From the Board of Trustees

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY ROBERT CHARTENER ’76, P’18

The Board of Trustees met online on April 30 and May 1, 2021. Highlights of the meeting are below:

Admission – Erby Mitchell P’21 reported on an exceptional admission cycle this year. There were 2,542 applications for just over 150 places, which represents the most competitive year in Hotchkiss history. The number of students who accepted the offer of admittance also exceeded expectations. Within the talented and diverse group of incoming students, 41 percent selfidentify as students of color, 14 percent are international, and 58 will receive financial aid. As of June 1, enrollment stood at 622 students (598 boarders), though this figure is expected to shrink during the summer.

College Placement – It was an unpredictable year in college admission, but the Class of 2021 did well at an unusually competitive time. Rick Hazleton P’19,’22, director of college advising, reported that many colleges had dramatically-increased application rates with almost every school becoming test-optional in this cycle; more first-generation students, low-income students, students of color, and students from outside the U.S. applied to the most competitive schools. The colleges with the largest numbers of matriculants were Chicago (13), Georgetown (12), Cornell (7), Yale (6), and Boston University (5). Hotchkiss had four admits to MIT, which is the largest number in recent memory, plus a Morehead-Cain Scholarship recipient. No-Chance Policy – Steve McKibben, dean of community life, initiated a discussion of the School’s no-chance disciplinary policy, which has been in effect for several decades. The policy had been reviewed in detail by the Community Life Committee, the members of which agreed that it should be discussed by the full Board. The Board authorized McKibben to lead a comprehensive review and to make recommendations at a Board meeting in the 2021-22 year.

Walter Crain Fellowship Program – This innovative partnership between Hotchkiss and the Klingenstein Center of the Teachers College at Columbia University will begin in the 2021-22 academic year, as announced in the spring issue of Hotchkiss Magazine. The four-year experience is designed to promote culturally responsive independent school leadership. Fellows are full-time faculty members who serve in all aspects of school life. Each fellow will also earn a master’s degree in Independent School Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University. Merrilee Mardon, associate head of school, announced that the first two recipients have been chosen for the upcoming academic year.

Bylaws – The bylaws had a minor revision two years ago but have largely been unchanged for about 10 years. The Organizational Review and Nominating Committee (ORAN) met multiple times during the spring months and expressed the goals of expanding board participation to increase representation by parents and people with more widely varying backgrounds and professional expertise. After discussion of the desired governance structure, the Board voted to amend the bylaws such that term length will be reduced from five years to four and that the number of term trustees will be increased from 25 to 30.

Audit and Risk Committee – RSM has been selected as the School’s auditor, replacing CohnReznick. RSM detailed certain areas of concentration and will shortly begin their audit of the 2020-21 financial statements.

New Trustees – Two new term trustees were elected to the Board, effective July 1. Tom Seidenstein ’91, P’24 has been president of the Board of Governors for the past five years and has served as a member of the Board in this capacity. He now continues his service as a term trustee. Tom is chair of International Auditing and Assurance of the International Federation of Accountants Standards Board. Dick Weil ’81, P’23, chief executive officer of Janus Henderson Investors in London, has also been elected to the Board. He knows Hotchkiss extremely well as he is the grandson, son, brother, uncle, and father of Hotchkiss alumni and students. Brooke Harlow ’92 and Paul Mutter ’87 have been elected as presidents of the Board of Governors and now join the Board as ex-officio members. John Khoury ’95, who has been named president of The Hotchkiss Fund, also joined as an ex-officio member. There were no trustee retirements this year.

WHY I TEACH

Earlier this year, the Communications Office asked a selection of teachers a simple question: Why do you teach? The answers are varied, remarkable, and inspiring. Scan the QR code below to watch their 15-30-second videos.

SARINDA WILSON

Instructor in French

“For me, teaching is a response to an invitation to learn with my students.”

CHRIS BURCHFIELD

Instructor in English

“Working with younger people is a gift of laughter and vitality.”

RICHARD KIRBY

Instructor in Chemistry

“I feel invigorated when I can interact with, and encourage, students to do their best.”

LIZ DITTMER

Instructor in Mathematics

“I’m a teacher because I love it!”

FABIO WITKOWSKI

Instructor in Music

“Music is a true universal language, so when students practice, study, or rehearse music, I believe they are developing and enhancing their ability to appreciate, respect, and collaborate with others.”

ANA HERMOSO

Instructor in Spanish

“Teaching for me is a vocation. I am passionate about what I teach, and I want to share that passion with my students.”

MIKE BOONE

Instructor in Physics and Engineering

“I teach because I like to be a positive influence on students.”

ABDOULAYE FALL

Instructor in French

“I believe that we teachers have a crucial role that we play in society, and I am proud to contribute to that.”

CHARLIE FRANKENBACH

Instructor in English

“I teach because there are always chances to see joy.”

ADAM LANG

Instructor in Economics

“I love working with students and being a part of an open, rich learning environment.”

LETTY ROBERTS

Instructor in Mathematics

“The reason I’ve taught at Hotchkiss for the past 30 years is, simply put, the students.”

TOM DRAKE

Instructor in History

“Teaching is the noblest profession of them all! So I was told when I first set out to teach, and so I still believe today.”

SCAN THE QR CODE with your phone to watch a series of 15-30-second videos for insight into why Hotchkiss instructors have dedicated their careers to teaching.