A Similar Successor (Letter to the Editor)

As Exeter alumni, we appreciate the opportunity to engage students in the current discussions on campus about Principal Hassan and the concerns over Andover’s higher yield rate. As any true Exonian knows, the Harkness method encourages thoughtful discussion and debate. In this vein, we disagree with Philip Chang’s "Forward with Direction" opinion piece published on October 9.We want to commend Chang for confronting a challenging question. His concerns with complacency at the Academy hold importance for everyone in the Exeter community. However, we seek to challenge his assertions by providing a factual record of Principal Hassan’s tenure. Chang argues that the principal "should serve as a visionary" and that Principal Hassan has failed in this regard, claiming that he has "maintain[ed the Academy’s] culture" when he should have been working "to change it." We respectfully disagree.The mission of Exeter is straightforward: to provide the best secondary education to the nation’s and the world’s top students while imbuing them with the principle of service embodied in John Phillips’ non sibi. The job of the Exeter principal, therefore, is to carry forward these basic tenets. He or she does so by assuring Exeter’s core educational aims are met, while pursuing efforts to perfect them. The "vision" for the school is thus inherited—indeed, it hearkens back to the school’s founding—and is improved upon by each principal.Principal Hassan has performed this job with great success. He became principal in the midst of the global financial crisis, a trying time for non-profit institutions everywhere. Two facts from this time are of note. One, he was the first principal to forego a pay raise. Two, over his tenure, the assistant principal position—which he formerly held—remained empty due to financial constraints. The lack of a lieutenant substantially increased the responsibilities of the principal.Despite these and other challenges, Principal Hassan guided the Academy out of the recession with a steady hand. He met the standard responsibilities of the head of school—overseeing day-to-day operations, addressing emergencies, communicating with parents and leading the faculty—while restoring and subsequently ensuring the institution’s financial health. Furthermore, he did all of this while teaching math each spring semester. As such, he successfully carried on the Academy’s two-centuries-old vision in a very difficult time. These facts alone deserves commendation and gratitude.However, Principle Hassan went beyond this in undertaking a number of projects and reforms. He thereby improved upon the inherited vision with his own efforts. Some of the most salient of these efforts follow:He was integral in promoting campus sustainability and environmental stewardship—supporting the integration of local and organic food into the dining halls, converting the steam plant from oil to natural gas and incorporating greenhouse gas abatement into campus planning.He bolstered the ESSO program by hiring a permanent staff member to oversee programs. He also began Best Buddies and the Random Acts of Kindness club, which set an important tone for the school.He oversaw the no-Saturday class transition, a major overhaul to a deeply entrenched tradition.He made the entire campus accessible to all members of the community.He worked on more fully integrating PEA staff (such as facilities and dining hall workers) into the community. Successes include: a yearly staff recognition event with retired faculty, a joint faculty and staff community service day, a joint faculty and staff opening of school gathering and a joint faculty and staff effort to create and deliver food baskets to local families in need.He made a formal commitment to review Exeter’s socio-economic composition for the first time since 1993, with the focus on increasing diversity amongst faculty.He increased the quantity and quality of global programming for Exeter students.These are only some of the many improvements Principal Hassan has brought to the school. All Exonians have benefited from these efforts, and none of these changes would exist as they do today without him.As alumni, we are similarly disappointed about the recent admissions statistics. No single Exonian, however, is responsible for the negative misconceptions prospective students have about our school just as no single staff member, including the principal, is responsible.Current Exeter students are in a unique position to change what they think can be made better, faster than any other group on campus. If there are misconceptions about Exeter, the question is then where are those misconceptions coming from? How are Exeter students perceived when prospective students visit? How do prospective students "rate" student-led tours and their interaction with Exeter admissions officers? What are Exeter alumni saying to help or hurt these misconceptions?Principal Hassan will probably be the first one to admit that he is not perfect, but to say he has not articulated and pursued a vision for the Academy is wrong. His careful stewardship of the school carried it through a trying time and made it a better place. We hope the next principal of Exeter will be just as committed, dedicated and passionate about the Exeter community as Principal Hassan. We wish the search committee luck in finding an equally competent successor. 