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Update from Dave Hitz, Chair, Trustees of Deep Springs

Coeducation: Is it Possible in 2018?

The Trustees are pleased that the California Supreme Court decided not to review our case. This clears the way for coeducation at Deep Springs. The trust can now be modified to read, “for the education of promising young people.”

The litigation was long and sometimes frustrating. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that a debate spanning five decades should take a handful of years in court. I am proud of the Deep Springs community. The tone during our listening sessions, back in 2011, was calmer, more reflective, and more collaborative than the stories I heard from the seventies and nineties. The mood at the Centennial Reunion was upbeat and happy. Whatever their original feelings on the topic, I think most people are glad to have this controversy behind us. I got a warm hug from Ed Keonjian at the reunion. It’s time for all of us to come together.

Thank you to everyone who participated in listening sessions, gave advice, or supported the process in any way. Thanks also to the legal team that so ably represented us, including lawyers and staff from Baker Manock & Jensen, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton.

At the Centennial, many people asked if we could go coed in 2018, a year from now. “Are there facilities changes we need to make? Is it even possible?” To be honest, we don’t know. There has been an injunction against any coed planning for almost five years now. We need to dust off the plans and pick up where we left off. But when the injunction hit, we were only five and a half months from admitting women. We had received many excellent applications. We are eleven months away from July 2018, when the class of 2018 will arrive, so we have twice as much time left now as we did last time. This doesn’t prove that it’s possible, but it’s a hint that it might be. If we can prudently and professionally transition in 2018, then we would certainly like to!

Now it is time to restart our planning efforts. We will keep the community posted on our progress.

As Deep Springs enters its second century, we are well positioned to promote the Nunnian ideals of service and leadership in education. What an exciting time!

Dave Hitz

Chairman, Trustees of Deep Springs

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Misha Hoekstra DS’82 – Denmark

The 2017 shortlist for the Man Booker International Prize was announced today. Misha Hoekstra DS’82 was named to the list for his English translation of  Dorte Nohrs’ Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, recently published by Pushkin Press. The shortlist honors just six books and their author/translator ‘teams’ in contention for the final award, which recognizes excellence in translated fiction from throughout the world. The final winner will be announced in June of this year at a ceremony in London. A writer and musician, Misha lives in Denmark and has translated numerous titles from Danish to English, including recent new translations of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Wild Swans and The Snow Queen.

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Charles Munford DS’00 – Louisiana

The sausage company founded and owned by Charlie Munford DS’00 in Mississippi was recently featured in Gambit: Best of New Orleans. After finishing at Deep Springs, Charlie established Two Run Farm in his home state on land his grandfather had farmed. It was among the very first farms in Mississippi to be certified organic. Charlie then completed his MA at Yale before returning south to establish a farm-to-table company supplying pork directly to restaurants in New Orleans. Business is growing and he purchased his own slaughterhouse and smokehouse in Louisiana. His operation has proved so successful that the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry approached him for help with their runaway overpopulation of wild boars infesting Louisiana’s pine forests. Apparently, Charlie has a way with smoked meats and building a market for the porcine critters is proving successful – good for the environment and the grocery. But, don’t take our word for it, read the article.

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Lee Talbot – Washington, D.C.

Lee Talbot DS’48 remains as busy as ever. A roundup of his activities in the previous year includes multiple honors for his lifetime accomplishments: In March of 2016, the Cosmos Club of Washington D.C. bestowed the Powell Award – in honor of founder and eminent explorer John Wesley Powell – on Dr. Talbot because “he preeminently embodies the values represented by Powell’s distinguished career.” In his attendant lecture, Lee emphasized that his wife Marty has been his full partner through much of his career.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature convened in September of 2016 with over 10,000 attendees for their quadrennial World Congress. At the gathering, Lee was honored with the Harold Jefferson Coolidge Medal to recognize his lifelong contributions in the field of international conservation and environmental affairs, his outstanding initiatives in the field of exploration and his continuing dedication to the field of conservation.

Also in September, Lee received the Legacy Award from the Defenders of Wildlife at their annual  dinner in Washington DC. Presented in recognition of lifetime achievements in wildlife conservation, the award was dedicated to: “Dr. Lee Talbot, World-Renowned Environmentalist for pioneering work in developing ecosystem science, shaping national and international environmental policies and principles, establishing an ecosystem basis for conservation, and conducting environmental work in 131 countries.”

Not one to focus only on work, Lee continues to compete (and win) regularly on the racing circuit. In June of 2016, he was recognized for his lifetime achievements with the first-ever Spirit of Vintage Racing award at the Vintage Automobile Racing Association of Canada’s historic Grand Prix in Ontario, Canada.

Dr. Talbot is a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University.

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New Alumni Books – Alaska, Utah, Syria

Deep Springs alumni remain busy bringing new books to publication. We have three recent contributions to call your attention to. Check out the links for further information.

Roger Seiler DS59 has written a new historical novel titled Master of Alaska – The Saga of Alaska’s First Russian Governor, Aleksandr Boronov. Released by True North Publishing, it tells of Boronov’s exploits in Alaska at the close of the 18th Century, and the origins of Alaska’s ultimate inclusion in the United States. You can find the book here on Roger’s website. Roger is a filmmaker and software entrepreneur who grew up the son of a bush pilot in Alaska.

Former DS president Jack Newell DS56 served as co-editor for a new book on education in 2016: Hope, Heart, and the Humanities: How a Free College Course is Changing Lives. The book examines how Venture, a free interdisciplinary college humanities course that lowers barriers to college for nontraditional students. Check out the book at University of Utah Press. Jack is also formerly dean of Liberal Education at the University of Utah.

Journalist Graeme Wood DS97 has written an extensive analysis of the Islamic State, published by Random House last month. The Way of Strangers: Encounters With the Islamic State follows on the heels of his 2015 cover article for Atlantic magazine. Wood’s book distills his research and many interviews with IS supporters and sympathizers to examine “the strategy, psychology, and theology driving the Islamic State.” Graeme is a national correspondent at The Atlantic. He was the 2015-16 Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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100th Class Arrives

Over the Fourth of July weekend, the college welcomed the new students of Deep Springs Class of 2016. Hailing from across the United States as well as Canada and South Africa, this is the 100th new group of students to arrive in the valley since Deep Springs was established in 1917. (While the first arrivals in 1917 had to sleep in tents and assist with building the college from the ground up, the latest arrivals have it somewhat easier.)

Just one week after the graduation of DS’14, the new first-year students arrived on Friday for dinner, then  convened their first Student Body meeting with the second-years on hand. On Saturday, the entire group embarked on the traditional hike up Chocolate Mountain peak, camping overnight. On Monday, Summer Seminar commenced the seven week term with its first class. In addition to the academic course work and self-governance meetings, the first-years will attend weekly “sense-of-place” lectures with staff around the ranch, farm and desert to become familiar with Deep Springs’ unique surroundings and program. Over the course of 100 years, Deep Springs has matriculated just over 1100 individuals. We’re excited to reach this milestone.

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Rhys Dubin DS’11 – Lebanon

After graduating from Yale in May, Rhys Dubin DS’11 has relocated to Morocco where he is currently studying Arabic in preparation for his next move. Come September, he will take up residence in Beirut where he’ll spend a year working as a journalist for The Daily Star, an English language daily newspaper founded and published in Lebanon and distributed to several countries in the Middle East. Rhys received a fellowship from Yale to finance his year’s work overseas.

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Shepard Smith DS’88 – Maryland

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced that Shepard Smith DS’88 will be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. He receives the promotion in preparation for assuming his new job later this summer as Director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. Shep has served with NOAA for 23 years, half that time working in field hydrography on multiple vessels, most recently as Commander of the Thomas Jefferson. You can read details of his career and appointment at the Office of Coast Survey announcement. In his new role, Shep will “oversee the transformation of navigational intelligence into the integrated delivery platform required for the next generation of navigational services.”

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Deep Springs Farm Moves to Organic Certification

The alfalfa farm at Deep Springs has begun the process of shifting to organic operation. This spring, farm manager Ben Munger switched to organic fertilizer and seed for the current growing season. First inspections from CCOF (California Certified Organic Farms) will take place this summer and results from that survey will be used to establish protocols for future inspections and a fertility plan going forward. If all goes well, the college farm will be able to sell hay certified as organic by the fall of 2018, commanding a higher and more stable price than afforded by the regular commodity market. The college is also investigating options for switching the cattle herd to 100% organic but needs to find organic alternatives for dietary supplements to prevent bloat. Beyond pricing and environmental improvements, engaging in organic farming provides students hands-on experience with questions of stewardship in this increasingly vibrant area of modern agriculture.

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David Galbraith DS’90 – Burma

Foreign Service Officer David Galbraith DS’90 has been posted to the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, Burma (known locally as Yangon, Myanmar), where he is serving a 3-year stint as political unit chief. One of the primary responsibilities for his team is helping to encourage democratic reforms in the political process in Myanmar. During parliamentary elections over the winter, that involved providing technical assistance to election commissioners and political parties, discussing best practices with local government officials, and assisting election observers in the field. His team helped coordinate U.S. support for Myanmar’s 2015 general elections, which resulted in a resounding victory for then-opposition leader San Suu Kyi’s party. David is excited to be part of the historical transformation currently underway in Burma, and he and his wife Alyce are enjoying raising their three small children in such a beautiful country. David has worked previously for the US State Department in Washington D.C. and the Middle East.

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Dyer, NV 89010

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