Senior spring is coming to an end, and with that comes senior privileges. Senior privileges are requested through student council representatives and then negotiated with through the deans.
This year, seniors have a later curfew: 10:30 p.m. on weeknights, 11:30 p.m. on Fridays, and 11:45 p.m. on Saturdays. Seniors also get 2 free froyos per day from the Greer, 24/7 Wifi, an increased AP limit. Finally, day students are allowed to drive boarding students off-campus, which is usually not allowed.
Mr. Philie expressed optimism about these privileges saying, “This is a really fun, enjoyable, time during [seniors’] Deerfield experience.” He also stated that he values and encourages them to “be able to spend some extra time with their friends.”
Many seniors also appreciate these privileges. Peter Kurto ’23 expressed his appreciation for the 24/7 Wifi, saying, “When I had to pull an all nighter for my econ project, I was able to access sources online 24/7 due to the extended internet.” Thomas Harrick ’23 also appreciated the efforts by Head of School Dr. Austin to keep free froyo exclaiming, “I like the free froyo.”
The process for requesting senior privileges begins in mid spring. While the privileges are mostly always the same, each year the seniors collectively write a proposal through their student council representatives. After this submission the deans review the list, in order to keep requests realistic, and then return the annotated proposal. The student council representatives work more with the deans until they agree on a list of privileges, which seniors receive towards the end of Spring term.
Mr. Philie also wanted to say, “Enjoy as much as you can… May is the most beautiful month, it’s gorgeous. I hope our kids can value and appreciate this and enjoy themselves, making good, smart decisions as they do so.” While these privileges are supported by the deans, Mr. Philie noted that senior sneakout, a common tradition which entails seniors leaving dorms after check-in and roaming around campus, is a violation of a major school rule and it is not condoned for the safety of the students.