The much-awaited Student Response Task Force report was released yesterday -- with most students and organizations opposing some of the major Greek changes recommended by the steering committee report such as non-student-bartenders, the living of a non-member Undergraduate Advisor in a Greek house, the moratorium on new Greek houses, winter rush and end of summer-term residency.
The Task Force report -- that compiled student opinion on each of the seven steering committee recommendations and had another section for topics omitted by the report -- was also supportive of some of its recommendations.
According to the report, students and organizations were largely accepting of making structural improvements to Coed Fraternity Sorority physical plants, of having a Sexual Abuse and Drug Abuse Peer Advisor and Tucker Liaison in residence, and the maintenance of centralized dining.
In congruity with the CFS and Student Assembly proposals to the Task Force, many students, according to the report, stressed the need for more education to improve alcohol-related problems on campus.
The Greeks
According to the Task Force, many students and group proposals expressed concern over the steering committee's recommendation to conduct a CFS review after five years -- primarily due to the possible pressure put on the Greek houses to achieve the new standards, in the absence of any long-term assurances.
Many proposals that were submitted to the Task Force also opposed some of the major changes to the Coed Fraternity Sorority organizations recommended by the steering committee report.
Students opposed the steering committee recommendation that no new selective social organization should be recognized, with many expressing the need for creating a seventh sorority to accommodate all interested women.
The report says that many group proposals raised concern that the presence of a non-member UGA would be uncomfortable for all -- possibly compromising the UGA's effectiveness.
According to the report, responses to the steering committee recommendation that pledge periods be eliminated stressed the difference between a pledge period and hazing. While all the responses agreed to end hazing, most argued the need for a period of provisional membership.
A majority of proposals also advocated the maintenance of Fall term rush and a reduction in membership requirements.
Most of the proposals that the Task Force received were receptive to the general idea of having a SAPA, DAPA, a Tucker Liaison, an Inter-Cluster Council member and a member with diversity and leadership training among an organization's residency, although the specifics of implementing these requirements varied.
The report says that an overwhelming majority of proposals were enthusiastic about improving CFS physical plants, although many expressed concern over the high cost of making these improvements. Many proposals asked the College to financially contribute to making these structural changes.
Group proposals were also largely supportive of having minimum standards for the students' academic records.
Alcohol
According to the Task Force report there was widespread student agreement with the steering committee claim that much of Dartmouth's alcohol problem lies in the campus culture.
While most students agreed that drinking is an inevitable part of college life, many said Dartmouth should contribute to promoting an environment where this happens safely and moderately.
The report says that students saw education, especially for first-year students and members of Greek organizations and increased counseling services as ways of changing the campus culture around alcohol.
Most responses supported the maintenance of student bartenders.
There was also widespread agreement on the need to create additional venues that serve alcohol and supporting additional non-alcohol programming.
According to the report there was no consensus on the removal of tap systems -- while some proposals argued that such a move would curb alcohol abuse, other students felt that switching to beer cans could prove environmentally costly and ineffective in reducing alcohol use.
Other issues
According to the Task Force report a majority of students expressed a desire to increase housing continuity, retaining student flexibility and choice in the housing system.
The Task Force received mixed responses on first-year housing, with many students expressing their opinion based on their own personal experience.
While many students living in the Choates and River clusters enjoyed the camaraderie associated with their predominantly first-year environments, other students in the East Wheelock and Fayerweathers enjoyed their close friendships with upper-class students.
Many students supported the idea of centralized dining but also argued for the creation of other secondary eating areas, such as snack bars.
Many responses also referred to the D-plan and improvement of gender relations as two topics ignored by the steering committee report.
According to the Task Force report, a vast majority of responses were supportive of the World Cultures Initiative concept.
