The Summer term began with an announcement that would affect many more classes than just that of 2002, in residence for their Sophomore Summer.
Only one week into the term, Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman announced that all CFS houses must remove their permanent bars and tap systems by this past Saturday, as part of changes due to the Student Life Initiative. Many houses opted to have their bar removal funded by the College.
A month later The Dartmouth reported many of the houses were removing their taps in advance of the deadline.
Redman told The Dartmouth houses were dealing with the declaration in a number of ways beyond full removal. Some were building new, non-bar units on top of the former bars or walling them off into closet areas.
The Board of Trustees, the driving force behind the Initiative and College changes, had new transitions to adjust to, as well. Karen Francis '84 was elected the newest Trustee, replacing Kate Stith-Cabranes '73. A San Francisco businesswoman, Francis was a founding member of Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority.
Changes in Dartmouth social life won national attention, or infamy, when Men's Health Magazine rated Dartmouth as one of the 10 most "anti-male" schools in the nation. Using criteria such as the College's position on fraternities and the size of the College's Women's Studies Department, to judge the campus atmosphere, Men's Health released a ranking that came as a surprise to many students.
While Men's Health may have found fault with the College, U.S. News and World Report released its yearly rankings with Dartmouth leaping up in the rankings to the ninth best college in the nation.
The Class of 2002 elected new leaders for their Class Council, with Phil Mone winning the race for President and Molly Stutzman for Vice President.
Trees -- or rather their disappearance -- dominated much of the summer's news. Two members of Sigma Phi Epsilon cut down a memorial cherry tree on the Alpha Chi Alpha lawn. The offenders apologized soon after.
In addition, the rope swing -- one of the strongest symbols of the Sophomore Summer -- was nearly cut down shortly into the summer. Due to noise and safety complaints by Hanover residents, the Hanover Town Manager announced the decision in early July, yet by the end of the term the swing had yet to be cut down.
Tubestock weekend -- when Dartmouth students dot the Connecticut River in tubes and rafts -- was greeted by threatening clouds but pleasant weather. The annual event was without major incident.
As the summer wound down, Computing Services launched a new web site for the College, designed for easier navigation and quicker loading, but many students were not impressed with its design. Construction on much of the new Berry Library finished up, with an independent contractor shipped up to help with the tremendous book-moving required. The library officially opens today.
In news that had positive effects for the summer and beyond, gifts to Dartmouth reached a record high, with donations from individuals, foundations, and corporation totaling $116 million over the past year.
Adam Nelson '97 won a chance to join other Dartmouth Olympians down under at the Sydney Summer Games when he placed first in the shot-put at the U.S. Olympic trials.
