To the Editor:
There are many occasions that make us grateful to work at Dartmouth College. We are at one of the best institutions of higher education in the world and are surrounded by talented and caring colleagues. We have the fortune of always having challenging and rewarding work. On other, thankfully fewer, occasions, we are discouraged by our campus culture and the lack of civility with which community members treat each other. However, this week, the efforts of a group of students remind us of the extraordinary power students possess, especially those impassioned about an issue.
Several students have been working long and exhausting hours to find ways to address issues of racism and disrespect on campus. They have taken huge emotional and intellectual risks to bring a new level of understanding to campus. They have created an opportunity, not only for people to discuss issues, but for people to listen and learn at forums throughout the week, notably the events scheduled for Thursday night and Friday afternoon.
If there is one belief that keeps us in higher education, it is that students, when they care about something, can accomplish anything. We wish to publicly thank the students who are organizing the events and those who will participate in and learn from the events, for giving us one more reason to believe in their power to make change happen.
