Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism.
The Dartmouth
July 28, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Faculty celebrate with family, students, alums

Rather than imitating the '98s by running around the Homecoming bonfire, members of the College faculty decide to participate in Homecoming activities a little less actively.

"I usually take my children to the bonfire," Joseph BelBruno, a chemistry professor, said. Sometimes he attends the football game with his family, but he said his children are too young to stay the whole time.

Mathematics and Computer Science Professor Dana Williams said he "likes to see the students have a good weekend." He attends the football game when possible, but he added that he does not make a "special effort" to stay in town.

"Last year I was in rehearsal," Paul Gaffney, a drama professor, said. He said the cast for last year's production of Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" did take time out to look at the bonfire.

"I know my kids like to work the concession ... so I may go to the game," Gaffney said, when asked about this year's plans. He said he "likes to sample things" and not spend too much time at any one event.

But English Professor Bill Cook said he is a "football addict."

"I generally go to the game and sometimes have been part of activities in clusters and activities in frats," he said.

Some professors can experience Homecoming both as a faculty member and as an alum.

"These days my own activities are tied to my class," History Professor Jere Daniell''55.

He said he sometimes attends a reunion dinner or alumni activities occurring at the Top of the Hop.

Other professors enjoy Homecoming because they can see former students.

"I normally come over for the parade with my wife," said Robert Henricks, chair of the religion department .

He said his main reason for attending Homecoming events is to find former students in the crowd of visiting alumni. But Henricks said he "hardly ever" attends the football game.

Gaffney also said he "looks for former students" because chatting with them is his favorite Homecoming activity.

Henricks said it would be helpful to find out the names of the alumni coming to the College for Homecoming, because sometimes he goes home early and misses seeing an old student.

Gaffney suggested having an "info. exchange" provided by College personal who keep records of alumni visitors, so the faculty could find out whether or not former students would be attending Homecoming.

"I like to know what students are doing after graduation," he said.

Some professors have observed a change in Homecoming's atmosphere.

"It seems to me that the kind of campus-wide participation in activities has gone down," Cook said. "At one time, the whole campus was engaged."

But he said he could not determine the extent of the change for certain, as he was not in the "midst" of the activities.

BelBruno said, "Some colleagues say Homecoming is less rowdy than before." But he said he has been here for 12 years and has not seen that many changes.

Other professors do not think Homecoming has changed greatly. Daniell said the major change appears to be the decrease in the "visual stimulation" that characterized his days as an undergraduate, due to the recent limitations put on the construction of the Homecoming bonfire to safeguard against injury.

"As a historian, I'd say the most striking thing is how little it has changed," he said.

Henricks said the students seem to have plenty of school spirit during the festivities. "Last year's freshmen seemed to be carrying on quite well," he said.

He thinks that Homecoming has not changed much from year to year.

Gaffney also said the Homecoming activities have seemed "much the same" to him for the past eight years, but he added eight years is not a very long time compared to the history of the College.

Cook said he would like to see more interaction between professors and current students during Homecoming. A good Homecoming activity might be "something like student office hours," he said.

He said he thought it would be a good idea to have "some kind of way to bring students and professors together informally," so students could see a side of the faculty that is not apparent in class.

But Gaffney said he does not feel left out taking "the observer position" at the activities. "It's not about me," he said.

"It's not something that I really prepare for," Williams said. Homecoming is "something more special for alumni and students than faculty," he said.