In a recent survey sent to the nearly 1,200 members of the Dartmouth Outing Club, a large majority of respondents said they believe the DOC should continue to occupy its current location in Robinson Hall, despite plans by the Centerbrook architects to relocate their offices.
Two-hundred students responded to the survey questions.
Centerbrook proposed the movement after evaluating current and spatial needs of the DOC and the Outdoor Programs Office. The architects concluded that it would take all of the basement and first floor of Robinson, plus half of the second floor to accommodate all of the various organizations that make up the DOC.
The survey asked members to rank nine options for the DOC's location, which included moving the whole operation to a new location near the River cluster, moving everything to the proposed new recreation center, staying in Robinson in an equal-sized space, or staying in Robinson in an equal/smaller space but adding a new facility at the River, the Green, or at a former Greek house were one to be available.
The results were almost exactly what the DOC expected, DOC President Pat Leslie' 01 said. Most respondents favored Robinson's "ideal location," which Leslie said he also prefers.
"I definitely support staying in Robo," he said. "There's a lot of momentum to open the club up more, and some people are already intimidated coming into Robo, which is a welcoming location. If the DOC moved to a place like the rec. center, where there's even less traffic, people would only come by for a specific purpose."
Leslie said DOC members who met frequently with Centerbrook over the summer were promised that the DOC would get what it wanted, but when the committee's report came out last fall the architects recommended that the DOC move.
The survey's suggestion of creating DOC space in a former Greek house also caused a "huge uproar," Leslie said. After sending the survey in a BlitzMail message, Leslie said he received many "irate" responses within minutes. That was by far the least favorite option, he said, because many members felt a "DOC house" would make the club seem even more exclusive.
Leslie is now hopeful that the DOC will be allowed to stay in Robinson, but said he has no idea what the outcome will be.
"At this point, we're somewhat on the defensive," he said.
The survey was not sent to alumni or non-members, which Leslie regrets in hindsight. Many people who care about the future of the DOC are not currently members, he said.
The Dartmouth Outing Club is the largest undergraduate student organization on campus. As the umbrella organization for about 15 member-clubs ranging from Ledyard Canoe Club to Cabin and Trail, the DOC has nearly 1,200 paying members.
In addition, other students participate in the DOC's member-clubs, but are not paying DOC members. As such, they were not polled in the survey.
