The College has failed to live up to its commitment to fostering community at Dartmouth and to the College's Native American community by not allowing this year's annual pow-wow to take place on the Green.
With an expected increase in attendance, it was necessary for this year's community celebration to be relocated from its usual site at the Bema. The growing popularity of the event should have shown the College the importance of the celebration.
To the repeated inquiries of members of the pow-wow committee, the College was non-committal and supplied a number of weak reasons why the event cannot take place on the Green. The College stated the Green was only for student use -- so the pow-wow committee relocated its non-student vendors. The College worried the Green would not be in shape for Commencement if the pow-wow were to be held there -- but Green Key festivities will be held on the Green the very next week. The College attempted to side-step this issue by claiming that Green Key weekend has historical precedence.
The actions of the College contradict its repeated claims to desire to foster community at Dartmouth. The pow-wow is a cultural celebration open to all members of the community. It is exactly the type of event the College should rush to assist and promote after the incidents of racial hate last term.