To the Editor:
As the student representative on the Presidential Search Committee, I wanted to introduce myself to the student body. Being the sole representative of over 4500 intelligent and talented individuals is an awesome and often overwhelming task, as you can imagine. I feel it is important that students know who I am so that they can contact me with comments and opinions about the search.
I am a Sociology major from the Chicago area, hoping to attend graduate school in a few years. I've spent my leave terms in D.C. working for the Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect and in Chicago assisting a political consultant, and I went on an LSA to Blois, France. Some of my activities on campus have included Chamber Singers, Epsilon Kappa Theta, Christian Fellowship groups, Pan Asian Council, training as a senior-level mediator and assistant teaching Education 20. This year you will often find me in the Upperclass Deans' Office, as its intern.
I believe my best qualities include the ability to listen to and understand different points of view. I am down-to-earth, idealistic and love heart-to-heart talks with friends. Dartmouth has been a place of incredible growth for me both spiritually and intellectually.
I invite you to share your thoughts with me about the search process, what characteristics you feel the new college president should possess, what you feel are Dartmouth's strengths and what you feel needs improvement, and anything else you feel may be relevant to the committee. I need to hear all perspectives in order to best represent you. The new president will play an instrumental role in determining the future course of Dartmouth, so it is imperative that the student body be engaged in the process and voice their opinions.
Our first meeting was held at the end of fall term, and our next two meetings will be held this weekend and the weekend of the 16th. I strongly encourage you to give input in the first few weeks of the term, during which your comments will be most helpful. I will be setting up roundtable discussions in the next couple weeks in campus dorms as well as "office hours." Please take advantage of these times to talk to me. There is also a website connected to the Dartmouth home page which gives information about the search process and about President Freedman's presidency. Comments can also be blitzed to me personally or to the Student Assembly. The office is located in 305 Parkhurst.
In addition to myself, there are six Trustees, six faculty members and an alumni representative on the committee. William King is the chair and the spokesperson of the committee. The committee is charged with recommending to the Board of Trustees two to five candidates for consideration after an exhaustive search and screening process.
I've found it true that Dartmouth's most valuable resources are its students, so I look forward to hearing your intelligent and insightful comments.
