Masters' spouses gain new recognition and title

When Yalies returned to school three weeks ago, few recognized that an associate master was in their midst. But after a vote by the Yale Corporation in May, a familiar face in each college--the master's spouse--has gained this title.

Elizabeth Sledge, now associate master of Calhoun, spearheaded the effort to change the title from Coordinator to Associate Master with the support of Marcia Chambers, associate master of Morse, and Susan Stout, associate master of Berkeley.

	"There was no real recognition of the fact that most masters' spouses really do a lot of work," Sledge said. "Master's teas are the easy part; it's the hard stuff behind the scenes that people don't know about." Sledge's comment was echoed by Loren Goldman, JE '00. "To be quite honest, I had no idea that the master's spouse had any duties whatsoever," he said. According to Chambers, many of the masters' spouses were dissatisfied with the title of Coordinator. "It was embarrassing, frankly. Coordinator is a title often used in the nonprofit sector; it's meaningless in the university setting," Chambers said.
Alena Bartoli/YH
Marcia Chambers, Elizabeth Sledge, and Susan Stout led the campaign to create Yale's newest title: Associate Master.

The catalyst that incited Sledge, Chambers, and Stout to take action with the University was a January 29, 1997 editorial in the Yale Daily News entitled "Woman Should Fill Trumbull Master Position."

The editorial, which urged Levin to appoint a female as Trumbull Master, emphasized the master's role within the college community, but failed to indicate that Masters' spouses are also important in setting the tone for residential colleges. "More than anyone else at Yale, it is the master who serves as a student's surrogate family. It is the master who encourages a community atmosphere, invites residents to Thanksgiving dinner, and comforts undergraduates in mourning," it read.

"[The editorial] was a real indicator of our invisibility in the University," Sledge said. "I can assure you that William Sledge was not preparing the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner."

The editorial spurred Sledge to bring the matter to President Richard Levin, GRD '74. As an increasing number of people in the Yale community were calling for more female masters, Sledge believed that it was time to "give the spouses some clout so that they could more effectively do what they are supposed to do."

Armed with the strong support of Levin and theunanimous backing of the other spouses, Sledge, Chambers, and Stout brought the issue to the attention of the Council of Masters. To bolster their argument, they pointed out that Harvard has a house system comparable to Yale's residential college system and refers to its masters' spouses as co-masters.

"The fact that masters' spouses at Harvard gained the Co-Master title 12 years ago gave ballast to our argument," Sledge said.

The Committee of the Whole, a sub-group composed of the 12 masters, then voted in favor of changing the title to Associate Master. In May, the Yale Corporation officially recognized the change.

Masters' spouses have long played a significant role in their colleges. While most of them coordinate the social events that take place at the master's house, many play important roles outside their college's social arena.

Sledge, for example, helps coordinate the Mellon Forum for seniors, interviews applicants for graduate affiliate and residential fellow positions, serves as a freshman advisor for several students, and occasionally visits students who are in YUHS or the hospital.

In addition, Sledge said she assumes the responsibilities of master when her husband is out of town. If there is a physical plant problem or a loud party in the middle of the night, she must take care of it. Harvey Goldblatt, master of Pierson College, said that in many ways, his wife, Madi Gandolfo, "is a partner in this important responsibility."

Some Masters' spouses have independent careers at Yale as well. Brigitte Peucker, associate master of Ezra Stiles, chairs both the German studies and film studies departments. First year Associate Master Victor Henrich, husband of Trumbull Master Janet Henrich, is a full professor in the physics department and the director of physical science and engineering.

Although some might view a title change as mere semantics, many associate masters appreciate this latest recognition of their significant role in college life. "Students didn't know how to refer to us [before the change]. We were languishing in ambiguity," Chambers said.

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