Future College President James Wright and his wife Susan Wright spoke last night at Amarna's weekly Monday dinner, discussing such issues as campus expansion, housing and residential life, admissions, the Greek system and his personal life.
"I grew up in a small midwestern town" in Illinois, said Wright, who is currently the College's provost.
After graduating from high school and serving as a Marine for three years, Wright decided to attend the University of Wisconsin. There, he paid his way through college with money he had earned from working as a janitor, bartender and powder man in the mines near his home -- earning only $2.15 per hour setting dynamite charges.
At the urging of his professors, he eventually began to concentrate more on academics. He eventually won one of 50 competitive fellowships, earning a free ride for five years and continuing graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin.
Susan Wright, associate director of Career Services, said she plans to make some changes in her life, as well.
After explaining how excited she was upon hearing that her husband would assume the sixteenth presidency of the College, she initially was not sure what she would do.
While wanting to remain involved with students, she said that she "wants to work two days a week" in Career Services and will hopefully advise students during their sophomore year, especially since this is a time when students are thinking about their majors, possible careers and Dartmouth plans.
James Wright also stated the importance of campus expansion.
He mentioned that the need for a new technologically advanced library offering computer services is long overdue.
Berry Library is "the library of the future," Wright said, explaining how the new library is intellectually and symbolically important for the campus.
Wright added that the math and psychology facilities, Bradley and Gerry buildings, and the Hopkins Center are "showing their age" and need improvement.
To combat the problem of insufficient housing, Wright said he is thinking about establishing "a whole new cluster somewhere." However, he emphasized the point of maintaining the current size of the student body.
When asked if the idea of decreasing the number of students had crossed his mind, Wright answered that this would make the student body "less rich" and the College would suffer "financial consequences."
Addressing the issue of affinity housing, Wright stated that he thinks it "is terribly important."
Affinity housing adds to a "richer range of residential and social options on campus," Wright continued.
When this led to a discussion of minority students and admissions, Wright tackled the issue of attracting a more diverse student body.
"We have to make it more welcome for [minority] students now," Wright said.
By helping current Dartmouth minority students, the word will spread to prospective students.
This word-of-mouth, Wright explained, is "the key to being able to recruit minority students."
Finally, when asked how he felt about the Greek system's influence in the coming years, Wright said that he would like the Greeks to play a more positive role in the community.
"I think the Greek system has too significant a role" on campus, Wright said.
While he said he believes several Greek members would agree with this idea, he said he does not see the system changing significantly in the near future.
