’s Books
If you are looking for math-related books for your
children (or your students!), you may want to check out
the following.
• Twenty Is Too Many, by Kate Duke—“Twenty
guinea pigs can be too many, especially if they’re
crowded onto a tiny, tipsy boat.... One by one they
leave, showing eager little readers the principles of
subtraction.”—Publisher
• The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of
Paul Erdös, by Deborah Heiligman—“This
is the story of how Paul found his own way
in the world … and how he grew to become
one of the world’s most famous and beloved
mathematicians.”—Publisher
• Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci, by Joseph
D’Agnese—“As a young boy in medieval Italy,
Leonardo Fibonacci thought about numbers
day and night. …Today [he] is considered one
of the greatest Western mathematicians of all
time.”—Publisher
• The Librarian Who Measured the Earth,
by Kathryn Lasky—“More than anything
Eratosthenes wanted to find out how to measure
the Earth … How he did, coming up with a measurement that is only two hundred miles different
from our own calculations today, is an inspiring
story that is a celebration of curiosity and a tribute
to the questing mind.”—Publisher
• Math Curse, by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith—
“Did you ever wake up to one of those days
where everything is a problem? ...Then you
start to wonder: Why does everything have to
be such a problem? …Why? Because you’re the
victim of a Math Curse. That’s why. But don’t
despair. This is one girl’s story of how that curse
can be broken.”—Publisher
• Snowflake Bentley, by Jacqueline Briggs
Martin—This book tells the story of Wilson Bentley and his
struggle to photograph a snowflake. Because snowflakes are
fractals, you might also want to check out our copy of Disney’s film Frozen to explore the beauty of the frozen fractal.
Although these books are located in our children’s
section, they are not just for children. During the LAMs
Lunch, many PA students lingered at the table, reading
the books cover to cover.
Math Apps
The other popular area of our exhibit was the collection
of Phillips Academy iPads that we had preloaded with
a selection of our favorite math apps.
For the youngest members of our community, we
featured Endless Numbers. This entertaining animated
app, created by the same folks who created Endless
Alphabet, promotes fine motor skills while exposing
the user to number names and basic mathematical
calculations.
Student visitors quickly gravitated to two math puzzle
games. 2048 is a fast-paced puzzle in which you race
against the clock to slide numbers around on a grid
with the goal of achieving the score of 2,048. Numbler
is essentially a Scrabble game in which your task is to
use numbers and mathematical symbols to create valid
mathematical expressions. The app includes an artificially intelligent opponent.
Students and teachers alike enthusiastically explored
two excellent productivity apps. My Touch Calculator transforms your iPad into a tablet upon which
you can use your finger or a stylus to draw numeric
math expressions. The app converts your input into a
standard font and allows you to upload the problem or
project it with an Apple TV. Although the app doesn’t
understand algebraic expressions, it makes short work
of other calculations. The other featured app, Wolfram
Alpha, is a computational knowledge engine and one
of the librarians’ go-to search engines for answers to
a wide range of questions. While many individuals
already use Wolfram Alpha for comparisons and conversions, few of our visitors were aware that they could
use the app to
• Find the current price of many commodities
• Learn what an acronym stands for
• Conduct genealogical research
• Get information about an occupation
• Compare movies or TV shows
• Do computations with demographic statistics
• Get information about a medical test…
…and much more. This is the only app we showed
that isn’t free, but at $2.99, it is well worth the price.
All the iPads with the featured math apps will be
available at the Circulation Desk throughout the following week. Stop by to borrow an iPad and have fun with math.
—Elisabeth Tully
Director, OWHL
JANUARY 16, 2015
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Employment and Benefits News
MLK Jr. Day Workshops
Financial Counseling Available with TIAA-CREF
Phillips Academy will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on
Monday, January 19. Several workshops, presentations, and
sessions are planned for the day. Employees are encouraged to
participate in these on-campus activities.
The Academy is making individual, confidential financial counseling sessions with TIAA-CREF available to employees at no
additional cost.
The human resources office has approved release time for staff
and administrators to attend one event after consulting with their
supervisors about the timing of their absence from regular duties.
Of course, employees are welcome to attend any event that
occurs outside their work hours. Descriptions of the workshops
are available on pages 8 and 9.
Annual Carryover of Vacation Time
This year, staff employees’ vacation, personal, and floating holiday balances for 2015 will be reflected in the January 16 paycheck
for biweekly paid employees and in the January 20 paycheck for
monthly paid employees. As a reminder, you can carry forward
into the next calendar year one times your annual vacation
accrual rate (as much time as you can earn in one year). Human
resources will send forms directly to those employees who are
eligible to cash out vacation under “Vacation, Personal Time and
Illness Bank” in the Staff Supplement to the General Policies Manual
(in the Human Resources section of PAnet, click the Handbooks
tab and then click Staff Handbook Supplement).
As a reminder, vacation time and personal time/illness bank
balances appear on your paystub. If you complete an electronic
timesheet, you also may access these balances in ADP by clicking Time Off Balances under the Myself tab. Please contact the
human resources office with any questions.
Check the “Sno” Line for Workday Updates
Wintery weather has arrived! In the event of inclement weather,
employees are expected to check the “Sno” line, 978-749-4766
(4SNO), before heading to work for possible updates to the
workday. E-mails and Campus News announcements also will be
posted for events that occur during the workday.
Employee Handbooks Updated
Effective January 1, the General Policies Handbook, Staff Handbook
Supplement, Faculty and Administrator Supplement, and Faculty
Housing Supplement have been updated to reflect changes to or
clarifications of policies, as well as the addition of new policies.
The handbooks can be found in the Handbooks section of the
Human Resources module on PAnet. Please take some time to
review these changes.
TIAA-CREF financial consultant Tammy Kayata will be on
campus to discuss how to help you achieve your financial goals
by investing in financial solutions such as mutual funds, brokerages, life insurance, and annuities. These individual counseling
sessions are intended to help you simplify your retirement by:
• Consolidating your retirement accounts to make it easier
to manage your holdings, particularly when it comes to tax
preparation
• Offering any needed estate planning, including addressing
life insurance needs and wealth transfer strategies
• Reviewing your retirement income options to provide you
with the most flexibility possible
The meeting dates for the first half of the calendar year are as
follows:
• Monday, January 26
• Wednesday, February 4
• Wednesday, March 11
• Wednesday, April 8
• Wednesday, May 13
• Wednesday, June 10
All meetings will be held in the 2nd Floor Conference Room in
GW Hall.
Space is limited. To reserve your individual session, please contact TIAA-CREF at 866-843-5640, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST).
—Leeann Bennett
Director, Human Resources
JANUARY 16, 2015
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Classified Ads
Athletics Schedule
Come cheer for Andover at these upcoming contests. Dates and times below are subject
to change! For updates, go to Athletics → Team Pages → Schedules & Scores on the PA
website, or call Lisa Buckley (ext. 4092).
Friday, January 16
Squash GJV2
Squash BJV2
Squash BV
Squash BJV1
Hockey GV
Basketball BV
Wrestling V
Groton Groton Groton Groton Brewster Academy
Milton
N.M.H.
4:30
4:30
4:45
4:45
5:05
6:00
7:00
Saturday, January 17
Swimming & Diving JV
Hockey
Wrestling V
Squash GJV2
Basketball GV
Basketball GJV1
Squash BV
Squash BJV1
Hockey BJV
Swimming & Diving GV
Swimming & Diving BV
Hockey GV
Basketball BJV2
Squash GV
Hockey GJV
Basketball BV
Basketball BJV1
Hockey BV
Eaglebrook School
Alumni
Deerfield
Deerfield
Milton
Milton
Middlesex
Middlesex
Deerfield
Loomis
Loomis
St. Paul’s
N.M.H.
Taft/Loomis/PEA
Tabor
Tabor
Tabor
Exeter
10:00
H
11:50H
12:00
A
12:00
H
1:00
H
1:00
H
1:30
H
1:30
H
1:45
H
2:00
H
2:00
H
3:00
H
3:00
H
3:30
H
3:30
H
5:00
H
5:00
H
5:00
H
Wednesday, January 21
Nordic Skiing
Squash BJV2
Hockey BJV
Basketball GJV1
Hockey GJV
Indoor Track BV
Indoor Track BJV
Indoor Track GJV
Indoor Track GV
Wrestling V
Squash BV
Squash BJV1
Basketball BV
Basketball BJV2
Hockey BV
Squash GJV2
Basketball GV
Hockey GV
Dublin
Brooks
St. Sebastian’s
Thayer
St. Mark’s
Andover HS/Wilbraham
Andover HS/Wilbraham
Andover HS/Wilbraham
Andover HS/Wilbraham
Tabor
St. Mark’s
St. Mark’s
Governor’s Academy
Pingree
St. Sebastian’s
Middlesex
Thayer
Lawrence Academy
2:45
3:00
3:15
3:15
3:15
3:15
3:15
3:15
3:15
3:30
3:30
3:30
3:30
4:00
4:15
4:30
4:45
5:15
A
A
H
H
H
A
H
A
A
H
A
H
H
H
H
H
H
A
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
For Sale: Red Honda CRX—1991, 2-door
hatchback w/ sunroof; 5-speed manual
transmission; runs great and gets great
mileage; brand-new battery and just
inspected. 110,000 miles, $2,500. Please
e-mail [email protected].
For Sale: Flip Video Handheld Video
Camera/Camcorder—Nice condition. Fits
comfortably in pants pocket; takes HD
1280 x 720, 60 fps video. 8 GB of internal
memory, good for 2 hours of video. Flipout USB connects directly to computer
for charging and file transfer. $69 or BO.
Excellent video camera for the money!
Please e-mail [email protected].
Winter
All-School Meeting
& All-Class Meeting
Schedule
Jan. 19: MLK Jr. Day Speaker:
Brian Gittens ‘89
Jan. 28: Wellness Week Speaker:
Bill Littlefield, on
“The State of Sport”
Feb. 4: February Frees
Feb. 11: February Frees
Feb. 18: February Frees
(CCO seniors meet
by counselor)
Feb. 25: February Frees
(Extended-Period Week
next week)
JANUARY 16, 2015
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13
Meeting Minutes
Academic Council
Minutes from Tuesday, December 16, 2014, and
Thursday, January 8, 2015
From December 16, 2014
Present: Paul Cernota, Peter Cirelli, Jeff Domina, Pat Farrell, Andy
Housiaux, Gene Hughes, Chris Jones, Nancy Lang, Sean Logan
(scribe), Erin McCloskey, Leon Modeste, Trish Russell, Bill Scott,
Judy Wombwell, and Therese Zemlin
Pat updated the group on hiring protocols and reminded all
chairs of the critical attention to all forms of subtle bias in the
search and hiring processes. Pat, Nancy, Noemy, and Diane will
be helping to coordinate all searches this winter, and a PA team
will attend the Carney, Sandoe & Associates Diversity Forum in
Philadelphia on January 24.
There was further discussion about the history department’s
proposal to change the requirement from three terms in junior
year and one term in lower year to two terms in both junior and
lower years (note that this only applies to four-year students).
New 10th-graders would be required to take just one term; the
specifics of that course are to be determined. We looked at four
possible four-year schedules for students to see how this change
in the history requirement might impact students, departments,
scheduling, etc. We had a longer discussion on advising implications of this possible change in the history requirement on various other requirements—art, religion/philosophy, PE, etc.
Academic Council unanimously voted to support the proposal,
and Chris has requested faculty meeting time later this year for a
full faculty discussion on the proposal.
Erin discussed the transition to Canvas for next fall. Approximately 40 percent of teachers are already using Canvas. Erin is
happy to attend department meetings to further discuss the uses
of Canvas.
Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC)
Minutes from Wednesday, January 7, 2015
In attendance: Tracy Ainsworth, Ferd Alonso, Pat Farrell, Jacques
Hugon, Lisa Johnson Svec (scribe), Will Orben, John Palfrey, and
LaShawn Springer
We spent the entire meeting continuing the conversation about
midterm and end-of-term report writing. As reported in the minutes from December 10, we agreed that further clarification made
sense and, to that end, discussed various forums for providing
such an opportunity. We think the rich and productive conversation around our table likely mirrored one that the faculty as a
whole would welcome. We therefore recommended to Pat Farrell
and John Palfrey that they convene a small group to guide this
conversation. We envision that the group would gather feedback
from a wider variety of constituencies through open meetings
and then facilitate a conversation at a spring faculty meeting.
From January 8, 2015
Present: Paul Cernota, Peter Cirelli, Jeff Domina, Andy Housiaux,
Gene Hughes, Chris Jones, Nancy Lang, Sean Logan, Erin McCloskey,
Leon Modeste (scribe), Trish Russell, Bill Scott, Judy Wombwell, and
Therese Zemlin
Open Agenda
1. Who funds interdisciplinary courses?
The Dean of Faculty will do his best to support courses
through stipends or workload relief.
2. Extended-Period Week/Athletics
This term, for the first time, some post-season and championship competitions occur during our Extended-Period
Week. It was decided that we would limit our discussion to
this term and not have a policy discussion until looking at
the 2015–2016 calendar more closely. Everything was put on
the table.
After much discussion, we decided on the following.
• Teams may compete on Wednesday, March 4, if they qualify
(diving, GV basketball for sure, maybe hockey).
• Teams competing may practice during Extended-Period
Week (Monday–Thursday) for up to ONE hour a day.
• All practices and competitions must be OPTIONAL for all
students during Extended-Period Week; kids can opt out.
• This is all for winter 2015 ONLY. We are currently working
on winter 2016 and beyond.
Pat Davison joined us to speak about how we determine essential
elements in our diploma requirement courses. Prior to the meeting, Pat sent all the chairs our current statements. Pat joined us
because the number of students seeking accommodations at PA
has risen, and the law has changed in recent years as well. Each
department must decide to keep their existing statement or revise
it by the end of the winter term.
Upcoming Faculty Meetings
January 19:
No Meeting (MLK Jr. Day)
January 26:
Strategic Planning (Advising and
Counseling)
February 4:
(Wednesday)
Strategic Planning (PG Program)
February 11:
(Wednesday)
Evaluation Review Committee
(Faculty Evaluation Process)
February 18:
(Wednesday)
Strategic Planning (Empathy and
Balance)
February 25:
Strategic Planning (Schedule and
(Wednesday)Calendar)
Minutes continued on page 14
JANUARY 16, 2015
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14
Meeting Minutes
Minutes continued from page 13
Senior Administrative Council (SAC)
Minutes from Monday, January 12, 2015
Present: Stephen Carter, Patrick Farrell, Linda Griffith, Nancy Jeton,
Thom Lockerby, Sean Logan, Paul Murphy, John Palfrey, Patricia
Russell (scribe), Tracy Sweet, and James Ventre
Linda Griffith reviewed the exciting plans for MLK Jr. Day on
January 19. The full program can be found throughout this
week’s Gazette.
On the fifth anniversary of the January 12, 2010, earthquake in
Haiti, the SAC discussed the challenge of properly recognizing
significant events that are occurring not only locally, but also
around the nation and the world. We strive to be responsive
to the requests and needs of students as they learn about and
grapple with ongoing national and international news.
John Palfrey outlined his vision for PA to offer blended learning
courses through Summer Session, at least initially. As a means
of both exploring different modes of learning and teaching and
expanding the number of students that PA can serve directly, the
blended learning model has promise. Building on the work of the
existing and very successful LSI, John has designated one of the
Visiting Scholar funds in 2015–2016 to bring a Connected Learning Scholar who will help launch this project in collaboration
with the Tang Institute and Summer Session.
Emily Tordo and Maureen Ferris joined the SAC for Emily’s
update on development of a records management program. The
goal of this project is to build on the existing Records Management Policy and Procedures, approved by the Board of Trustees
in 2013, to develop a comprehensive records management program, both paper and digital. This year’s work will include the
completion of an Academy-wide records inventory, development
of a training program for staff identified as key contacts, creation
of a communication plan, and clearly documented vision and
intent regarding the care and management of Academy records.
Maureen noted that a group of colleagues will participate in a
June 2015 “tabletop exercise” designed to explore the Academy’s
preparedness to respond to and manage a reported sexual assault
on campus.
The Head of School’s office receives many requests from colleagues in schools around the world asking to tour various parts
of the campus, visit classes, and meet with faculty, students, and
administrators. The Head of School’s office will continue to be
the central place for such requests, and the hope is that PA will
remain welcoming while also not requiring additional hiring of
staff to manage requests and visits.
The SAC learned that the Dean of Students team and a number
of house counselors have generously agreed to accommodate
students on campus through the end of weekend post-season
play at the end of the winter Extended-Period Week. In addition,
the Academic Council approved optional one-hour practices and
participation in post-season play for teams that qualify this year.
The Council will be considering models for a revised ExtendedPeriod Week in response to shifts in how those days are being
used and the periodic conflicts with end-of-season athletics
during some years.
The hiring and admissions seasons are well under way, Strategic
Plan implementation groups are making good progress, and
the CCO reports that the 89 percent of seniors who submitted
early applications are making thoughtful decisions based on the
early results. Andover alumni, parents, and friends are responding positively to the 2014 Strategic Plan, and attendance at
events and support for PA are strong. Calendar year-end fundraising results were strong, with total cash gifts as well as alumni
and parent participation rates tracking ahead of last year. We
look forward to welcoming the trustees back to campus on
February 13, including newly named Charter Trustee Joe Bae ’90.
As always, all members are advised to refer inquiries from
the press about Phillips Academy to Tracy Sweet, director of
communications.