Snapshots of Color was recognized last week by the Committee on Student Organizations as an official Dartmouth group.
Snapshots of Color publishes a literary and artistic journal that discusses issues of race, ethnicity and culture
"I am very happy to have Snapshots be a part of the COSO family of organizations. They have an interesting purpose which is beneficial to the campus," said Associate Director for Student Activities Linda Kennedy.
COSO would not recognize the group when initially formed because it excluded individuals who are not "of color."
COSO oversees all student-initiated groups except for those affiliated with the Athletic department, the Hopkins Center, the Tucker Foundation, the Dean of the College, WDCR/WFRD and The Dartmouth.
Snapshots' editorial board modified its constitution to open membership to all members of the Dartmouth community.
Article 3 of its constitution now states "All Dartmouth community members are welcome to attend meetings of Snapshots of Color. Membership is open to all Dartmouth students, regardless of race, sex, religion, handicap, or sexual orientation."
The group also changed the constitution so that there are only general editors serving on the editorial board rather than hierarchical leadership positions.
Pace Duckenfield '96 a member of the editorial board, said this change was due to the Dartmouth Plan and the fact that the COSO always needs a contact person.
Mattie Richardson '91, administrative assistant at the Women's Resource Center and faculty adviser to Snapshots said these changes were part of the magazine's evolution.
"Any magazine changes as time goes on. There will be more participation from different groups," Richardson said.
The organization was not recognized when it first formed last summer.
"The first time the constitution did not fall within COSO's guidelines," Kennedy said.
A group can appeal to COSO to obtain official College recognition. Chaired by Kennedy, the committee funds student groups.
Recognition by the College means the group can use the name of Dartmouth College in its activities and publications, may use College facilities and has the right to request financial assistance, according to guidelines printed by COSO.
The guidelines for recognition include having at least 10 members, a constitution, a statement of purpose, a faculty adviser, open membership and objectives in keeping with liberal arts education, the guidelines state, according to a Student Activities Office pamphlet.
Kennedy said the events last summer involving the lack of recognition were "quite painful" to the group's members. "They didn't seek that notoriety," she said.
But Snapshots' editors said they recognized the need to change the Constitution.
"Everyone [on the editorial board] felt the constitution needed to be changed. "An idea over time changes," Duckenfield said.
"In light of the many racial incidents that have occurred on campus in the past few terms, those of us involved in Snapshots of Color saw an opportunity to turn the journal into something that would better serve the entire Dartmouth community while retaining much of its original purpose," said Cherie Lewis '97, a member of the editorial board.
She said the journal's editorial board decided to change the focus of the journal from writings by students of color's to writings that discuss "issues of color."
"Before, we wanted the journal to be for and about minority students on campus," Lewis said. "Now the journal will deal with subjects like racism, ethnicity, and diversity and how these things affect all of us."
Editors of the journal said they wanted the Dartmouth community's stamp of approval.
"It is important that Snapshots is recognized," said editorial board member Jen Daniel '97. "It is a project that needs to be welcomed and embraced by the Dartmouth community."
"It is very unique that there are no other journals like it here and it is important that Snapshots remains a permanent entity at Dartmouth," she added.
Daniel said she hopes the journal will facilitate discussions regarding subjects such as race. She said some people do not feel comfortable talking about these issues.
"Dartmouth definitely benefits from the journal," Richardson said. "Making different voices public will foster a sense of community and have a positive effect on the campus as a whole."
Duckenfield said Snapshots' most pressing goal is to produce an issue and have it available by the end of this term. The first issue was published last fall.
"Each student who will be published in the first issue can take enormous pride in their work and the fact that they represent a new tradition at Dartmouth," Daniel said.
"We expect that Snapshots will be an academic forum, where issues can be intelligently discussed through readings of the journal and writing workshops." she said.
Kennedy said the process by which a group receives recognition is usually brief, simple and straightforward.
Snapshots attended a meeting with COSO on Feb. 7 and received recognition a week later she said.
The journal's statement of purpose states "Snapshots of Color is a literary and artistic journal about relating to race, culture and ethnicity. The journal is a celebration of our diversity in that it fosters appreciation and understanding of our differences. Snapshots is inclusive of all Dartmouth community members, and we encourage everyone to attend meetings and submit work. This is the first journal of its kind to exist at Dartmouth, and we hope that it will break down barriers between groups while creating a new sense of community."
