After almost 14 months of debate, reports and responses the ball is finally back in the Trustees' court. The Student Life Initiative will be the major topic of discussion during the Board of Trustees' regularly scheduled Spring term meeting this weekend -- and some decisions are likely to be made on the controversial proposals.
This is the first time the Trustees are coming together after the deadline for submitting responses to the steering committee recommendations. Chairman of the Board of Trustees, William H. King Jr. '63 said the Trustees will discuss all the opinions submitted to them and try to come to a consensus this weekend.
Describing the mood among the Trustees as excited and optimistic for the weekend, King said, "We're pleased to have gotten to this point in the process ... This is something we've been working on for some time."
The eventual goal of the Trustees is to release a report, indicating the direction of where the Board sees the implementation of the Initiative heading.
King told The Dartmouth at a previous occasion, "Our goal is from a directional standpoint to make it clear where we are heading."
Although possible, it is unlikely that the Board will release the report right after their meeting, King said previously.
King said last night that the Board will have a better idea of when information will be released after this weekend.
He said previously that he hopes, at the latest, the Board is able to finish the report by the end of spring term.
"We may end up making some decisions" during the weekend, King said in a previous interview. However, it "takes time putting them in writing."
King informed The Dartmouth that the Board has received all the responses from a variety of sections of the Dartmouth community -- including students, faculty, and administrators.
Speaking of the responses, King said, "All of these will play into what we discuss this weekend," adding the Trustees are very gratified with the level of involvement by the entire Dartmouth community.
During their visit to Hanover, the Trustees will also have breakfast with students tomorrow morning, before adjourning their meeting tomorrow afternoon.
The Trustee Finance Committee and the Committee on Student Affairs held their meetings yesterday.
