The Student-Run Newspaper of Williams College Since 1887

The Williams Record

Menu

David Wignall, Executive Editor for Investigations

David Wignall ’25 is an economics and history double major San Francisco, Calif. He is currently an executive editor for investigations. He previously served as an investigations editor, a social media editor, and a staff writer for news. Email: [email protected].

All content by David Wignall
Theo Duarte-Baird/The Williams Record

College admits 249 out of record-breaking 1,068 applicants to Class of 2028 through early decision

David Wignall • December 15, 2023
The College admitted 23.3 percent of 1,068 early decision applicants to the Class of 2028 on Dec. 8, according to Dean of Admission and Student Financial Services Liz Creighton ’01.
Student organizers held their meeting in Griffin Hall. (Max Billick/Williams Record)

College to reevaluate Winter Study in the face of faculty discontent

David Wignall • November 8, 2023
The proportion of professors who teach Winter Study has been in decline for decades, a Record investigation found. Soon, depending on the results of a faculty meeting this evening, professors may no longer be required to teach Winter Study at all.
This year, the Colleges endowment had a positive return, although a smaller one than in several past years. (David Wignall/Williams Record)

Endowment sees 2.9-percent return in 2023 fiscal year

David Wignall • November 1, 2023

The College’s endowment delivered a return of 2.9 percent for the 2023 fiscal year. The investment gain, valued at $102 million, was offset by a $150 million distribution to fund the College’s...

The 2023-24 housing lottery, by the numbers

David Wignall • May 10, 2023
The Record broke down this year's general and doubles lotteries, as well as the many other ways students received housing assignments.
In Other Ivory Towers: Mt. Holyoke moves to phase out German, Russian

In Other Ivory Towers: Mt. Holyoke moves to phase out German, Russian

David Wignall • May 3, 2023
On May 9, faculty at Mount Holyoke College will vote on a motion to discontinue all programs of study in German and Russian, according to the Mount Holyoke News.
A Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) is an approximation of the resources required by the College to teach four classes in one year. A full-time tenured professor requires 1.0 FTE per year. (Quinn Casey/The Williams Record)

STEM, economics departments stretch to meet rising course enrollment

Julia Goldberg and David Wignall • April 19, 2023
More students than ever are enrolling in STEM and economics courses. Though growing popularity in these departments has delighted professors, it has posed its own challenges. Now, departments must balance surging demand for their classes with limited resources and a desire to preserve the small, intimate atmosphere that defines a liberal arts education.
College reckons with declining interest in the humanities

College reckons with declining interest in the humanities

David Wignall and Julia Goldberg • April 12, 2023
Across the country, institutions of higher education have struggled to adjust to sky-high demand for STEM courses and weakening interest in the humanities. Williams — with its $3.5 billion endowment and traditional focus on the liberal arts — has been relatively insulated. But the College is not immune, prompting academic departments on both sides of Route 2 to consider their circumstances and what the future might hold.
The College admitted 858 students through the regular decision process.(Ella Marx/Williams Record)

College admits 9.8 percent of applicants to Class of 2027

David Wignall • March 20, 2023
The College admitted 858 students to the Class of 2027 through the regular decision process, for an overall admission rate of 9.8 percent.
(Daderot/Wikimedia Commons)

In Other Ivory Towers: Amherst changes Latin honors system

David Wignall • March 8, 2023
Students graduating magna cum laude or summa cum laude from Amherst must now satisfy a median grade threshold and a course breadth requirement, following a Feb. 7 faculty vote to amend Amherst’s Latin honors criteria. The decision has been met with both praise and controversy.
The College accepted 27 percent of early decision applicants to the Class of 2027. (Annie Lu/The Williams Record)

College admits 255 students to Class of 2027 through early decision after record-breaking 943 applications

David Wignall • December 9, 2022
The College accepted 255 students — 27 percent of applicants — to the Class of 2027 through early decision today. In total, the College received 943 early applications this year, making it the largest early decision applicant pool in the College’s history. This year’s early acceptance rate, a six-percent decrease from last year’s, is also the lowest on record.
Jay Pasachoff saw more eclipses than anyone else. (Photo courtesy of Williams College.)

Famed astronomer and eclipse-chaser Professor Jay Pasachoff dies at 79

Gabe Miller and David Wignall • December 7, 2022
Professor of Astronomy Jay Pasachoff died of complications from lung cancer in his Williamstown home on Nov. 20. He was 79. At the time of his death, Pasachoff was the longest-serving faculty member at the College, the chair of the astronomy department, and the director of the Hopkins Observatory. He had also witnessed 74 solar eclipses — more than any human in history. He is fondly remembered by faculty and students alike.
In April, the College announced it was launching an all-grant financial aid policy. (David Wignall/The Williams Record)

‘Years of hard effort’: How the College launched its all-grant financial aid policy

David Wignall and Schuyler Colfax • November 30, 2022
On April 13, students awoke to a historic announcement — the College planned to eliminate all loans and work study contributions from financial aid packages. While the announcement may have come as a surprise to students, the program was the result of years of careful planning behind the scenes.
Annie Lu/The WIlliams Record

Administrators, student activists respond to Supreme Court hearings on affirmative action

David Wignall • November 9, 2022
On Oct. 31, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared critical of race-conscious admissions during oral arguments in a pair of lawsuits regarding affirmative action.
Owen Kolean, who was formerly in the Class of 2025 at Williams, transfered to UChicago, where he continues to study economics and mathematics. (Photo courtesy of Owen Kolean)

Why not Williams? Three students reflect on transferring out

David Wignall • November 2, 2022
The Record spoke to three former Ephs who were comfortable discussing their decisions to transfer and life beyond the Purple Valley. While each had different reasons for transferring, Williams’s isolated location, restricted opportunities for socializing, and limited cultural events were common factors.
Endowment declines 11.2 percent, College anticipates budget cuts for next fiscal year as inflation persists

Endowment declines 11.2 percent, College anticipates budget cuts for next fiscal year as inflation persists

David Wignall • October 26, 2022
The College’s endowment fell by roughly $635 million as the fiscal year came to a close on June 30, according to Deputy Chief Investment Officer Abigail Wattley ’05. Now the College must contend with its lowest endowment return since 2009 — which, in conjunction with the more immediate challenge of inflation, may prompt budget cuts for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Middlebury will pay its RAs $9,600. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

Middlebury to increase RA compensation to $9,600

David Wignall • October 19, 2022
Middlebury College announced that it will raise compensation for resident assistants (RAs) to $9,600, which is equivalent to room cost for the 2024-25 academic year, according to The Middlebury Campus. The increase, which follows advocacy from student leaders of residential life, will happen incrementally over the next two years.
College to end JA housing perks

College to end JA housing perks

David Wignall • October 5, 2022
Junior Advisors (JAs) will no longer receive an advantage in the co-op or general housing lotteries.
NESCAC coalition launches petition against crisis pregnancy centers

NESCAC coalition launches petition against crisis pregnancy centers

Gabe Miller and David Wignall • October 5, 2022
More than 700 community members across all 11 NESCAC schools have signed a petition that calls for the schools to ban crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) from advertising — and otherwise operating — on their campuses. The NESCAC Coalition to Ban CPCs, an organization that Middlebury students started this past summer, wrote the petition and began distributing it on June 29.
Over 1600 students, alums, and faculty signed an open letter calling for the university to recognize YU Pride Alliance. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia commons.)

IOIT: Yeshiva University suspends all club events after Supreme Court order; Black UVA students react to hate crime

David Wignall • September 28, 2022
Students at Yeshiva University (YU) and the University of Virginia (UVA) demand change after YU suspended club activity instead of approving an LGBTQ+ club and UVA reported a hate crime.
A student initially filed the complaint against Brown in May 2020. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

In Other Ivory Towers: Brown lawsuit, Oberlin settlement, UT endowment

David Wignall • September 21, 2022
IOIT: Brown University has agreed to pay $1.5 million to students enrolled during spring 2020 to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding COVID-19 tuition reimbursements. The settlement, which a federal judge approved on Sept. 5, represents the end of a legal battle that has persisted for more than two years.
This year, more than 140 students applied for 33 HC positions. (Photo Courtesy of Annie Gustafson.)

Increased enrollment, delays prompt student concerns over general housing lottery

Megan Lin and David Wignall • May 11, 2022
The general housing lottery has been delayed — first from May 3 to May 5, and now indefinitely.
In Other Ivory Towers: Harvard dedicates $100 million to address its ties to slavery

In Other Ivory Towers: Harvard dedicates $100 million to address its ties to slavery

David Wignall • May 4, 2022
Harvard will commit $100 million to address its ties to slavery, University President Lawrence S. Bacow announced in an email to the Harvard community on April 26.
Douglas in a hand-sewn cotton wrap skirt, inspired by her grandmother. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Douglas.)

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Caroline Douglas ’23

David Wignall • April 13, 2022
Throughout the fall, Caroline Douglas ’23 frequented the Green River in search of three things: water samples for her geoscience research, photos for her junior arts seminar, and videos for her video art class. For her junior seminar, she created a four-part photo series of herself, her grandmother (whom she calls Nonna), and the River. And for her video class, she created a green screen video.
In-person Williams Previews returns after three years

In-person Williams Previews returns after three years

Gabe Miller and David Wignall • March 16, 2022
For the first time since 2019, students admitted to the College will be invited to campus for Williams Previews programming. The College will host in-person programming on April 11 and virtual programming on April 14 and 15 for admitted students who are not able to visit campus, Dean of Admission and Student Financial Services Liz Creighton ’01 wrote in an email to the Record.
(David Wignall/The Williams Record)

From their dorms, students offer an array of salon services

David Wignall • March 2, 2022
There are many services that are hard to come by in Williamstown: from haircuts, to manicures, to eyebrow threading. Across campus, enterprising students have begun offering their services to fill in the gap.
Professors Long, Siniawer to serve as next Dean, Provost

Professors Long, Siniawer to serve as next Dean, Provost

Megan Lin, Julia Goldberg, and David Wignall • January 26, 2022
Professors of History Gretchen Long and Eiko Maruko Siniawer ’97 will assume the roles of Dean and Provost of the College, respectively, President Maud S. Mandel announced in an all-campus email on Tuesday.
Goodrich grapples with rising prices, $5 swipe limits

Goodrich grapples with rising prices, $5 swipe limits

David Wignall • December 8, 2021
More than 300 students get customized bagels and drinks from Goodrich Coffee Bar every day. But behind the scenes, the student-run business is struggling to deal with rising overhead costs and an inability to raise College-determined swipe values. Following the pandemic, the business is barely breaking even.
Load More Stories