MAY 20-22,1999

Peter Kenyon, Vice Chair Student Life Committee

Theme: The recently announced "Five Principles" laid down by the Trustees. All others, minor time allocation.

A. Forum On The Five:

TRUSTEES:

Represented by Susan Dentzer and Peter Fahey

"What we put together was a strategy. How to implement it is up to the constituencies."

The five explained:

The Dartmouth Plan doesn’t lead to continuity. There is a need to address better choice.

Build more residential space.

Expand on Wheelock Cluster concept.

Alternatives to dorms (apartments, town houses).

Greater dining options.

550 are living off-campus. Need to get them back on.

Note: This does not count the 589 Arts and Sciences Graduate students who all live off-campus.

The need for greater social space controlled by students.

An improved social system that is substantially coed. At Dartmouth half of the upper classes belong to the fraternity/sorority system. Next in the Ivy League would be Penn and Cornell at 33%.

Trustees say that Dartmouth is still male dominated. Susan said that the women who joined sororities did so to escape from, "brutal male dominance."

Trustees say that CFS membership is not representative of the full student body. CFS members are basically white, have high family incomes, require less financial aid.

Reference was made to a study by "Black Enterprise Magazine" showing that Dartmouth is not in the top 50 schools for blacks.

Alcohol abuse should be eliminated.

A 1998 survey shows that alcohol has a definite effect on grades.

Alcohol is creating two cultures on campus: drinkers vs. abstainers.

Next steps:

The Committee on Student Life will receive input from all groups.

In the summer, they will identify alternatives and report to the trustees.

In the fall there will be a series of town meetings on the approaches.

There will be a report to the Trustees at the end of the fall term. This report will be made public.

The final plan will be announced during the spring term. Implementation will be over an extended period.

Note: In his closing remarks, Peter (don’t believe he smiled once during the two hours) said, "there will be changes, it won’t be what we have today and some will be happy and some unhappy."

A task force has been set up to gather ideas as to how to accomplish the 5 principles (800 students, graduates, parents, college staff).

In addition, student organized groups will submit ideas.

Will present to the trustees in June.

Housing shortage has been building for a long time. In the Freedman era, the academic structure was rebuilt. College has been getting higher acceptance rates.

The D Plan has caused disconnects. One idea is for freshman to live together to establish a class bond.

Goal is for the housing system to promote diversity understanding.

Head of Fraternity Sorority Group (CFS) Note: A female

Realize the need for change, but want control of the final result.

Official policies now are full of loopholes and won’t work.

CFS will establish standards of excellence for it’s members.

Member of Paleopitus

Need to build a better senior year experience. Have a separate senior space. Freedom to associate with those of like interests.

In general, students are excited about the initiative. See opportunities, see threats.

Presented idea of housing based on academic interest with faculty tied in.

Noted the need for a grad school center and on campus housing (including a child area).

6. Question from the floor: Do students feel they really have a say?

Answer: They have no choice… We will put in ideas and see what happens.

Following the announcement of the 5 principles the Alumni Council did a survey of alumni reaction (primarily via e mail).

a. Negative 61%

b. Positive 30%

c. Neutral 9%

Reactions:

The five goals make sense.

The process of the announcement was bad.. it’s a "done deal," key groups were not consulted.

The communication process was very bad.

1. Alumnae: Don’t make Dartmouth an Ivy League franchise. It is unique and what you do must make it unique.

2. Alumnae: The single sex sorority was a superb opportunity for me to continue my ability to grow as a woman.

3.  The chairman of a group of 300 alumni announced their plans to fight the possible elimination of the fraternity/sorority system.

4.  Many: A poor start, but the objectives are sound. The plans and their implementation are now key. We can but wait.

The Greek System:

There is a basic need to reshape the relationship between the College and CFS.

Alcohol:

Binge drinking has increased and it impacts the educational experience.

Correction needs to key on education and not policing.

There is a need to engage students in the answers.

There is definitely a need to reshape the Greek System.

Alcohol use is campus wide, not just CFS. Student room parties are where major drinking goes on.

Things have quieted down since the announcement. Most are just waiting.

CFS is putting together a plan to answer key objections.

"If they impose, we will find a way around it".

Note: While there are double the number of fraternities to sororities, the membership in the latter is higher. Total number of members about the same.

Doing well despite the controversy. 1.5 million ahead of projection

We are behind in our goal of 51% participation.

We are well ahead of our projection for next year… 1950 has already pledged 3 million, 1960 is already at 1 million vs. their goal of 2 million.

An amazing number of research grants available to students.

Mellon Foundation: Started in 1989 to fund research done by minority students going on to a PhD. Dartmouth is a major recipient. Provides grants during time of study and cash for repayment of student loans following completion.

WISP .. Women in Science Program. Very active undergraduate/graduate program. Totally new to me.

Big Green Bikes .. A student group has provided 25 (at the moment) green bikes for anyone’s use. You spot one, ride it to where you are going and leave it. Sort of like a chain letter.

There has been a marked improvement in coaches compensation.

The recent changes to the financial aid plan is making Dartmouth much more competitive in the recruitment of athletes.

The Wright administration is much more involved in athletics than previous administrations.

Problem of "X" hours. Professors can schedule class time at very short notice (called X hours). These can cause havoc with extra curricular activity schedules.

NEW ALUMNI COUNCIL GROUPS

The council has voted to include four groups for inclusion in the Alumni Council: Gay/Lesbian Club, Asia Pacific Club, Black America Club, Native American Club

Class of 2003 termed "Dream Year"

Fewer marginal students are now applying.

Decision to admit 50 fewer than last year.

20% had 800 score on math or verbal, geographic parity between east and west, minority enrollment up.

$8 million given in financial aid.

The trustee 5 principle initiative has had no impact on enrollment.

Consensus that Dartmouth does not have a competitive web site. The council will make a presentation for improvement in December.

8500 alumni are now on the College e mail systemcrg@dartmouth.edu

Student Art exhibit in Jaffe-Friede Gallery (Hopkins). You really needed the student along side to explain what you were looking at.

If you are into West African Brass Body Ornaments, catch the exhibit at Hood.

If you look at the name carved in stone above the main entry, it still says, "Webster Hall." At eye level, it is now identified as Rauner Library House. Inside it’s hard to believe that this where we once flicked out, watched the Dartmouth Players, the Glee Club etc.

What you see now is a multi-level glass enclosed, air controlled set of stacks that house the College manuscripts, archives and rare books.

Quite a sight:

Note: One resulting negative is the loss of student social space.

On the way out, I stopped to read one of the brass plaques. This one commemorated Frances Brown, President of the College from 1815 to 1820. He died at age 37 after holding the college together during the fight with the State over the College charter. Daniel got the credit, he did the work.

The terms on the Alumni Council for Bill Walls and Peter Kenyon ended with the spring meeting. Beginning in December, the Class of ‘54 will not have a direct representative. Bernard Sudikoff, class of 1953, will represent both classes.