Like any bureaucracy, the College's operation and policy making procedure is a fragmented one, involving a vast array of people and committees ranging from Trustees to administrators to professors.
Although students rarely come in contact with the numerous administrative and faculty committees that run the College and set policy, the behind-the-scenes work at Dartmouth often affects all students on campus and the future of the College.
Decisions made by the administration, the Board of Trustees and the faculty range from tuition hikes to the College's alcohol policy.
At the top of the College's hierarchy is the Board of Trustees. The 16-member board appoints faculty and administrators, sets the tuition and decides all important policy issues.
The Trustees wield the ultimate power at the College and all major decisions must be approved by them.
"In short, the Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for the financial, administrative and academic affairs of the College," the College's student handbook states.
The Board is made up of seven members elected by the Alumni Council, a body that represents the College's alumni, seven members elected by the Board itself, the College president, and the perennially-absent Governor of New Hampshire.
E. John Rosenwald currently chairs the Board.
The Trustees have four official meetings in Hanover a year.
While here, the Trustees meet with administrators, faculty and students.
Directly below the Trustees on the College's power ladder is College President James Freedman.
Freedman implements the policies and plans set by the Trustees.
He is the head of the College's administration and guides the long-term development of the College both academically and physically.
Freedman also serves as the College's "chief public spokesman," according to the student handbook. As part of his duties, he traverses the country, wining and dining with alumni and parents.
There are three senior-level administrators who report directly to Freedman.
The provost, Lee Bollinger, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the College from the annual operating budget and the development of campus facilities.
Freedman is basically the chief executive officer of the College, while Bollinger is the chief operating officer.
He is also responsible for the library system, Computing Services, The Hopkins Center for the Performing Art, the Hood Museum of Art and Admissions and Financial Aid Office.
Bollinger is basically in charge of overseeing the College and all aspects of it, including the graduate schools -- the Dartmouth Medical School, the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration and the Thayer School of Engineering.
The deans that have the most effect on Dartmouth students, Dean of Faculty James Wright and Dean of the College Lee Pelton also report to Bollinger.
Wright is the chief officer of the College's undergraduate faculty. He is responsible for the College's educational policies and programs.
He reports annually to the faculty on "finance, personnel policies, and programs of the College," represents the faculty in policy discussions with the Trustees and the administration, the handbook states.
Pelton develops polices concerning the undergraduates at the College including advising, housing issues and student life.
Reporting to Pelton are the Upperclass Deans, the Freshman Dean, the Dean of Residential Life, the Dean of Student Life, Career Services, the College Health Service, the Athletic Department and others.
The Dean of the College's office makes most of the policies that directly affects undergraduates like the College's alcohol policy and all disciplinary actions.
Two vice presidents also report to Freedman, Vice Present and Treasurer Lyn Hutton and Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs Stan Colla.
Hutton is the chief financial officer of the College. She is responsible for the finances of the College.
The treasurer oversees College-run operations like Dining Services and Facilities, Operation and Management and any investments that the College makes.
Colla is in charge of the alumni relations office and the development office, which runs the College's fund-raising efforts.
Besides the Trustees, the administration and the faculty students also have a say in College decisions and policies on investments, academics, residential life and intellectual life at the College.
Running the College and planning for the future is a collective effort between the Trustees, administrators, the faculty and the students.
Through the Student Assembly, the College's student government body, students can serve on many Trustee and faculty committees, like the committee that makes budget appropriations. And, individual students also have opportunities to apply to serve on Trustee and faculty committees every spring.
