The Student Assembly constructed a pyramid of tennis ball containers filled with rolls of pennies and petitions on the steps of the administration building Parkhurst Hall yesterday morning -- the culmination of the Assembly's Will to be Well campaign which seeks the improvement of student life at the College.
The more than $700 in pennies represented the money raised during the campaign through donations solicited in Thayer Dining Hall and at the Kresge weight room. The containers also were stuffed with the 1,337 letters signed by students that challenged the administration to upgrade the weightroom facilities.
Assembly President Jon Heavey '97 said he has received "no response whatsoever" from the College but "the pennies will be available to them any time."
Dean of the College Lee Pelton called the gesture "wonderfully inventive and creative."
"I don't know if those pennies are meant for my budget, but I'll take them if they're being offered," Pelton said.
Members of the Assembly transported the dozens of penny- and letter-filled containers from their Robinson Hall office by truck to the front of Parkhurst, where they began setting the pyramid up at about 7:15 a.m. yesterday morning.
Pelton was seen entering the building about half-an-hour later and was visibly amused by the pyramid setup.
The money, most of which was collected in five- and 10-cent increments, was collected through Dash discretionary accounts and loose change, then exchanged for pennies.
The Assembly attached a letter to the pyramid that included a list of demands and asked that the money be put towards renovations of the weight room.
The letter was addressed to College Vice President and Treasurer Lyn Hutton and Associate Treasurer Win Johnson, along with "all at Parkhurst." Hutton is currently out of town, and Johnson declined to comment.
Among other things, Heavey's letter asked the College to make Student Life a budgeting priority, expand the budget of the Undergraduate Finance Committee without increasing the $35 Student Activities fee, incorporate Dartalk fees into the College bill and build a separate weightroom for varsity athletes.
Pelton said Dartmouth spends more money per student in areas outside the classroom, compared to its peer institutions.
Pelton said compared to the recent past, he thought this year's Assembly has a better understanding of how the College works.
Heavey said the contribution of letters and pennies is the culmination of the Will to be Well campaign, at least for this term. They might continue with similar projects next term, he said.
Josh Green '00, the Assembly's communications chair, said he thought students enjoyed the spectacle of the pyramid.
"What's been the best for me is every time I walk by Parkhurst I see a small crowd there and everyone's got a smile on their face," he said.
The Assembly removed the structure last night to prevent theft of the pennies, since no one had collected the donation. They may rebuild it in the future if there is sufficient interest, Heavey said.
