The Task Force on Social Life presented the results of a survey it took earlier this term and solicited opinion from about a dozen students last night at a forum in Collis Common Ground.
The students who took part in the discussion suggested several ways to improve social life at the College, from extended athletic facility hours to more flexible recreational sport workshops.
Most of the students present said they participate in events that they plan themselves, and they suggested the College help create more places for students to engage in self-initiated activities.
Erin Walsh '98 said, "planned events are like forced fun" -- referring to the fact that many students do not attend events planned by the College.
In addition, the students discussed the methods by which information about campus events reaches them and said they were fairly well informed.
But Millie Cho '99 said people are motivated to attend an event based on the event itself and not "awareness" of the event.
According to Director of Dartmouth Dining Services Pete Napolitano, implementing some of these new ideas would be difficult because of a lack of funding.
"Administrative circles say there just isn't any money left," said Napolitano, a member of the task force.
The forum was preceded by an analysis of the survey results by John Pryor, coordinator of Evaluation and Research.
The survey questioned students about their satisfaction with their social lives, perceptions of social life at the College, current social involvement and the activities they would like to see available.
About one-third of enrolled students completed the survey. Almost every student at Dartmouth said his or her social life is important, with 91 percent reporting their social life is "important" or "somewhat important."
When asked about enhancing their social life, 55 percent of the students indicated that they would like the addition of late-night movies.
Other popular choices included extended dining services hours, with 51 percent reporting interest, and a "central place to hang out," with 43 percent indicating desire.
The activities in which the most students engage are informal social gatherings, with 96 percent reporting they spent time with friends in their rooms, 92 percent indicating they often met friends for meals and 80 percent reporting they attended events like study breaks they planned with their friends.
"All social activities that students participate in the most were not organized by the College for students," Pryor said.
"These are things students are doing for themselves," Pryor said.
"We're going to continue doing analysis [of the survey] -- we've just scratched the surface," Pryor said about the future of the task force.
He said the group will submit a report to Dean of the College Lee Pelton by the end of the term.
