Fall is an exciting term no matter what the circumstances, but this year should be especially so, for the incoming class represents the change from Initiative theory to Initiative practice. The '04s are not the standard class of entering freshmen -- they are the pivotal group who will have first-hand experience of the Initiative. Dartmouth is in a time of transition, and the '04s are its transition class.
These freshmen will have an extraordinary impact on the College's future. Classes to come will be affected by the feedback they give on the changes that have been made. It is true that the '04s did not decide to introduce freshman housing. It is, however, also true that they are the ones who are directly affected by freshman housing. The same holds for winter rush and other elements of the Initiative implementation. The upperclassmen debated the possibilities for altered student life -- the '04s will live some of these ideas.
This will not be an easy time for the class of 2004. Each member will be challenged by his or her adjustment to college life on a campus itself experiencing growing pains. Their response to this challenge and those that follow will provide the first hard results of the Initiative experiment. After extensive discussion, the community has a new voice to heed -- the voice of experience.
