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The Dartmouth
July 19, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Administrative Negligence

Two years ago, students who attended informational meetings of the College Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs were outraged that the College could be so misinformed as to blame the Greek system for the alcohol abuse on campus without throwing any of the blame on themselves. Likewise, many students are concerned that the College, which is claiming a need for greater coeducational experiences and improved gender relations, does not portray a consistent track record with these new goals.

Kevan was so angry, he went to meet with Dean Goldsmith to express his opinion. He told the Dean that he felt the answer to the drinking problem was not to punish the Greeks, who were simply charged (and no brother or sister will tell you that their own parties are actually all that enjoyable) with providing social options to the campus, but instead the answer was to educate the freshmen, yearly the most delinquent class by far in terms of alcohol violations and Dick's House attendance. Moreover, in their first college term, women are at the highest risk of their lives in terms of experiencing sexual abuse and assault. The fact that many first-years on this campus are ignorant of who Susan Marine is, where her office is, and what it should mean to them is an outrage.

How many of you remember your Freshman week? How many of you were educated about the dangers of alcohol and how it could lead to severe problems when interacting with others, particularly the opposite sex? How many of you are aware that the proposal for a sexual awareness seminar was shot down because the College chose to feature a hypnotist instead? How many of you had no idea what you were doing when you first stepped into a Greek house? We expect that most of you will agree that in no way did the College prepare you for what lay ahead.

Dean Goldsmith responded that there was not enough money or time during Freshman week to make room for education on matters such as safe alcohol use or sexual assault awareness. He said that they only had limited time to impress ideas on students and that they chose to use that opportunity, Freshman Night at the Hop, to get the Dick's House "Good Neighbor" policy across. If your friend gets too drunk at a Greek house, you can get them to Dick's House for treatment and you won't get in trouble. And although the five minute deposition of a rape survivor is moving, it fails to even break the surface of what the College's policies, definitions, and punishments are for such actions.

Big deal! This basically unleashes the freshmen into college life in all its facets, including the Greek system, with reckless abandon. In previous years, not all Greeks had been educated in knowing when someone had had too much to drink. This obviously created problems. Now that we have all been trained (through mainly CFSC's own efforts and funding) in Techniques In Prevention Strategies, we're going to be eliminated. And while the Greek system, particularly the sororities, offer virtually the ONLY spaces on campus for discussion on topics such as sexual assault awareness and eating disorders, the College insists that the Greeks are ignorant of these problems and are incapable of addressing them. Does this make sense to anyone? Why must the Greek system train ourselves to deal with students who are unleashed on the system by a College who does not educate them? We are the only social option, right now. That's wrong. But, administrators, don't blame the Greeks for alcohol abus

e. Don't blame only the Greek system for problematic gender relations at this College, assume some of the blame yourselves. You have not done one thing to preempt, discourage, or explain sexual assault/abuse or alcohol abuse. When it comes to alcohol, you only have a policy for containment after it's already happened. And when it comes to sexual assault/abuse, you have an excellent resource ... tucked away in the corner of Dick's House, where most students don't know where to find her. Most Greek members have been educated by their houses and the CFSC as a whole through speakers and discussions as to what is and is not appropriate behavior. It is incumbent upon the College to educate our non-Greek and especially first-year community. To fail to do so is to blatantly ignore the much heralded five principles you claim to embrace.

The lack of education regarding alcohol abuse and sexual awareness on this campus is irreconcilable with the goals of this institution and the five principles of the Trustees. Fraternal and Sororital bonds are not. It's time that you, administrators, looked elsewhere than Webster Avenue for problems, for they exist much closer to home than any of you feel comfortable admitting. The Greek system admits that it has its problems, none of which are foreign to the "real world" for which we are being prepared, yet it has taken major initiative in assuming the only educational role on campus, and has shown obvious progress in controlling alcohol consumption and promoting gender relations. If you are intent on increasing awareness of important problems, which you claim the Greek system perpetuates, listen to Gabrielle Lucke and Susan Marine for once. Make education an inclusive right of all Dartmouth students and not an exclusive privilege of Greek members.