Last week, The Dartmouth Editorial Board praised the College for investing greater resources in the arts and constructing the Black Family Visual Arts Center after focusing so heavily on the sciences and research in the previous few years. Where would you like to see the College focus its resources for new initiatives and infrastructure development in the next few years?
In the business environment brought about by our nation's still-stagnant economy, there are few things more important than creating job growth. The College already does an excellent job of preparing its students for success in established fields like banking and consulting; however, the dedication of resources toward fostering entrepreneurship would be a refreshingly admirable and more widely beneficial endeavor. Michael Beechert '16
As a student on financial aid, I find it a little disheartening to see my tuition bill rise alongside the construction of a new building (two new buildings, if you count the Hanover Inn construction). I am taking Drawing I this term, and while I love the new Black Family Visual Arts Center, a true "commitment to undergraduates" would focus more on lessening the financial burden on students and their families.Emily Sellers '15
Now that the administration has devoted a significant amount of resources to both the sciences and the arts, I think they should strive to develop programs that help integrate the two. Dartmouth has made an effort to "bridge the gap," and a program of this nature would further serve that goal. Katherine McKay '16
The College should focus its efforts on creating accessible social alternatives to the Greek System, which is an oppressively dominant force on campus. Although such alternatives are rumored to exist, students uncomfortable with fraternity basements are in reality presented with few recreational options. The College would benefit from the creation of infrastructure designed to unify and entertain the heretofore disparate unaffiliated population.Rebecca Rothfeld '14
The College needs to improve its name recognition, especially outside the United States. We Dartmouth undergraduates already benefit from access to world-class faculty and stellar facilities. It is time that the College let the world know.Jonathan Pedde '14
With the addition of the VAC, we have room to expand our notoriously small film and media studies department. I hope the College will not stop short and be content with just consolidating the department into one building. Now, with the proper resources, the College has a chance to strengthen the department by hiring additional faculty to augment the number of stimulating courses available to students interested in film.Eric Chalif '16
Rather than asking how the College should employ its resources, we should ask how the College can conserve them. Tuition was raised 4.9 percent last year, a hefty amount for families in tough economic times. While there is merit in the creation of new infrastructure, asking parents for thousands more per year and sending that money to build art or other centers which their children may well not use is inappropriate. Rather, the College should look to conserve resources where it can without harming the quality of instruction and attempt to hold down tuition and/or extend financial aid.Will Alston '16
Following the completion of the VAC, I would like to see the College devote some of its resources toward improving residential life. Particularly the River and Choates residential clusters have much room to be renovated to fit changing student needs.Kevin Francfort '15
