Trustees Peter Fahey '68 and Susan Dentzer '77 briefed the Board of Trustees on the progress of the steering committee they co-chair at the Board's annual Fall meeting over the weekend, discussing the dissemination of the Initiative's final report, among other issues.
While Chairman of the Board William H. King, Jr. '63 said the meeting was business as usual, he cited the Board's particular focus on the Student Life Initiative.
"Although I don't know what the final proposal will be, I was assured, after discussions this weekend, that [the Committee] is on target and will release the report on schedule," King said.
While the Trustees did not meet with the steering committee in its entirety, Fahey and Dentzer briefed the Board on the Committee's progress.
Fahey declined to comment any further on the progress of the report, other than to say, "We're working very hard on it, and it will be done when it's done."
The proper way to inform the Dartmouth community of the details of the steering committee's report, which is scheduled to be released the week of January 10, 2000, is one problem the Board discussed.
No decision was made on how exactly to notify and familiarize students -- including those studying abroad -- faculty, administrators and alumni with the final proposal.
King said he is looking to student groups to judge the most appropriate way the report can be revealed.
Fahey said there was discussion of distributing the report both in hard copy and on the Internet.
The Trustees have also begun to think ahead to their involvement on campus during Winter term when the report is due. A Student Assembly memorandum suggested increased involvement of Trustees during the winter, and King said the Trustees will take that advice to heart.
"We are aware that there are people with differing views on many facets of the Initiative, and that's why we wanted to have discussion once the report comes out," he said. "It will enable the Dartmouth constituency to think about it as an overall focus on both student and residential life."
One such opportunity presented itself on Saturday when six members of the Board -- Dentzer, King, Stanford Roman, Jr. '64, David Shipler '64, David Shribman '76, and Kate Stith-Cabranes '73 -- ate breakfast with 54 students at the Hanover Inn.
Fahey said he did not attend the breakfast because he had a committee meeting scheduled at the same time.
All members of the Board, except for the two who did not make the visit to Hanover, dined at College President James Wright's house Friday night along with the members of the steering committee.
The Board's weekend was also marked by various business meetings such as the Committee on Student Affairs, the Committee on Development, the Committee on Financial Affairs and the Committee on Facilities Planning.
Dentzer was unavailable for comment last night.
