Academy Life Task Force Drafts New Proposal
The Academy Life Task Force (ALTF), a committee created last spring to improve aspects of campus life, recently sent to faculty members an updated version of a proposal that suggests creating a group of academy life coordinators, improving living spaces and holding additional training for different leadership groups on campus.
According to English Instructor Tyler Caldwell, the committee is divided into three subgroups that focus on different elements of academy life: residential housing, academy life programming and advising. “Each subgroup evaluated the efficacy of current practices and investigated or brainstormed new structures or practices that would benefit our students,” he said.
The committee recommended that protected time be built “into the weekly schedule for academy life programming in all of its different forms.” To accomplish this, the school’s Scheduling Committee has proposed to fit into the weekly schedule, specifically for Wednesdays, designated “community time.” If the proposed schedule is not implemented, the task force still hopes to add a slot for community time for next year.
Upper Janeva Dimen felt that the addition of a designated “community time” format to the weekly schedule would affirm the school’s commitment to building an inclusive student community. “Making time for proctor meetings and dorm meetings during the school day would increase community and incorporate day students, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend,” she said.
One of the Academy Life Task Force’s additional suggestions was to restructure the Assembly Committee to include the current chair, two faculty, the Dean of Students, the Director of Equity and Inclusion, the Director of Student Well-Being, the Director of Student Activities and the Chair of the Health Department. This process is currently underway, and Assistant Principal Karen Lassey will oversee its completion.
Another of the committee’s suggestions is to enhance the advising program. The ALTF suggests adding more faculty advisers to the current pool to reduce the number of advisees for each faculty member. Faculty members who choose not to serve as an academic adviser would then be asked to take on the role of an “academic guide.”
The task force hopes to form a committee to investigate the possibility of establishing Class Deans—who, as part of the Dean of Students Office, will advise members of each specific grade. This investigation is planned to finish by next fall term, with discussions in faculty meeting beginning in winter term.
The work of the Academy Life Task Force will continue throughout the next academic year, according to Dean of Residential Life AJ Cosgrove. “There are two critical areas where more time is needed to address questions and create proposals: advising and restructuring the Dean of Students Office,” he said.
The committee will continue to meet regularly, making changes with more discussion and feedback from the faculty. “Most of our proposals aim to streamline or make more efficient the great work we already do in academy life. Hopefully next year we can continue to build off that work and expand or enhance our academy life program in creative, innovative ways that further benefits all of our students,” Caldwell said.