Uncertainty about both the plans for a community forum and what would be discussed dominated students' opinions about tonight's discussion on the Initiative led by steering committee co-Chairs Trustees Susan Dentzer '77 and Peter Fahey '68.
While Dentzer told The Dartmouth previously that the panel would be a chance for all members of the College community -- from incoming freshmen to alumni and faculty -- to hear what progress had been made so far on last Winter term's announcement of the Five Principles, many students were not aware the meeting would be taking place tonight.
Students were invited to the panel by banners in Collis Student Center and Thayer Dining Hall, as well as a full-page ad placed in The Dartmouth.
While Benjamin Herson '02 and Kelley Smith '02 said they would probably be attending the forum, and had heard about it previously, Aaron Fiske '02 and Tara Dairman '01 hadn't heard about the discussion until they were interviewed by The Dartmouth last night.
Coed Fraternity Sorority Council President Jaimie Paul '00 said the CFSC is urging the members of Greek houses to attend the forum.
"Whatever involvement in discussions members of our organization could have will be beneficial to our organization," Paul said.
While students had differing levels of awareness of the meeting, from "definite" to "vague," the ideas about what discussions could take place at the forum were even more diverse.
Dentzer previously told The Dartmouth that the panel would be presenting some of the questions raised in Summer term discussions since the steering committee formed, and presenting some ideas for solutions, or changes, that have come up in their meetings.
She had also said before in past interviews with The Dartmouth that the steering committees' discussions would parallel the goals of the Board of Trustees.
Paul said after attending a speech Fahey gave to an alumni group, she feels she has more sense than most of what tonight's meeting might entail.
Paul said he spoke for a half hour to the Alumni Leadership Council on the progress so far of the committee, outlining the steering committee's immediate and long-term goals, ideas coming in so far from students, and the timeline for changes so far.
Paul said Fahey presented ideas without value judgements, as a synthesis of ideas coming up, and then opened the meeting up for a half hour of questions.
With much of the debate over the Five Principles centering on the idea that College social life should be substantially coeducational, Paul said Fahey did discuss the Greek system, and the idea of "the Greek system as it currently stands being improved on" and a separate, similar system coexisting with it. The other option presented, Paul said, was the replacement of the Greek system with the new, alternate system.
Paul said they were vague about which option would win out, mainly because she thinks they're not sure right now.
"Part of the point of the town meeting is for the steering committee to hear student voices. They've seen the proposals and heard from us last winter and spring," she said.
Paul said she assumes after a quieter Summer term the steering committee is looking to hear from students again.
Sarah Warlick '01 said she was probably not going to go to the forum, since she said she's lost some interest in the Initiative.
Big changes will "not happen while I'm here," Warlick said.
"I don't think any drastic changes are necessary and the ones that are necessary are smaller and if you look at the Five Principles, you'll see the administration sees that too."
Dairman agreed that changes suggested at the forum might not be as drastic as first imagined in Winter term.
"The only feeling that I have now is that because of all the protests and things going on the last few terms, more of a compromise with more of system intact will be made," Dairman said.
"A lot of Dartmouth students have voiced opinions about the good things in the system and a lot of programming this summer was taking the focus away from things the Initiative is trying to combat," she said, citing more nonalcoholic programming events in houses open to the whole campus.
Annie Chung '03 said many of her first-year classmates don't seem as worried about tomorrow night's forum or announcements made there.
"So far, I don't think anyone's that worried about it right now," she said. "People seem to think it's going to be a long process."
The steering committee is officially known as the Trustee Committee on the Student Life Initiative.
