To the Editor:
The presidents of the Coed, Fraternity, Sorority Houses (CFS) at Dartmouth College would like to take a moment of your time to address safety and liability issues concerning the festivities associated with Homecoming Weekend at Dartmouth College. Each year many residents of the Upper Valley Area enjoy the parade and bonfire which occur on the Friday evening of Homecoming Weekend. This year, that day coincides with Halloween. This letter is to both encourage safe and responsible behavior by all in attendance and to remind Dartmouth students that while the parade and bonfire are college events, we share them with the surrounding towns and specifically the residents of Hanover. Many high school students come to the bonfire as do families with small children and we all need to remember that this is a community event and do our part to act safely and responsibly.
We understand that this is normally viewed as a "party" weekend and that many Greek houses will being throwing parties. We also share the concerns of the Upper Valley residents that their teenagers view our houses, particularly the fraternities, as available places for teens to consume alcohol. We want to reiterate our stance on the presence of high school students at our parties and in our houses. Local teenagers and non-Dartmouth students are unwelcome at our parties and other events at all times, including Homecoming Weekend. We go to great lengths to prohibit them entry, and in the unlikely event that they are found to be in a house, they are immediately asked to leave. If they refuse we are more than comfortable requesting the assistance of the Hanover Police in removing them from our property.
It is our goal to build and maintain a good relationship with the Upper Valley, and specifically Hanover, community. High school students are a tremendous liability for us, and we encourage them to enjoy the experiences that are unique to their age rather than attempting to live a collegiate lifestyle for which they are ill-suited at this point in their lives. We recognize that for many young people in the area, Dartmouth students are role models, and we wish to live up to the ideals of responsible behavior we hope to portray to the community. Parents, please help us to do this by sharing this letter with your teenagers and reminding them of family expectations. Teenagers, please come to the parade and bonfire and enjoy yourselves, but remember that you are not welcome in our houses at any time, including this Halloween/Homecoming Weekend.