Last Tuesday, Hopkins hosted its second annual High Table event. This tradition, in which students, top level administrators and faculty share dinner together, began last year.
The event was created to give freshmen a chance to talk to the leaders of the school and various faculty members from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering in an intimate setting. Last year the event was held in the Fresh Food Cafe (FFC), which could not accommodate all the freshmen. This year, the Rec Center, which could accommodate all the freshmen, was shut down in order to hold the event there.
The evening started out with with a welcome speech by Freshman Class President Merril Anovick and an introductory speech by Provost Lloyd Minor.
During Provost Minor’s introductory speech, he explained that the Hopkins High Table was modeled after the High Table tradition that has taken place at Oxford and Cambridge for centuries. In the British custom, students, faculty and administrators all dine together over a formal meal with the most
honorable guests sitting at an elevated High Table. The format was similar here except instead of students and leaders being completely separated, there was a High Table with the deans, vice deans and the president sitting with the leaders of the freshmen class. Faculty members were interspersed among students at other tables.
“So that’s more than just a symbolic difference. It really represents a difference in educational philosophy where we as a faculty, as the intellectual leaders of the University, really want to be in contact with you and engage with you during your educational experience,” Minor said.
Minor’s speech was followed by a thanksgiving by Freshman Class Senator Gauri Wagle, paralleling the Latin Grace that is said at High Tables at Oxford and Cambridge. The beginning remarks were concluded with a toast by President Ronald Daniels.
Hopkins has recently been starting more traditions. For example, in the fall of 2009, Hopkins also started First Night, a candlelight ceremony that ushers in the beginning of the academic year and formally welcomes the incoming freshman class.
Dean Dorothy Sheppard, who was one of the main administrators to help lead the planning of the event, commented that the new traditions were a positive addition to the Hopkins experience.
“[It’s] so students have a sense of belonging, a sense of feeling a part of the University as a whole and help them develop memories that they’ll have for a lifetime,” Sheppard said.
Compared to last year, the administration made some changes to improve High Table. They enlarged the space where the event would be held and switched to a menu that would appeal to more students. Sheppard acknowledged that some freshmen last year were not thrilled with the main course, which consisted of cornish hens. They also advertised the event better and made tickets more available by giving them out at the Fresh Food Cafe.
Administrators also decided to close the FFC to encourage freshmen to come to the event. Furthermore, since the dinner was catered by Aramark, it would have been hard to keep the FFC open when staff were pulled from that facility to work the High Table event.
Although administrators said that freshmen could use their dining dollars at Nolan’s or Charles Street Market, some freshmen opted to eat off campus instead of attending High Table. Freshman David Silberstein could not attend High Table because of an unforeseen last minute commitment and instead of using dining dollars he ate at Tamber’s.
Many freshman enjoyed the High Table’s alternative food. Freshman Brandon R. Weber stated that he was impressed with the food.
“I thought Aramark definitely stepped up their game,” Weber said.
Freshman Marc Reisner also enjoyed the food, but would have liked it if the dinner had allowed for more food.
“If they’re gonna close the FFC where we can get unlimited food we should really get at least a second course or more bread,” Reisner said.
Although the event was supposed to encourage students to talk with professors, not all students got a chance to talk to the faculty members dispersed throughout the tables. Freshman Jennifer Diamond was sitting at the end of one of the tables and did not get a chance to talk to any of the professors at all. She suggested that next year’s event might allow for more communication between students and faculty if there were more professors participating.
“I wasn’t really sitting next to anyone, but I bet that if you were sitting near a faculty member you would probably be able to interact with them more,” Diamond said.
Reisner commented that the setup was not conducive to facilitating discussion between faculty and students.
“They could have interspersed it a little better. The table set up isn’t that great. Everything is not distributed that well including the professors on the table,” Reisner said.
Despite these difficulties, Weber thought that the event still was a good idea. Even though he stated that the administration pushed the event very hard on the freshmen, he appreciated their efforts.
“It made it seem like they cared more about us as a community rather than just paychecks,” Weber said.
Anovick, who was one of the main student planners of the event, said that the administration really wanted to encourage students to come to the event and was successful in that regard. Of the 1,250 freshman class, 800 reserved spots and about 650 freshman actually showed up.
“I think the dinner was very well-planned and well-executed. We got the turnout we were looking for. I think it was a success,” Anovick said.
The event was supposed to be a reflection of the school’s dedication to its students. And in his speech Provost Minor sought to express just how dedicated the faculty of Hopkins was to students.
“You won’t find a finer faculty than the faculty here at Johns Hopkins anywhere in the world. And also, I don’t think you will find a faculty more dedicated to you, as students, than you’re gonna find right here,” Minor stated.
In addition, in President Daniels’s toast, he stated that he really wanted the students to take advantage of this opportunity to get to know the professors and the other leaders present.
“This here is a celebration and a chance to engage with others. We know that your education here at Johns Hopkins is not only about classes you take or the books that you read . . . but your experience at Johns Hopkins is also shaped by wise men and women across the table from you. Your conversations with them will enlighten you tonight and for years to come,” Daniels said.
