After an inquiry into the racial and ethnic backgrounds of Andover faculty members and administrators, I have come to the conclusion that despite all our talk of “youth from every quarter,” Andover is not as diverse as it claims to be, at least when it comes to the adults on our campus. The Senior Administrative Council (SAC) at Andover is a group of central administrators who oversee the general well-being of the school and “hold themselves accountable” to preserving Andover’s “culture of excellence,” according to the school website. This council includes Steve Carter, Pat Farrell, Linda Griffith, Nancy Jeton, Sean Logan, Paul Murphy, John Palfrey, Trish Russell, Rachel Skiffer, Peter Ramsey, Tracy Sweet and Jim Ventre. With the exception of two members, the school’s primary 12-person executive council is overwhelmingly Caucasian. This lack of diversity extends beyond the Council, however, to Andover’s faculty and larger administration. Of the five cluster deans, four are Caucasian. Of the 11 department chairs, only one is not of Caucasian descent and only two are women. Unfortunately, it is the students who stand to lose the most from this lack of diversity. One of the school’s primary goals is to graduate students who are ready and able to participate in a global community, and who can work alongside individuals of diverse backgrounds with different ideas and opinions. Collaboration and “non sibi” are two of the most important concepts taught here. Furthermore, students need to be able to recognize themselves in their teachers and in the leaders on campus, as these individuals most often serve as students’ immediate mentors and role models. With 41.5 percent of the student body identifying as students of color, according to the Admission Office’s webpage, the school seems to have achieved its goal of matriculating “youth from every quarter.” But how can we teach these students and accommodate their varying cultural needs if the faculty and administrators holding the most influential positions at this school are primarily Caucasian and male? Numerous studies, including a national longitudinal study of 25,000 undergraduates at 217 four-year colleges and universities, have shown that fostering diversity in a campus community has positive effects on students’ cognitive development and leadership abilities. When it comes to tackling complex problems and making tough decisions, teams and boards consisting of individuals from diverse backgrounds are almost always more successful and efficient than their more homogeneous counterparts. This is because individuals of different genders, races and classes can offer different perspectives and will therefore have uniquely advantageous ways to approach a problem. When it comes to solving issues on campus, the Andover administration and faculty who are tasked with making important decisions see almost entirely through the lens of a Caucasian male. Diversity is therefore not only a vague, politically correct abstraction that Andover should strive for, but something fundamentally necessary to the success of this school. The current lack of diversity is not necessarily anyone’s fault. Perhaps Andover inherently attracts a certain demographic, or perhaps the requirements for faculty appointments are too specific for diversity to be a priority. Now, however, is the time to bring about change. Andover should make diverse hiring a priority and should take purposeful steps toward achieving this goal. The several racially diverse members of the SAC, the few cluster deans and the single department chair are a great start, but Andover can do more to create a diverse administration and faculty. Head of School John Palfrey may be a white male, but he is also a well-qualified educator and leader, and I have hope that under him, Andover will see an era of widespread and consequential progress towards greater diversity.
