Students Reflect on Assembly
By SAM ALTMAN, LAUREN LEE, CHLOÉ LIND, and TRUMAN YEE
In the wake of new changes, students and teachers alike have been forced to reflect upon what assembly ought to be at Exeter, both in terms of quantity and quality.
Recently, the administration introduced advisory seating to increase attendance at assembly. Each advisee is required to “check in” with their adviser and sit with their fellow advisees upon arrival. Given the space limitations, many are forced to pack into Mayer Auditorium and watch a livestream with poor audio. While the Academy has unveiled plans for renovation in the Assembly Hall to fit more people, many current students share their dislike for assembly all across campus. Others, however, maintain that assembly is an important bonding experience and part of our history that should not be disregarded.
“A lot of variables go into building the program,” said Matthew Miller, chair of the Assembly Committee and Instructor in English. He commented on the selection process for assembly speakers. “We consider community interest, topical subjects, breadth of voices and professions. Input from the staff, faculty, and students goes into choosing speakers. Suggestions from the principal, the alumni office, and institutional advancement have slots in the programming for which they often request specific speakers, often alumni,” Miller added.
Miller continued, “Availability is also a huge factor, and trying to find a coordinated speaker schedule with our schedule. And we also want to get students involved, from things like the E/A rally, to Student Council, to the Exeter Association of Rock and dance assemblies, to celebrations of faith like Yom Kippur and Ramadan. Suggestions are always coming in for speakers. I can’t walk across campus without hearing about a great prospective speaker. I wish we could bring them all.”
Instructor in Science Townley Chisholm agreed with the sentiment that assembly is an important part of the day. “Assembly is deeply important for helping us develop a sense of school-wide cohesion. It’s the one thing that we all do together.” Chisholm emphasized the utility of assemblies as a way for students and faculty to connect and discuss a wide array of subject matter.
Instructor in Science Charles Mamolo highlighted the importance of giving speakers of diverse backgrounds the opportunity to speak to the community. “It contributes to the education of the students in the sense that they are afforded a lot of world views and perspectives,” Mamolo said.
Miller also expressed a clear desire to invite speakers from different personal and political backgrounds to share their stories with the Exeter community. “Even if we disagree with certain politics, policies, or philosophies, it is important we listen and engage in civil discourse with those we disagree with, hard as it can be to do that. Nothing comes out of an echo chamber except your own fading dulling voice,” Miller added.
“I think assembly is somewhat of a window to the outside world,” lower Nathi Lomax said. To Lomax, assembly is unique in its ability to engage and inform students about certain injustices or problems out there in the world that are not covered in academic coursework.
“What’s interesting about assembly is that a lot of the assembly speakers are Exeter alumni,” upper Matthew Grossman said. “It definitely helps kids from Exeter see where they could be in the next 10, 20, 30 years.”
Miller reflected on how assembly is an opportunity for the community to deepen their ties with the familiar. “I love the student assemblies, maybe more than all of the other assemblies. I love seeing you all show off your talent and skill, from singing, acting, and dancing, to presentations on the economics and the environment or technology,” Miller said.
In the past, there have been many issues and controversies surrounding assembly. “A minority of students may be talking or using their phones or doing homework and thereby showing disrespect to the speaker, encouraging everyone around them to follow that bad example,” Chisholm said.
The administration is constantly working to combat these issues. Previously, they used QR codes to digitally collect attendance. In theory, students who were present would have access to the code, and those absent would not be able to scan for attendance. In practice, the policy only allowed students to train their coordination and teamwork skills, as students would send photos of the code to absent friends, allowing for falsified attendance.
The administration’s latest move was their institution of advisory seating. The simple policy mandates that students sit with their adviser, and attendance is taken from the bottom up. Additionally, students, now under the watchful eye of advisers, are under more pressure to actively listen and avoid disruptions.
Students have been adhering to this policy for several months. Though it certainly limits freedom, the general consensus among students seems positive. When asked about the policy, prep Ted Freedman said, “Advisory seating is good. I see no problems with it.”
Some students also believe that advisory seating removes ambiguity. Lower Lydia Reimert said, “I like sitting with my advisory because this way I always know where to go and my advisor knows I was there.”
Another credit is that sitting by advisory allows students more time to connect with their advisory groups. “You don’t actually get to spend a lot of time with your advising group throughout the week, so I like that you get to sit with them at assemblies,” Grossman said.
The increased accountability through advisory seating has led to more students in attendance than seats available in the Assembly Hall. As a temporary solution, some students must view assemblies virtually from Mayer Auditorium, two floors below the stage.
Mayer’s technical issues and isolation, along with a number of advantages make the interim assembly viewing spot a mixed bag. “I liked being in Mayer Auditorium,” upper Keon Osei said. “I don’t like being in the Assembly Hall. It takes longer to get out of assembly if you’re sitting there. But the speakers kind of blare. When you are sitting very close to the microphone, it sounds like you’re screaming inside Mayer.”
Instructors at the Academy also have their opinions concerning the recent policies at Exeter. “Having students sit together in advising groups has been a profound improvement. I can make sure my advisees attend and that they behave and stay awake,” Chisholm said.
Mamolo also felt this was important. “Advisory seating is as important as checking in or being in class because those are moments in which we know that you are fine. It’s not that we do not trust you, but it’s more of being accountable for your wellbeing,” Mamolo said.
At the end of the day, there may not be another way to take attendance. “The deans oversee how attendance is taken and it can’t be an easy task,” Miller said. “They’ve tried lots of different ways to do it, and maybe sitting with advisory groups works best. However, I understand students wanting to maintain the tradition of sitting with their class and there is something to be said for honoring that tradition.”
Clearly, advisory seating is not the first of the administration’s moves toward a more productive and worthwhile assembly experience, and it may not be the last. Over time, the Academy will likely settle into a more consistent assembly model.