The College's Committee on Student Organizations has officially recognized Ivy Leaguers for Freedom, a newly formed conservative student organization.
The organization already has chapters at Cornell University, Princeton University and Wellesley College.
The group has two main goals, Chairman Michael New '97 said. The group wants to "reduce the amount of political correctness in education at Dartmouth ... and to increase the amount of intellectual discussion on campus issues."
Sean Cunningham '97, the organization's president, said the "motivation of the group is to remove politics from the classroom," a goal that interests him.
"Today's political ideologies are taught as fact," although their actual importance is fleeting, Cunningham said.
"At Dartmouth, I don't think you get a real good clash of ideas," New said.
New said too many of Dartmouth's professors are politically liberal to generate healthy debate. He added that the lack of a liberal newspaper creates an unhealthy imbalance of opinion.
In order to achieve their goals, Ivy Leaguers for Freedom plans to sponsor debates and speeches on campus, New said.
New said the existence of chapters at nearby colleges will give the organization increased access to speakers.
The group also plans to arrange to have speakers debate professors, New said.
Martin Williams '98, who recently joined Ivy Leaguers for Freedom, said that the organization hopes to "get the conservative message across" by sponsoring speeches and debates .
"Like our president, I'm a member of the Conservative Union," Williams said.
Ivy Leaguers for Freedom wants students at Dartmouth to "look at the status of the campus" to see if they are happy with the way it is, Williams said.
Ivy Leaguers for Freedom ultimately hopes to sponsor two events each term, New said.
The organization sponsored their first event last night -- a speech by conservative activist Star Parker.
Parker discussed whether "African studies, Latino studies and Asian studies courses damage race relations on college campuses," New said.
