For the first time last year, the percentage of African-American and Latino students was equal to the percentage of African-American and Latino faculty, owing to a focus on diversity within the faculty aspect of the Strategic Plan. However, the number of African-American faculty members has decreased since 2004. and there are only two more Asian or Asian-American faculty members this year than there were in 2004. The Strategic Goal of attracting and retaining a diverse and well-trained faculty has been well received by faculty members. Temba Maqubela, Dean of Faculty, said, “There is tremendous good will among faculty to embrace this plan…Faculty are the mainstay of this place.” While Maqubela travels to Georgia every February to a diversity fair to try and recruit more diverse faculty members, he said, “Word of mouth works. Where there’s diversity, there is more diversity.” Maqubela also stressed the importance of geographic diversity for a global perspective. Of the 217 current faculty members, almost 40 were born in countries outside the United States. Faculty salaries have increased the past two years, and among Andover’s group of eight peer schools, compensation at PA has fallen in the top three since before 2004. It is difficult to compare school compensation rates, because schools have different combinations of benefits and ranges of salaries for the different age bands. Faculty salarie are based on age, rather than tenure. The faculty is working on improving the faculty evaluation system. The plan is to make evaluations more frequent and focused. The only dramatic change from past evaluations is that all evaluations must now be accompanied by suggestions for improvement. Maqubela said, “We want to add predictability to a process that is working well…We’re trying to make evaluations part of the fabric of the culture.” To stress the importance of the new evaluation system, Maqubela asked the faculty to evaluate him in his role as Dean of Faculty as well. “We don’t really have a grand master plan. We are merely doing the same things in a more focused, more intentional and deliberate manner.” said Maqubela. The Strategic Plan stressed the importance of retaining and recruiting an outstanding faculty. Maqubela said, “We have not had an exodus by any measurable metric. without taking their expertise for granted, we are trying to capture the energy and enthusiasm of the faculty who are here.” He also said that it was flattering to have some faculty members move on to administrative positions at other schools, citing Margarita Curtis, former Dean of Students, who was appointed Head of School at Deerfield Academy in 2006.
