Ashdown Past and Present19 May 2013

MIT Organization Ashdown History

Past Issues Future possibilities Status of some funding accounts

Outline

http://web.mit.edu/orgchart/

MIT Corporate Org Chart

Took over from Phil Clay March 2011 Deans of Student Life, Undergrad Education

and Graduate Education report to Chancellor Major decisions about Student Life and

Education go through Chancellor

Chancellor: Eric Grimson

Took over from Steve Lerman in June 2010 Works with DSL on Graduate Student issues

Brunch Key members of staff: Blanche Staton, Jason

McKnight

Dean for Graduate Education: Christine Ortiz

Fall 2008; Organization includes Residential Life Student Activities Center Z-Center Copy Tech Endicott House

Dean of Student Life, Chris Colombo

Housing: Dan Roderick (started Fall 2012) House managers (Denise) Room Assignments: Sandy Lugo Night Watch

Dining and Residential Life Programs: Naomi Carton (started Fall 2012) Thirsty Ear (Mike Grenier)

Residential LifeHenry Humphreys (started November

2010)

Social and Cultural Activities Coffee Hour Dinners Residential Scholars

Advice to AHEC Work with House Manager and Staff House Decorum________________________________________________ Counseling Activities

Academic and Career Mental Health Medical Neighbor issues Discipline

Lobbying Activities: Advocate for Ashdown House outside of Ashdown House

Housemasters: What do They Do

DSL MIT Medical ODGE Senior Administration MIT Facilities Department Graduate Administrators in various

departments Other Housemasters Campus Police Cambridge Licensing Committee Committee on Discipline

Who Housemasters Coordinate With

Graduate House started in 1933 in what is now Senior House; Avery Ashdown first Housemaster

Moved to W1 (old Riverbank Court Hotel) in 1937 Crafts and Fabyan Rooms were moved to W1

Avery Ashdown retired as Housemaster in 1962; but involved with Graduate House until he died in 1970 Graduate House renamed Ashdown House

Thirsty Ear started in early 1960s Hulsizers became Housemasters in 1974

Started Coffee Hour Ingrams became Housemasters in 1985

Started Thanksgiving Dinner Sunday brunch

Orlandos became Housemasters in 2001, leave in 2013 Ashdown House moved from W1 to NW35 in 2008 Katie and Yuriy Roman become Associate Housemasters 2011

Brief Ashdown History

Issue: Administration said that because of all freshman on campus, needed more room Solution: Split Ashdown, half grad students, half freshmen

How we found out: Tech article Fight: lasted two months, many meetings, much

acrimony Solution: Senior Segue, with seniors in all grad

dorms Senior Segue went away from all other grad dorms

when Ashdown agreed to house Phoenix (2008 - 2011)

January 2002: Put 200 Freshmen in Ashdown

Issue: Our strong suspicion that AAA left money to Graduate House

How we found out: I went through all MIT endowed funds and found that indeed, in his will, AAA left money to Ashdown House When questioned, MIT treasurer said it was earmarked for snow

plowing the campus Fight: Lasted two years, involving alumni, family of AAA, past

Ashdown housemasters many meetings Result: We settled for half the money from now on

Receiving money for last 7 years Current balance $87K (account number 2736529) Approximately $10,000 added each year in July

NB AAA also left money to recognize leaders in dorm: we award this at Thanksgiving and AHEC Nomination Night Dinner Administered through ODGE

October 2003 – July 2005: Money from Avery Alan Ashdown Will

A bequest from Prof. Vernon Ingram to Ashdown House

Endowed fund, proceeds to be used to support classical concert at Ashdown House Total funds each year about $500 Used for dessert reception after concert in

Spring Account 3651555

Ingram Classical Music Concert Fund

Issue: Administration concerned about liability issues, Thirsty unregulated Solution: Shut Thirsty

How we found out about it: Day we came home from a student’s funeral, his death and closing Thirsty were front page in the Tech (May 11, 2004)

Fight: Lasted two months, meetings every week all summer

Solution: Current operating document for Thirsty, Campus Dining also participated

May 2004 : Closing the Thirsty

Issue: Administration wanted to increase undergrad enrollment by 400 Use Ashdown as undergrad dorm because of location

How we found out: Told on Friday that this was the decision by DSL, and that we and Ashdown students

would play a major role in planning new building On next Monday in Meeting with students, we are told that the building in completely

designed and we have no input No common space (except for laundry!!??) No inexpensive rooms No Thirsty

Fight: Lasted three months; Involved GSC, Housing, Reps from other grad dorms; note many Ashdown residents wanted to fight any move Very, very acrimonious Administration frequently promised one thing then changed Building nearly killed

Solution: We did have a major input in building design, what we have now Moved name from W1 to NW35

Only after this big fight and commitment to build NW35 did Administration realize what a completely deteriorated condition W1 was in and that it needed at least $90M (almost as much as to build NW35) to renovate W1

January 2006: NW35

In W1, AHEC was responsible for many items now covered by MIT Administration All gym equipment Common room equipment WiFi

Source of funds Guest room rentals Hulsizer and Ingram Room Rentals

AHEC in 2006-2007 Realizing that MIT would (finally) provide equipment and

support in new building Took accumulated cash and moved it to an endowed account

($80,000) Total amount each year about $3000 Account number 3647003

Ashdown Alumni Fund

Common Space Thirsty Ear

Issues Noise Unruly patrons Sharing Ashdown kitchen: new chef?? Recognition that this is Ashdown space

Challenges

New Housemasters Revitalized TE Restart Ashdown Alumni Contacts

New Opportunities