Fall term brought Dartmouth more than foliage and football.
Dartmouth Dining Services eliminated Full Fare, the College introduced a new billing system and two fraternities were sanctioned by the College. The five-year Will to Excel campaign reached a successful conclusion, and Dartmouth decided to keep its education department. The College celebrated 25 years of coeducation, and in November, Provost Lee Bollinger accepted the presidency of the University of Michigan, effective next month.
Greek controversies
Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco decided to revoke recognition of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. The decision came after a College investigation of Beta for violating social restrictions the College placed on the fraternity after an incident during Summer term.
The restrictions had prohibited Beta from having alcohol in its house and holding formal rush until Nov. 26. These restrictions were instituted after an incident in which a Beta member tackled a Sigma Nu fraternity brother on the lawn of The Tabard coed fraternity.
At that time, Dean of the College Lee Pelton told the Dartmouth that Beta was a "house on the verge of derecognition."
Earlier in the term, Theta Delta Chi received a warning from the College after the Coed Fraternity Sorority Judicial Committee found the house to have violated the College's group accountability policy during Summer term.
During a hearing before Turco August 19, the fraternity was found responsible for actions that threatened the safety of an undergraduate who was at the house the evening of July 3.
Turco said she could not comment on the hearing other than to say that it "involved an incident where shaving cream was sprayed on property as well as individuals, as well as exchanges of threats and insulting speech."
Turco imposed five sanctions on the fraternity. Failure to fulfill the College's expectations may result in further sanctions.
On Oct. 24, about 60 students gathered in Shabazz Hall to discuss posters which many members of the African American society found offensive. Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity had used posters featuring "Good Times" television star Jimmy Walker to advertise a party.
Many of AAm's members said they were offended and appalled by the posters. Tri-Kap offered an apology and said they did not intend to degrade or exploit anyone.
Comings and Goings
In November, College Provost Lee Bollinger accepted the University of Michigan Board of Regents' offer to become the next president of the University of Michigan.
The Board of Regents took only three hours to unanimously choose Bollinger from among four finalists. Bollinger instantly accepted the position when he received a phone call from members of the Board.
Dean of the Faculty James Wright has been appointed to serve as acting provost when Bollinger begins his presidency in February.
The five year Will to Excel capital campaign -- the most successful fundraising effort in Dartmouth's history -- ended Oct. 7, raising $568,229,430 through donations from 59,863 contributors.
The campaign's original goal was $425 million, but the College raised its goal to $500 million in the fall of 1995. The campaign surpassed its original goal by 34 percent.
The campaign's goals included increasing the College's general endowment as well as raising money for current-use funds, scholarships, professorships, new facilities and Dartmouth professional schools.
Dartmouth received a gift of $18.1 million -- the largest bequest and the second largest gift in College history -- at the close of the Will to Excel campaign from the estate of Florence Moore of Centerport, N.Y.
After months of debate, the College decided to keep its beleaguered education department for at least three more years, due to the efforts of Education Chair Andrew Garrod and Dean of Social Sciences George Wolford.
Last March, years of debate about the future of the department culminated in the Council on Social Sciences' recommendation that the department be abolished.
Since then, students had expressed overwhelming support for the department, prompting Garrod to negotiate with Wolford to keep the department intact.
Students' identification cards were renamed "Dash cards" at the beginning of Fall term, as the College instituted its new billing system, which divides student expenses into two separate bills.
One bill is sent to parents and contains "attendance charges," such as tuition and room and board. Another bill will be sent directly to students, who access their accounts using a Dash Card.
The Dash bill is divided into four sections: a discretionary account, an administrative account, a dining account and a Dartalk telephone account. Students can monitor their account balances on the Dartmouth College Information System.
The discretionary account is a declining balance account that covers what students would previously have charged to their identification cards, such as athletic tickets and Hopkins Center tickets, but also includes other charges like social dues for Greek houses.
The dining account offers services similar to the ones offered last year.
Many students said they found the new billing system confusing. They said the changes complicate the financial side of many student organizations.
In addition to its inclusion in the new billing system, DDS underwent several changes. The most noticeable change was the elimination of Full Fare in favor of the Westside Buffet, the new all-you-can-eat dining hall.
Westside Buffet introduced a new menu including rotisserie chicken, barbecued ribs and smoked meats, and a reduced meal price of $6.99.
Collis Cafe also had several changes. The deli in the cafe was moved down to the Lone Pine Tavern and was replaced by an espresso bar. The cafe also introduced smoothies.
Fall term also marked the launching of the Dartmouth Experience program when students and faculty moved into the newly renovated East Wheelock supercluster.
The program aims to merge students' academic and social lives in the residence cluster by facilitating interaction between faculty advisers and the 135 freshmen and 100 upperclass students living in the cluster.
Triumphs and Accusations
The Dartmouth football team sealed its first 10-0 season in College history last term and captured the Ivy League title.
It was Dartmouth's first title since 1992, its first outright title since 1991 and its fourth title of the 1990s.
Dartmouth also extended its unbeaten streak to 17 games, two longer than the previous 1970 record of 15.
Along the way, the Big Green defense posted one of its best campaigns ever, including two shutouts.
In campus politics, the Dartmouth Coalition for Equal Access and Opportunity held a "speak out" on Nov. 20 to protest the passage of Proposition 209 in California.
In addition to decrying the newly passed Proposition, the protesters encouraged the continuation of the College's existing affirmative action policy.
Between the night of Nov. 18 and the following morning, posters were put up across campus labeling a male member of the Class of 1999 a rapist.
The posters, which were found on bulletin boards in dorms as well as on non-College trash cans, showed the Green Book picture of the accused sophomore.
Pelton said although the posters violate the student handbook rule against anonymous posters, "it is unlikely the College will take any disciplinary action against the person or people who put up the posters."
On Nov. 25, Thayer Dining Hall "barely passed" a state health inspection, according to New Hampshire Sanitarian Gary Quackenbush from the N.H. Division of Public Health Services Food Division. Thayer received a score of 72 out of 100 possible points on the surprise inspection -- just barely above the passing score of 70.
At the beginning of the inspection day, the Thayer facility was given a failing score of 67 when Quackenbush discovered some spoiled meat in the refrigerator, but once it was disposed of the penalty five points were restored.
In late November, another government agency, the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, sent an investigator to Dartmouth when nearly half of the students on campus reported symptoms of a virus that causes upper respiratory problems and an itchy rash.
The agency was unable to find the virus and Director of Health Services Jack Turco said there was no way for a person to eliminate the virus from the body.
Turco said the rash typically begins on the neck and includes other mild symptoms -- including sore throat, dry cough and mild fever. The virus may last up to three and a half weeks, depending on the individual.
