ADMINISTRATORS
Above everyone and everything in Hanover are the top College administrators in Parkhurst Hall. The people in this building decide everything from the future goals and plans of the College to the number of kegs allowed in a fraternity on a Saturday night. Parkhurst contains a select group of individuals who directly and indirectly affect every aspect of each student's life.
Leading and guiding this nucleus of power is College President James O. Freedman. A Harvard and Yale educated lawyer, Freedman took over the presidency in 1987, and since then has unleashed a set of changes that have fundamentally transformed the College.
Freedman has been the inspiration and master builder of the new Dartmouth, and has been involved in everything from the on-going North Campus development project to the implementation of programs that place greater emphasis on the College's intellectual atmosphere, including the Presidential Scholars Program, the Women in Science Project and the E.E. Just Program.
One of Freedman's closest associates is Dean of Students M. Lee Pelton. Arriving from Colgate University in September 1991, Pelton oversees virtually all aspects of student life: the Freshmen and Upperclass Dean's Offices, the Offices of Residential Life and Student Life, Career Services, the College Health Service, Outdoor Programs, Athletics, the International Office, the Native American Program and the Academic Skills Center.
Overseeing the interests and concerns of incoming students is the Dean of Freshmen. At print time, a search committee was still reviewing candidates to be your class dean. Former Dean of Freshmen Diana Beaudoin resigned last April and Assistant Dean of Freshmen Tony Tillman has temporarily taken over as Dean of Freshmen.
Across from the Dean of Freshmen office in the basement of Parkhurst is the infamous and misunderstood Office of Residential Life (ORL for short). Headed by Mary Turco, this office is in charge of all dormitories and College fraternities and sororities. Assistant Dean of Residential Life Deb Reinders is in charge of policy dealing with the Greek system. Most students in the Greek system pay close attention to what Reinders has to say.
Dean of Student Life Holly Sateia is currently overseeing the development of the new Collis Campus Center, a project she has spearheaded since its inception. The new center is scheduled for completion by the beginning of next year. Director of Student Activities Tim Moore oversees the numerous student organizations. He is also in charge of monitoring the annual Student Assembly elections. Assisting Moore is Student Program Coordinator Linda Kennedy.
Registrar Thomas Bickel is the College's official academic record keeper. The Registrar's Office is where students make course selections and changes, select Non-Recording (pass/fail) options for classes, file majors and change their enrollment patterns. The Registrar also decides on students' petitions for dropping courses.
FACULTY
One of the most famous members of Dartmouth's faculty is French and Italian Professor John Rassias. Rassias' comical and enlightening ways have made him one of the most popular professors on campus. He has been known to rip off his shirt, crack an egg on a student's head and throw chairs out of a classroom window in order to get his point across. Most of the textbooks used in introductory French classes are written by Rassias himself.
His most noted accomplishment is the creation of the Rassias Method, a language-learning activity that includes active group participation. Rassias also runs the Language Outreach Office, which coordinates several language camps each year.
Government, perhaps the College's most popular department, is home to several of the best professors on campus. Department Chair and India expert Howard Erdman is well known for inviting students to his house for an afternoon of food and conversation. Other government professors worth watching out for include Elaine Swift, Kevin Lane, Dirk Vandewalle, Roger Masters, Michael Mastanduno and Anne Sa'adah. The department's programs in London and Washington D.C. are perhaps the College's two most competitive programs.
Along with government, history is one of the departments with a high concentration of undergraduate majors. The department's Latin America expert Marysa Navarro is noted for her eccentricity and profound teaching ability. Navarro is also chair of the new interdisciplinary Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program.
The history department also boasts Steven Ericson and Pamela Crossley, the department's Asia-area professors. Department Chair Gene Garthwaite is highly regarded for his Middle East expertise.
Right above the history department in Reed Hall is the classics department. Although it attracts very few majors, the department draws good reviews for professors James Tatum and Roger Ulrich. The department's off-campus program in Greece is considered one of the finest.
Economics Professor Nancy Marion is very popular with students. Marion's specialty is International Economics. Another economics professor students advise taking a class from is Professor Emeritus Lee Baldwin.
English professor Bill Cook is another student favorite. Cook's expertise, Afro-American literature, is only noted second to his trademark curly moustache. Other notable English professors are Peter Saccio (best known for his Humanities courses), Donald Pease and Ivy Schweitzer. Schweitzer's husband, English professor Tom Luxon, made headlines recently for supporting a student organization that promotes legalization of marijuana. Recognition of the new group is still being considered.
Sociology Professor Deborah King draws a large crowd for her classes, including Sociology 30: Deviance and Social Control. According to the course description, students "will explore the identification of certain behaviors as deviant, the process of becoming deviant, the management of a deviant identity and the development of deviant subcultures." The course is open to all classes.
STUDENTS
The stage for student-figures is undeniably the Student Assembly. The role and importance of the SA has risen ever since a series of presidents, starting with Brian Ellner '92, began to raise issues of controversy and debate that have attracted students of all political backgrounds.
Leading the Assembly this year is Nicole Artzer '94. Artzer won the presidency of SA in a run-off election last Spring term after Stewart Shirasu '94, who had won the original election on a conservative, pro-Greek platform, was accused of violating campaign rules and subsequently resigned as president-elect. Although stripped of the presidency, Shirasu will most likely still be seen at the SA's Tuesday evening meetings.
Another Assembly player is Vice-President Steve Costalas '94. Since his first year on campus Costalas has been a SA regular with a moderately conservative position. Last year Costalas made an unsuccessful bid for the presidency, but was able to secure the vice-presidency this year with a large percentage of the vote.
On the more liberal side of the SA is Auguste Goldman '94. A determined, hard-core player, Goldman seems to be involved in every student organization and social crusade known to exist in Hanover. Goldman's close political ally is former SA vice-president and presidential candidate Andrew Smith '94. Even though he was endorsed by the former SA president last year, Smith did poorly in the polls and came in a distant fourth in April's election. However, Smith is still a player, and will be someone to keep an eye on this year.
Assembly secretary Rukmini Sichitiu '95 is another rising and influential figure. Along with Artzer, she is one of the most important women on the SA. In a league of his own, Hosea Harvey '95 is the jack-of-all-trades of the Assembly. Harvey, who prefers to be called "Triple H," is an aspiring politico who lost a bid last year for the vice-presidency. Despite the defeat, Harvey has bounced back and will most likely be a contender in next year's SA election.
As Editor-in-Chief of The Dartmouth Review, an off-campus conservative weekly, Oron Strauss '95 is responsible for one of the most controversial publications on campus.
Last fall, first-year students Amiri Barksdale '96 and Grace Chionuma '96 created a lot of controversy when they collected copies of The Review from the doorsteps of students' rooms. Their defense: freedom of expression. According to the two students, The Review has done nothing more than to systematically attack African-Americans and other minorities.
Strauss and The Review retaliated by accusing the two of censorship and of denying The Review its constitutional right to free speech. Although the controversy has subsided, the debate for and against The Review continues, and Barksdale and Chinouma are slowly becoming prominent political figures.
The Bob Dole of Dartmouth's conservative camp is Matthew Berry '94. Berry's popular weekly editorials are always a source of student debate, and Berry's trademark black-rimmed glasses accompany him everywhere, from the Student Assembly to the Young Republicans' weekly meetings.
From the playing field, football Captain Jay Fiedler '94 led the Big Green team to its third consecutive Ivy League Championship last year. Fiedler's incredible athletic skill and accomplishments have strengthened his chances to play professionally.
