May 8, 2020
To the Andover community:
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we write with an update on recent board decisions surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic and its near- and long-term effect on our Andover community. As we attend to our fiduciary role, we are mindful of the emotional toll this public health crisis has placed on loved ones and friends, the campus community, and our extended Andover family.
We are profoundly grateful for the leadership of Interim Head of School Jim Ventre ’79 and for the exceptional way that Andover has responded to this crisis, with the safety of the community always its highest priority. From virtual classrooms and staff meetings to the team in technology and the counselors in Sykes Wellness Center, acts of non sibi abound. Faculty and staff transitioned to an online curriculum in a matter of days, and they continue to learn and adapt to meet the needs of our students in these challenging circumstances.
As we face the coming months, however, more work is required.
The Coronavirus pandemic has presented the global economy and the education sector with unprecedented uncertainty. Institutions like Andover face both operating and financial challenges and must be prepared to respond to rapidly changing circumstances.
We are committed to doing all in our power to bring students back to campus this fall. The unique value of the Andover experience has never been more clear. The steps required to safely open a residential campus, however, and the costs of implementation remain uncertain. In the midst of these challenging times, we rely on a few guiding principles:
- Protecting the safety and wellbeing of all members of our community.
- Ensuring that no student is turned away from Andover for financial reasons.
- Delivering the exceptional educational experience for which Andover is known.
A number of factors outside of our control will determine the shape of Andover’s fall term; therefore, we must proceed cautiously. It is our intention to open in September with students back on campus, subject to our making the campus safe for the community and adhering to regulatory constraints. At the same time, we are developing contingency plans, recognizing that residential education presents particularly complex scenarios around social distancing that extend well beyond a classroom setting. We may have to be flexible in our approach given uncertainty around health and safety protocols, international travel, and varying health risk profiles in our student and adult populations.
Still, we remain confident in Andover’s ability to respond with ingenuity and resourcefulness. We are incredibly grateful for the planning structure established by Jim in collaboration with trustees and 16th Head of School Dr. Raynard Kington. Jim has appointed a Pandemic Response Group (PRG) to oversee the development of strategies and contingencies based on several possibilities, taking into account the safety of the community, public health data, and government regulations. With additional input from campus task forces and other experts, the PRG will issue recommendations to the Board of Trustees in mid-June.
Finally, we wish to recognize the difficult decisions that the board has taken in order to preserve the financial health of the school in the long term.
Decisions for fiscal year 2021 include:
- Significant reductions in facilities and technology renewal budgets.
- Reductions in goods and services budgets across the Academy.
- Flat funding of salaries. Given the latest economic data, endowment performance, and uncertainty around enrollment, the board regrets not being able to offer raises, as previously hoped.
- Targeted hiring freeze.
These actions are expected to yield savings of more than $11 million and partially offset decreases in the endowment and tuition revenue. Trustees and school leaders will reconvene periodically in the weeks ahead to review these decisions in the latest context of the crisis. Over time, we expect to have a better understanding of whether additional measures will be necessary to ensure the long-term strength of the Academy.
And so we proceed, with caution and determination. Andover has the best minds and hearts “keeping school,” solving problems, and developing contingency plans. We are privileged to be part of an institution that has used its enduring values to navigate challenging times for 242 years. We will continue to lean on these values for strength and guidance in the weeks ahead.
Best wishes for your health and wellbeing,
Peter L.S. Currie ’74, P’03
President, Board of Trustees
Amy C. Falls ’82, P’19, ’21
President-elect, Board of Trustees
