Seriously, I hear you.
Ever since Wednesday, I have been bombarded by blitzes about the potential change in the College's door-locking policy. A couple of examples: "When the College comes up with a stupid idea like locking all the dorms, it is your job to tell the College that no one wants that to happen and vote it down," and, "I hate the door lock policy." But, even if I didn't just quote you, I do hear you.
Though I will be president of the Student Assembly next year, I am also a member of the current Assembly, which explains why I voted during Tuesday's meeting. And, very quickly, I want to explain why I voted in favor of locking one more door in each dorm.
Though we would lose the convenience of having an unlocked door in our own dorms, with a universal key, we would gain the convenience of being able to open all the doors in others' dorms. Also, regardless of whether or not the doors are locked, the addition of phones will definitely increase campus safety. But clearly, as a downside, we would all have to carry keys (unless of course the Assembly provides bricks for propping open the doors). From my perspective, though, locking doors makes sense if it prevents even one sexual assault 10 years down the road.
Still, I know there a lot of people out there who disagree. There are those who say that Hanover is safe enough. There are those who say that the administration merely wants to show prospective parents that Dartmouth is safe, without actually increasing safety. Sound familiar? Well, that's what I've been hearing since Tuesday's meeting.
But let me also mention one other thing I've been hearing -- one other question I've been asked: why can't the campus have a discussion about this issue before a decision is made?
And here's what I would say to that: yeah, why can't we?
Well, here's the deal ... Tonight, at 9:30 p.m. in Collis Common Ground, there will be a town meeting about the potential changes in door-locking policy. Think we should keep things the same? Think we should have a keyless entry system? Think we should keep the doors unlocked during the day? Think maybe the doors should be locked? Well, come to Collis, hear what the Assembly really discussed, listen to the facts (from Safety and Security and the Office of Residential Life) which shaped that discussion and then voice your opinion.
Sound good? (I hope so ... my in-box is out of control.) If it does, the credit goes to the current Assembly and also to all of you who have written about this issue. If it doesn't sound good, though, just send me another blitz ... I really don't mind hearing when I might be wrong.
Now, I think I have a bit of space left, so I want to ask for your help. Help me think of ways to make next year's Assembly increasingly responsive to and representative of the student body. I think we have to trust Assembly members to vote what they think is in the best interest of the campus, but I think it's equally important that the entire student body has the greatest possible opportunity to hear the whole story on any given issue and to voice its many opinions. Basically, here's the question: how can the Assembly best listen to informed opinions before The Dartmouth reports which way the Assembly voted on a particular issue?
A couple of ideas which we can turn into realities next year ... First, we'll post agendas on the Assembly bulletin, so everyone can know what's going on in advance. This way, if you have an opinion, you can blitz an Assembly member, or you can come to the meetings on Tuesday night. Also, we'll send out a regular blitz update to let you know what's going on, what issues will be coming up in the near future, etc. But, seriously, I need all the other suggestions I can get ...
As one person commented, "Hopefully this little incident will only serve to keep the need to have students informed and listened to in focus." I couldn't agree more.
I think we can prove to any skeptical administrators (Trustee Stephen Bosworth, are you listening?) that students do care and want badly to be heard.
Let me know if you have any other thoughts and also let me know if you want to chair the Assembly's student life committee ... The position is still available.
For now, though, I'll see you in Collis at 9:30 tonight.
