The Board of Trustees approved the proposed renovation of Academy buildings, decided to withdraw $1.3 million from endowment funds, and approved a study to explore the feasibility of Andover’s Strategic Plan last weekend. The Board approved the plan for the renovation of historic Pearson Hall, which will be remodeled as a community center to create new spaces for both students and faculty. The Board also endorsed renovation and expansion of Bulfinch Hall. The plan includes an addition of a new wing to the building, which would create space for more classrooms and offices. The Addison Gallery of American Art, which celebrated its 75th birthday last week, will add an education center, a preparation and care area, staff facilities, and storage space for the art. Fundraising and design programs have already begun. The Board decided to dismantle faculty residence Eastman House due to the level of deferred maintenance. Michael Williams, Director of Facilities, will monitor the demolition, and Temba Maqubela, Dean of Faculty, will ensure that the current and future faculty housing needs are secured. The Board of Trustees also addressed Andover’s current economic situation. To compensa†e for the deficit in the current fiscal year 2006 operation budget, resulting from rising fuel costs and the required renovation of the Andover Inn’s kitchen, the Board will draw $1.3 million from the endowment funds. The Office of Physical Plan (OPP) has employed several conservative measures to lower fuel consumption. As a result, the actual deficit was $300,000 less than the estimated deficit predicted by OPP in January. The Board approved $80 million as the operating budget for fiscal year 2007, an $8.5 million facilities renewal budget, and a $100,000 facilities improvement budget. The Board raised the technology budget to $1.55 million with an additional technology improvement budget of about $125,000. The Board discussed Andover’s Strategic Plan as well, allowing the Office of Academic Resources to conduct a comprehensive study of the Plan’s feasibility. The study will explore technology, augmenting the curriculum, further supporting outreach programs, funding required for need-blind admissions, and increasing donations to the Andover Fund. On Wednesday night the Student Council ran a student forum to discuss the Board’s response to the new renovation plans and proposals. School President Danny Silk ’07, who ran the event said, “We had [only] 20 or 30 kids come, but having a smaller number of kids really encouraged discussion among everyone, which was really nice… The event was primarily to educate, but also to discuss. It really is a big issue.” At the forum, Mr. Williams presented tentative renovation plans for Commons, Bulfinch, Pearson, and the Addison. Silk said, “Personally it is tough [to accept the Pearson renovation] because I am taking both Latin and Greek…but really with what [The Trustees] are trying to accomplish I can understand their reasons…the general plan [that] they have to make it a non-academic building makes sense to me.” Silk continued, “I really hope the administration allows student input into these decisions because it really does affect the students.” The Board of Trustees meeting also welcomed several new Trustees and said goodbye to many retiring Charter and Alumni trustees. Dr. Peter Hertzler ‘72 and Alfred Blum Jr. ‘62 joined the Board. Among the retiring Trustees was Clinton Kendrick ’61, who has served as a trustee since 1981. Outside the boardroom, the Trustees joined the Alumni council and Seniors Katie Faulkner and Jonathan Figueroa for breakfast on Saturday.
