The board of Deep Springs College voted August 31, 2017 to open applications to women for the 2018 entering class. The board adopted the recommendation of the college’s Coeducation Transition Committee, which read: “Having reviewed the preparation needs for admitting women in the summer of 2018, the planning structure, agenda, and the institutional resources in place to address them, the transition committee recommends to the Board of Deep Springs College that the college welcome applications from all promising young people for the incoming class of 2018.”

Deep Springs has operated for a century with an all-male student body; this vote culminates a process begun by the Board’s 2011 resolution that having “carefully considered the purpose of Deep Springs, how best to achieve the purpose, and changes in society since the college was created, the trustees determine that it is appropriate to plan and implement a transition to a coeducational student body.”

Press inquiries about coeducation: pressinquiries@deepsprings.edu

Be it resolved that the Trustees of Deep Springs College acknowledge, appreciate, and applaud the June 28th California Supreme court decision not to change the California 4th District Court of Appeal’s affirmation of the Trial Court order to amend the L. L. Nunn Trust to serve all promising young people, not men only. By refusing to entertain further appeal, the Supreme Court has confirmed and empowered the 2011 Trustees’ decision to admit women to Deep Springs College.

The Trustees of Deep Springs are confident that Deep Springs College can and should implement a smooth transition to coeducation as soon as practicable. Further, the Trustees of Deep Springs College commit to work enthusiastically and in unison to support coeducation at Deep Springs College. As a body, the Trustees ask the alumni and friends of Deep Springs to join the college in supporting this endeavor.

The Trustees are also very grateful to all of those who have devoted their time, energy, and resources to achieve this result. The steadiness of this support has been an inspiration. The Trustees also thank the legal team and college counsel for their extensive labor in behalf of the Trustees’ decision, including lawyers and staff from Baker Manock & Jensen, Arnold and Porter Kaye Scholer, and Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton.

(Passed unanimously on August 14, 2017)

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