SPS Today: Spring Board Meeting Update
Board of Trustees Meeting Not Business as Usual
Sarah Aldag
Three departing trustees were recognized, and five new trustees were welcomed, at the St. Paul’s School Board of Trustees Meeting on May 1, 2020. The Board did not convene on the grounds but met via Zoom in a condensed, four-hour meeting. The terms for new trustees begin on July 1, 2020.
SPS Board of Trustees President Archibald Cox, Jr. ’58 read resolutions honoring the retiring trustees for their service to the School. Board Treasurer Candace E. Browning-Platt P’12 “brought intelligence, experience, expertise, and commitment to all of her duties. As chair of the School’s Investment Committee, Candace devoted countless hours and assumed huge responsibility for the School’s wellbeing. As a result, the School’s endowment has enjoyed robust growth and resiliency as, under her vigilant leadership, the Investment Committee successfully navigated a complex and constantly changing landscape.” The Board also offered its sincere gratitude to The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, for his leadership, support, and inspiration, and to Patricia L. Patterson ’82, whose term as executive vice president of the Alumni Association concludes June 30.
Outgoing Alumni Association President Elizabeth Overton Robbins ’79, P’17 will continue her tenure as a trustee. In addition to her role as president from 2017 to 2020, she has been a form agent, main agent, form director, and member of the Executive Committee. Robbins holds a C.S.S. from Harvard Extension School and a B.A. from Wesleyan University.
Tully M. Friedman P’17, 17 was also elected to the Board at a meeting later in May. He earned an A.B. from Stanford and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and is the current chairman and co-CEO of San Francisco investment firm FFL Partners (Friedman Fleischer & Lowe). His twins, Alexander L. Friedman ’17 and Allegra W. Friedman ’17, are SPS graduates.
David B. Scully ’79, P’21 received a B.S. from Trinity College in 1983. He is vice chairman-USA at Caledonia (Private) Investments, an independent, Australia-based global long/short equity investment firm, where he advises on business strategy and oversees the business development and client service team. He served as an SPS form agent (1989-95 and 2005-09), as a main agent (2009-14), and has been a non-trustee member of the Investment Committee since February 2019.
Newly elected Alumni Association President William J. Dunn III ’02, will join the Board beginning July 1. Dunn serves as a communications leader for Aon’s New Ventures Group and holds a B.A. from Tufts University. Shaun L. Rein ’96 joins the board as executive vice president of the Alumni Association. He is an inaugural member of the SPS Asia Council and has been a form director. He holds a B.A. from McGill University and an M.A. from Harvard.
In her Rector’s report, Kathy Giles outlined the steps the School has taken since transitioning to distance learning in early March. The goal has been to maintain the best interests of students and the integrity of the SPS academic experience while continuing a commitment to community with online Chapel twice a week. Giles also outlined measures the School is considering for a safe fall return.
In other news, the admission and college advising programs remain strong. Dean of Admission Scott Bohan ’94 reports that, with stay-at-home measures and distance learning in place beginning in mid-March, the Admission Office quickly recalibrated its recruitment outreach for a season without spring revisits. He credits the support and hard work of School leadership, faculty, and students in providing prospective families a taste of the SPS community. Overall, applications were up by five percent, the admission rate was 14 percent, and the yield was 71 percent. A total of 87 international students from 23 different countries plan to attend (with the largest groups of 34 from China, 16 from South Korea, and 12 from Canada). In addition, 40 percent of 2020 admitted students were awarded an average grant of $58,206. The two-year tuition freeze announced earlier this year supports long-term and sustained moderation in the rate of tuition growth, supporting better access and better distribution of incomes across enrolled families.
According to Dean of College Advising Tim Pratt, the Form of 2020 enjoyed a strong year in college admissions. The impact of COVID-19 and the closing of college campuses for the spring, and potentially longer, has had (and will continue to have) far-reaching implications on the financial health, enrollment picture, and admissions planning of institutions across higher education. Nevertheless, this year’s results “continue to reflect the remarkable strength of our student body; the outstanding education they receive; and the confidence maintained by admissions officers around the country that St. Paul’s School graduates are superbly prepared to be conspicuous, impactful, and successful college students and citizens.” Pratt notes a steady increase in the number of colleges SPS students have applied to over the past five years. Nearly half of Sixth Form students were admitted to a first-choice school.