News

Faculty Approve New Room Visiting Policies for 2015-2016 School Year

On Sunday, voting closed on a survey sent to the faculty involving four proposals related to room visitation policies. Approved changes include new room visiting hours for Juniors and upperclassmen, as well as a requirement for upperclassmen to leave their doors ajar and lights on during room visits.

The survey invited faculty to share their thoughts and vote on the proposed changes. For the 2015-2016 school year, upperclassmen will have to keep their doors ajar in accordance with the newly passed policy. All students will be required to have their lights on during room visits as well. The measure passed with 61 percent of faculty in favor and 26 percent in opposition, while 13 percent abstained.

Murphy said the change would require Seniors to have the door ajar to “the width of a recycle bin.”

“The closed door is just a real sticking point for a lot of people, and I think it probably has run its course. In some ways, [the decision]’s late. It’s been on the to-do list,” said Murphy.

A proposal to abolish 8 p.m. sign in for Uppers was rejected with 33 percent of faculty in favor, 54 percent opposed and 13 percent abstaining. The Upper sign-in proposal was initiated by Co-Presidents Junius Williams and Clark Perkin’s and was part of their campaign platform last year.

Along with the new parietal rules, a set of room visiting hours for upperclassman was proposed and approved in the vote. Upperclassmen will be allowed to have room visits on weekdays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Fridays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturdays from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sundays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m The policy will go into effect in the 2015-2016 school year. This change will decrease the total available time for room visits for upperclassmen from 29.5 hours per week to 19.5.

In addition, new room visiting hours for Juniors will also come into effect. Come next Winter Term, Juniors will no longer be able to have room visits on weekdays, but will be allowed to have them on Fridays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.The new hours will give Juniors a total of 6.5 hours in one week during which they can request room visits, a reduction from the 17 hours per week currently.

** Students respond to new room visit policies:

> [@phillipsacademy](https://twitter.com/phillipsacademy) Regardless of current problems w/parietal system, I just don’t see how this is the first step for making kids feel safer.
>
> — Jaleel D (@JaleelDProblems) [May 27, 2014](https://twitter.com/JaleelDProblems/statuses/471136155329921025)> Students call for improved sex-ed, faculty respond by eliminating all safe spaces on campus to have sex. Seems right.
>
> — Stephen Moreland (@smoreland4) [May 27, 2014](https://twitter.com/smoreland4/statuses/471133418831745024)> If you support mental health intiatives while subjecting students to public humiliation and shaming over sex, that’s counterproductive.
>
> — Diondra D. Peck (@whutdapeck) [May 27, 2014](https://twitter.com/whutdapeck/statuses/471279896183185409)> [@phillipsacademy](https://twitter.com/phillipsacademy) honestly, what are the benefits from this decision? If anything, this worsens students attitudes about sex and safety.
>
> — Alba Disla (@albadisla) [May 27, 2014](https://twitter.com/albadisla/statuses/471145297247469568)> [@Janine_Ko](https://twitter.com/Janine_Ko) [@phillipsacademy](https://twitter.com/phillipsacademy) Thank heavens! I was so worried. Good thing the Puritan ideals live on here on our beloved Andover hill.
>
> — Harry Wright (@wrightandleft) [May 27, 2014](https://twitter.com/wrightandleft/statuses/471149990778519552)> “The closed door…probably has run its course”=unsatisfactory for a school teaching critical thinking. [@phillipsacademy](https://twitter.com/phillipsacademy) faculty, do better.
>
> — Janine Ko (@Janine_Ko) [May 27, 2014](https://twitter.com/Janine_Ko/statuses/471134124799819776)_ This article will be updated as the story unfolds

Correction: This article previously misstated the new room hours for upperclassmen implemented in the 2015-2016 school year. It has been updated to include weekday parietal hours.
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