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April 3, 2000
What alumni think
“Mixed” is the most accurate way to describe the reaction of Dartmouth alumni to the January 2000 report of the Student Life Initiative Committee. Within the 300-plus written responses (some representing an amalgam of responses from tens or hundreds of alumni gathered for meetings on the topic), we find the broadest range of opinion possible. These opinions, indeed, are as diverse as the 60,000-member alumni body itself.
Overall, the number of responses to the committee's report fell far short of the outpouring after the announcement of the five student life principles in February 1999. In general, alumni in 2000 appreciated the wide and well-publicized release of the Student Life Initiative Committee report. With an invitation to participate in a dialogue right from the start, alumni responses in general were more reasoned and less visceral—even as they were divided over the committee's recommendations.
Perhaps the area of greatest agreement was in the need for better housing, including the construction of new dormitories and the improvement and replacement of existing residential spaces. Many alumni also expressed the need for fairness and the continual involvement of students in implementing changes. Further analysis of the alumni response follows this introductory section.
The Council's response
The Alumni Council March 4 approved resolutions that reflect the “mixed” opinions of alumni at large.
The Council “strongly” favors both improved residential housing and “higher standards” for fraternities and sororities. But the Council cautions the Trustees on many areas of controversy among alumni, especially regarding fraternities and sororities. Generally, the Council urges even-handed application of policies, student involvement in implementing initiatives and having new social options in place before making changes to the current social system.
In preparation for the March 4 meeting and to fulfill the Alumni Council's role of representing alumni sentiment, Councilors engaged in nearly two months of opinion-gathering among their constituents.
They read the report in full, submitted questions for and participated in the Student Life Initiative telecast and local forums and provided individual written responses to the committee report, either free-form or guided by a checklist created by the College Relations Group. In late February and early March, Councilors also received a summary and meaningful excerpts of all the alumni opinion as well as a report from alumni of fraternities and sororities.
It was a well-informed group of alumni representatives that convened in New York City on March 4. In a six-hour session, the Councilors considered nine draft resolutions prepared by the Council's executive committee. The Council proceeded to amend and ultimately approve eight resolutions.
The resolutions stand as consensus statements forged by people with different constituencies and personal outlooks. One Councilor likened the exercise to “herding cats.” In the end, however, the cats made a statement--not one that every one liked necessarily, but one that participants could live with as a reflection of the representative group. We well could understand the difficulty of the Student Life Initiative Committee's task in producing its report.
Resolutions
Be it resolved ...
I.
Strongly favoring the construction of new dormitories and the improvement or replacement of existing residential spaces with the objective of achieving comparable quality of housing for all students, the Dartmouth Alumni Council generally supports creating a greatly enhanced residential system that provides alternatives for students to choose between cluster and individual dormitory options, and urges the Trustees to: A. Keep first-year students in mixed housing with other undergraduates; B. Maintain flexibility in design of residential spaces; and C. Put a high priority on addressing the inadequacies of the River Cluster and Choate Road residence halls.
II.
The Dartmouth Alumni Council supports the specific goals of the Student Life Initiative Committee recommendation on creating other spaces and programs for general use and urges the Trustees also to consider the following:
- A. Leaving as much of student social planning up to students as possible.
- B. Alternate ways to achieve the goals of the World Cultures Initiative, as alumni opinion about that specific proposal is divided.
III.
The Dartmouth Alumni Council has observed a lack of knowledge about the needs and contributions of graduate students, including particularly Arts & Sciences graduate students, among the College-wide alumni body and urges the College to create programs to promote better general alumni understanding of those needs.
IV.
While strongly supporting higher standards, the Dartmouth Alumni Council is of divided opinion about the recommendation of the Student Life Initiative Committee on making major changes in the Coed Fraternity and Sorority (CFS) Organizations.
The Council urges the Trustees to consider appointing a group of students, faculty, administrators, and alumni to create standards for progress and achievement rather than setting extremely detailed rules at the Trustee level.
In addition, the Council urges the Trustees to consider very carefully the following Student Life Committee recommendations, which are controversial among alumni:
- A. Leaving final judgment about whether houses have met standards in the hands of one person, the Dean of the College, as there is a need for due process to be observed.
- B. Having an undergraduate adviser who does not belong to a house living in that house.
- C. Residency requirements, including no residency for the summer term and the seniors-only policy.
The Alumni Council further urges the Trustees to consider:
- A. Permitting the formation of new CFS organizations.
- B. Re-examining the apparent preference for the coed selective organizations.
- C. Evaluating the financial repercussions of the proposed physical improvements and offering financial support by the College.
- D. Requiring that the review process recommended for the CFS system be required for all campus organizations.
The Alumni Council further urges the Trustees to consider that there are alumni who support the elimination of the CFS system. If the Trustees move in this direction it is important to have an alternative system in place.
In addition, the Trustees should consider proposals to encourage affiliations among CFS organizations, dormitories, and other student organizations to promote a more inclusive social and residential system.
V.
The Dartmouth Alumni Council generally supports the recommendation of the Student Life Initiative Committee on conducting a review of senior societies and undergraduate societies and urges that this review be conducted without bias toward a certain outcome.
VI.
The Dartmouth Alumni Council generally supports the recommendation of the Student Life Initiative Committee on conducting a review of academic affinity houses and programs and urges that this review be conducted without bias toward a certain outcome.
VII.
Recognizing that serious problems are caused by underage drinking and the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, the Dartmouth Alumni Council generally supports the recommendation of the Student Life Initiative Committee on introducing new guidelines for alcohol and other drugs.
Indeed, the Council in 1997 resolved: “That the Council lend its moral authority on behalf of the alumni by supporting the Trustees and the College in their efforts to combat alcohol abuse and binge drinking in particular.” The Council urges the Trustees to consider the following:
- A. Making rules apply to all students and all campus organizations, not just CFS organizations.
- B. Not using academic scheduling as an alcohol-policy enforcement tool.
- C. Emphasizing early and on-going alcohol and other drug education and firm, fair and consistent enforcement of rules and policies without instituting detailed restrictions.
VIII.
The Dartmouth Alumni Council further urges the Trustees to:
- A. Give all of these matters due deliberation, with the first priority being to build new dormitories and social spaces and improve existing places.
- B. Make sure that social alternatives are in place before making major changes in the CFS system.
- C. Continue to put matters of great importance before the entire College community for debate and discussion.
- D. Consider an examination of the Dartmouth Plan with an eye to strengthening both the academic and social experiences of undergraduates.
- E. Institute a five-year review of all student life initiatives, not just those related to the CFS system.
The above resolutions passed by majority vote at a special meeting of the Alumni Council on March 4, 2000, at the Intercontinental Hotel in New York City.
As the Alumni Council's intention always is to include, not exclude, differing voices, the full report contains dissenting opinions to and further thoughts on the resolutions.
Contact the Alumni Relations Office (alumni.relations@dartmouth.edu) to request a full copy of the report.
Other considerations
- All of the alumni responses have been made in absence of cost and architectural information. We urge the Trustees to continue the dialogue when such information becomes available. In this regard, we particularly commend the precedent set by the Hood Museum twenty years ago.
- Two of the Trustees' five principles, notably, "greater choice" and "substantially coeducational,” do not seem to have been dealt with in a definitive manner by the committee report. Therefore, they are not directly discussed in most alumni responses.
- While we believe the responses compiled in this report to be a most helpful sharing of alumni opinion, the picture they present is not statistically valid. The last statistically valid survey of alumni was the 1994 Alumni Survey (1200 alumni, randomly selected), which needs to be updated.
We thank you for the opportunity to serve Dartmouth. The College Relations Group and the Alumni Council look forward to assisting in the next phase of the Student Life Initiative.
Respectfully Submitted.
Kelley Fead, President, Dartmouth Alumni Council
David W. Cook, Chairman, College Relations Group
The College Relations Group:
- Nelson Armstrong '71
- Missy Attridge '77
- Jack Billhardt '56
- Dave Cook '57, Chair
- Kelley Fead '78
- Patricia Fisher-Harris '81
- Pam Joyner Love '79
- Mary Renner '82
- R. Hampton Rich '69
- Precious Stargell '85
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