While the Class of 2004 are the first to experience freshmen-only housing experiments -- direct result of the Trustees' Student Life Initiative, introduced to the College in February 1999 -- most members of the first-year class remain in the dark about why their first year differs from those of classes already at the College.
Several members of the Class of 2004 interviewed by The Dartmouth students questioned were completely unfamiliar with the Initiative.
"We've both heard the name before, but we don't know what it is," Alice Graham '04 said, of herself and her roommate.
Others admitted to having a limited grasp of the events dominating Dartmouth news for the last 18 months.
"It sounds like its something that the administration is doing to make living at Dartmouth better, but I don't really know," Matthew Stevenson '04 said.
Most students questioned principally associated the Initiative with the Greek system.
"They're trying to phase out the frats, from what I understand," Ben Hunt '04 said.
"I know very little about the Initiative except for the fact that it delays rush for us until winter of sophomore year," Rebecca Aledort '04 said.
Some students also noted the Initiative's emphasis on socialization within residential clusters.
"I think they're trying to provide different social options to students other than drinking ... and to make different cluster-based activities," Allison Forbes '04 said.
Most freshmen questioned expressed a general apathy toward the Initiative.
"If in the future I feel like the social life on campus is in jeopardy, then I would be more concerned, but as of now I'm not really sure what's happening, so I can't really make any judgements," Mitch Ermentrout '04 explained.
"I didn't think about it that much because I didn't know that much about it," Sara Glazer '04 said. "I still don't really know."
Jonathan Mullins '04 suggested that the freshmen's lack of concern about the Initiative might partially be due to their relative newness to the College.
"I think the only reason most students are afraid is because of the possibility of the frats being taken away, but to me ... it's not a problem," he said. "Then again, I'm just a '04."
Many first-year students told The Dartmouth that the College's administration has done a poor job in providing this year's freshman class with a clear idea of the Student Life Initiative.
"Truthfully, there hasn't been very much communication between the administration [and the students]," Mullins said. "They refer to it indirectly, but they don't actually tell you what the basic principles are."
"They've been far too general," Alex Talcott '04 said. "All they say to us is that 'you're here for a very important time and what you do will have a great impact on the future of this [college].'"
Freshmen familiar with the Initiative said they have relied on sources other than the administration for information about the changes the College faces.
"I've just heard it from other people and from reading about it in The Dartmouth," Fred Silva said.
"I haven't picked up anything from the administration about it," George Lee said. "I just picked up little tidbits from conversations with other students."
Unlike most freshmen, Paul Bozzello received an in-depth explanation of the Student Life Initiative when Trustee Peter Fahey '68 spoke at his local Dartmouth Club.
Bozzello said Fahey, co-chair of the Steering Committee which was created to study and propose ways to concretely implement Initiative goals, outlined the entire Initiative for him.
The goals of the Initiative are "to create new social spaces, take the focus of the social life here away from the fraternities, [and] to enhance residential life," Bozzello said. "Basically, [it is supposed] to improve the student life of the College apart from the academics."
Despite his heightened awareness, Bozzello shares the sentiments of some of his less-informed classmates.
"It didn't concern me too much," he said. "I wouldn't know what life at Dartmouth was like before the SLI, but I'm having fun here now."
During last Fall term, the 2003 Class Council held a panel discussion specifically to inform first year students about the events that proceeded their arrival at the College.
While there are no concrete plans to organize a similar event this year according to First-Year Office Intern Dana Polanichka '02, members of the '04 class may discuss the possibility at upcoming class council meetings.
