Four Lowers Appointed to The Discipline Committee

Lowers Yaseen Ahmed, Matt Kang, Eujung Park and Gillian Quinto were selected to serve on Exeter’s Discipline Committee, joining current members Menat Bahnasy, Chi-Chi Ikpeazu, Athena Stenor and Winslow MacDonald for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year. Seniors Hillary Aristotle, Connie Cai, Alan Liu, Aidan Wolff-King and Henrietta Reilly will conclude their two-year tenures on the committee this Spring.

The Discipline Committee, comprised of both students and faculty members, is tasked with reviewing major disciplinary offenses and deliberating over appropriate consequences. According to Exeter’s E-book, “The primary goals of the Academy in its discipline system are to educate students and to treat them as fairly as possible when rules are broken.”

Student applicants were required to collect 350 signatures to become eligible candidates. Based on the results of a school-wide election in January, the eight lowers with the most votes from an initial pool of eighteen candidates advanced to the next round of the selection process. The current Discipline Committee reviewed their transcripts and faculty recommendations, interviewed them to assess their personal qualities and their ability to serve on the committee.

Dean of Residential Life Arthur Cosgrove felt that the initial eight candidates represented some of the student body’s finest. “The eight candidates that they brought to us were all  terrific and all eight of them had the qualifications to do a great job on the discipline committee,” he said.

Although all of the candidates were qualified for the job, Cosgrove felt that Ahmed, Kang, Quinto and Park exemplified the qualities that a member on the committee should have. “Collectively, the four candidates are people who are trustworthy, who are willing to listen and are not judgmental, provide an honest opinion about how they feel and also deal with nuances that come along with our disciplinary process,” Cosgrove said.

MacDonald said that the committee also looked for students who are empathetic, assertive and eloquent. “One must also be open-minded, and able to separate themselves from any previous biases,” he said. “The role of a member on the Disciplinary Committee is an important one, and it is vital that the students selected embody these values.”

He added that candidates must be able to fit the responsibilities the new role entails into their busy schedules. “Disciplinary Committee is not an easy job. While student members don’t attend every case, as there is a rotation, there is a significant time commitment,” he said. “Members of the Disciplinary Committee must be able to prioritize their work and social life with what can be a very time-consuming role on the Disciplinary Committee.”

Cai elaborated on the commitments that serving on the Discipline Committee entails. “We want someone on the committee who has a very genuine commitment to this community,” she said. “This means not only caring about other students [and] faculty, but also understanding how individual actions affect others.”

Ikpeazu expressed her confidence in the four newly appointed members and commended all eight of the candidates for their enthusiasm. “The decision was, without a doubt, difficult,” she said. “All of the candidates displayed sound minds and dedication to our community. The new members had a variety of experiences not solely centered around life at Exeter, being open-minded. I look forward to hearing their opinions and seeing them help our fellow Exonians.”

Ikpeazu also said that she will miss the senior members of the committee, who were exemplary role models and leaders for last year’s newly selected members. “In addition to being well-grounded and extremely wise, they provided support for us uppers on the committee,” she said. “They are people to look up to because they showed poise in the most personal and emotional situations.”

Cai reflected on her time on the DC and how it has defined her Exeter career. “It is one of the most enlightening and rewarding things I’ve done, and has taught me a lot about myself and Exeter,” she said. “I think DC is really important to shaping our community and I’m honored to have been on it for two years.”

She also has high hopes for the four new members. “Those selected for next year will do an incredible job and will make our community more welcoming and like a home for all Exonians,” Cai said.

Quinto hopes to balance empathy and discipline during her tenure with the DC. “My plans for the next two years are to be a just and kind member of DC and to help the faculty make the best decisions possible,” she said. “I want to help educate students and give them a second chance at succeeding at Exeter.”

Ahmed felt similarly to Quinto. “It’s important for faculty to be able to have that student voice saying this is how the actions of this individual has affected the community as a whole,” he said. “I [want] to help represent my fellow students, but also try to make sure the school is the best place it can be by helping the DC make those hard decisions.”

He also hoped that next year’s committee will reach flexible solutions in response to disciplinary cases. “I think we need to take a better look at how we are responding to what students do,” he added. “Right now, we have pretty binary options as to how [cases] can go. How we respond to disciplinary cases and what happens to the student afterwards are important to keep in mind.”

Quinto is ready to assume her role. “I know the gravity of the decisions and all [they] entail,” she said. “I think the other people chosen will be great members, and we will have a good variety of viewpoints around the table.”