The concern with proper library conduct has troubled librarians and administration for decades. The administration has eliminated the library’s function as a social venue in an attempt to make it a strictly academic area. Last spring, members of the Senior Administrative Council individually visited the library, noting student behavior and the general atmosphere. According to Dean of Students Marlys Edwards, the SAC concluded that students tended to engage more positively with familiar faculty and administration faces as opposed to the proctors. On May 4, approximately 15 proctors and students gathered to discuss the tensions in the library and to begin establishing friendlier student-proctor relationships. Over the summer, a subcommittee of the Senior Administrative Council, dubbed the “program group,” met to discuss a way to transition the library towards a focused academic environment. The “program group” includes Dean of Studies John Rogers, Dean of Students Marlys Edwards, Dean of CAMD Linda Griffith, Dean of Faculty Temba Maqubela, and Associate Head of School Rebecca Sykes. Discussion led to the challenge of making the library a soley academic sphere. A consultant may be brought in to consider different furniture configurations and logistical improvements. “It seems that many people like the idea,” Rogers said. “We are optimistic that we will make this happen.” However, according to Rogers, the idea of hiring a consultant arose after the year’s budget was finalized, so official approval will be delayed. The group also decided that library rules needed to be emphasized and enforced. According to Rogers, proctors inconsistently enforced rules last year, in part due to a feeling of futility and a sense that they did not hold adequate authority with the students. “Program group” members also suggested possible rule changes, including stricter policies on game-playing on library computers. Edwards announced the Cluster Dean policy to the community during the All-School Meeting on September 19. In the past, egregious situations resulted in the immediate presence of Public Safety and notification to Cluster Deans the next day. The revised policy, which Mr. Rogers suggested to the sub-committe, encourages proctors to call Cluster Deans for immediate support. The administration felt students would benefit more from the presence of a well-known authority figure such as a Cluster Dean, than from a less familiar library proctor. “We hope that by calling in someone who’s likely to know students, or someone students know, it will help diffuse a tense situation,” Rogers said. “Proctors often don’t know students very well – they don’t have the opportunity because they are here for relatively short periods of time,” continued Rogers. The Cluster Deans will support proctors in case of disruptive students. According to Library Director Elisabeth Tully, the proctors often felt disrespected and demoralized when students did not respond to their rule enforcement attempts. Rogers said, “The intention is to give proctors some recourse, to make sure students do know that proctors have some authority. “The cluster deans can back [the proctors] up and calm everyone down,” he added. Tully does not anticipate regular use of the cluster dean disciplinary policy. Severe conflicts between students and proctors are rare, and Tully reported only five incidents requiring a cluster dean’s notification in the last seven years. However, she values the new policy as a last resort.
