We've lost our president. Our provost is stepping down. Our dean of the College has found another position.
So what? What does this all mean? Changes will be made, positions will be filled and the College will continue to function, right? Not necessarily. We have an unprecedented opportunity to affect the direction of the College by asserting our hopes, expectations, and ideas right now. For the first time in over a decade, Dartmouth will have a new president. This transition is an opportunity for us to impact how the new president thinks of the College, and where she or he plans to take it.
What does a president do? A college president's primary duties -- aside from fund raising -- are to set policy and direction for the institution. This individual simultaneously shapes the future and manages the present. To do this effectively, she or he must listen to the voices of each segment of campus.
And that's where Visions of Dartmouth comes in.
Visions of Dartmouth is a project designed to strengthen your voice. This committee is asking you three questions: What's right with Dartmouth? What's wrong with Dartmouth? Envision and describe your vision for Dartmouth 10 years from now. How do we get there from here? This series of questions will hit each student in a different way, thus eliciting unique responses. How do they hit you?
The compilation of responses will comprise a report to the incoming president which will identify those issues which are important to the student body, and we hope it will largely dictate which issues this individual will address in the coming year. Imagine ... the president walks into Parkhurst, sits down and the first thing she or he finds on Freedman's old desk is a book titled "Visions of Dartmouth, A Report By the Students of Dartmouth College."
Inside, the president finds hundreds, maybe thousands, of letters from students describing their vision, OUR VISION, of what Dartmouth should be in the years to come.
We have a blank slate on which to write and a chance to make a stellar first impression on the new president. This individual will come in with open ears -- it's time to project our student voice.
So what does it mean to have a vision? I realize that it is tough to look ahead 10 years and articulate the College you want to see. I certainly didn't solidify mine until I started talking to friends. I would like to then share my vision in the hopes that it will awaken something in you.
I think that what's right about Dartmouth is the people. From students to professors to administrators to staff members, Dartmouth is an amazing place. The individuals, past and present, who are part of this community blend together in a synergetic body that fosters growth, exploration, questioning, learning and respect. I think that what's right about Dartmouth is residential life. Dormitories are where the college experience begins. There is just nothing like living with 40 or 50 or 60 other people.
I think what's right about Dartmouth is its focus on undergraduate academics. This is an institution of professors who come here to teach their passion and of students who come here to learn more than just a vocation. And I think what's right about Dartmouth is its size. Our enrollment is what makes it all happen; we are a community.
I think what's wrong with Dartmouth is a lack of social space. There is no "hang-out" space available after midnight. I think the lack of education regarding alcohol and sexual assault are what's wrong with Dartmouth. The College fails to teach Freshmen how to be safe in gatherings involving alcohol and how to identify potentially dangerous situations. I think what's wrong with Dartmouth is an ignorance of the significance of campus traditions. These too we should learn when we are first-year students.
How do I envision my ideal Dartmouth 10 years from now? I see a diverse, accepting student body. I see new architecture that compliments what is already established on the campus. I see new academic departments: Ethnic Studies, for example. I see a successful and accepted Dining Services. I see an expanded DOC. And I see much of what I wrote about what's right about Dartmouth now: a cohesive community, a solid residential life program and superior academics.
When I conceptualize the Dartmouth of 2010, I envision an academic institution firmly rooted by its traditions and yet always looking forward to improvement and growth. To get there will require open communication lines between the student body, the administration, the professors and the alumni.
That's my vision. And my fear is this: our new President won't ever hear it. She or he won't hear it because right now it's confined to this column. But if you -- all of you -- add your vision to mine, then it certainly will be read.
We have a voice -- let's use it.
