Randy Testa, Lecturer in Education, resigned from the Greek Life Steering Committee, the body charged with formulating the final set of recommendations regarding the Greek system in response to the Student Life Initiative.
"I don't believe the College is serious about reforming alcohol behavior," Testa said when asked about his reasons for leaving.
Testa has consistently campaigned to decrease abusive use of alcohol at the College, and even though he thinks that "the committee can do lots of work, it isn't the committee. It's the College," he said.
When asked about Testa's reasons, James Larimore, Dean of the College, said that Testa is of course entitled to his own opinions.
"But I don't appoint committees just for the sake of appointing committees," Larimore said.
Martin Redman, Dean of Residential Life, disagreed with Testa's assertion about the College.
"I think we are very serious about making some changes, but it is too early to tell what those changes will be," Redman said.
"We all have our own opinions, but part of being part of a community -- of a group -- is knowing that at some point, there is some compromise," Redman continued.
The Greek Life Steering Committee is composed of students, administrators, faculty and staff and the membership has been fluctuating, according to Cassie Barnhardt, Assistant Dean of Residential Life for Greek Affairs. In addition to Testa, another professor left the committee recently due to time constraints, and one student is off due to the D-plan.
"But we remain committed to the process; the members are ambitious and want to see things end up in a positive place," said Barnhardt.
"Despite the disappointment [of Testa resigning], I think we will be able to work together and create good things," she continued.
Testa seemed to disagree; he maintained that "the kind of change that needs to happen goes far beyond what any committee at Dartmouth will be able to do."
He says that his reasons for resigning go far beyond disillusionment, and that he questions the College's actual commitment to changing the alcohol culture at Dartmouth, though he has tremendous respect for certain committee members.
Testa said he worries, however, that many students do not understand the depth of the problem at Dartmouth, a problem that becomes more serious in light of numerous recent studies on college alcohol abuse.
He said he believes that the College must begin seriously drawing on these studies in examining their own policies. "It's a slam dunk, there is so much research. It's not like reinventing the wheel," Testa said.
Perhaps one of his biggest concerns is the ingrained culture of alcohol at Dartmouth. Testa said he believes that the College must do more then simply cart away pong tables; he thinks there must be serious consequences for binge drinking.
"Students say to me, 'I don't think we should ban pong.' Pong is a binge drinking game; students play it in order to get drunk," said Testa.
"A student once asked me if students could play pong reasonably. I responded that you can play reasonably by playing with diet soda. Then you won't be hammered in a matter of minutes" he continued.
"I am shocked when a student says that without pong, college would be no fun. I don't know what to say. I don't want to say anything to someone who is that stupid because there is no way I could change their mind."
Testa said he is particularly outraged over what he calls the sense of entitlement he sees in some students, claiming that students sometimes maintain that playing pong is their right.
"You can't have reasoned discussion as to why certain behaviors are stupid and dangerous because it's lost on [students] who argue on behalf of their entitlement," Testa said. "If you came to Dartmouth because you wanted to play pong, there is something really wrong with you," he added.
Testa said he sees binge drinking as a 'national pastime' at Dartmouth, and ventures that many members at the Dartmouth community are in a state of denial.
"Denial cannot be resolved by discussion," he added when citing his reasons for leaving the committee.
Testa does, however, admire recent programming events organized by students. He called two discussions, one hosted by Alpha Delta fraternity, and one by Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, terrific.
Although driving home his point about the College's commitment to change, Testa said he wonders "why doesn't the administration host such events? Why is there not a big evening talk about the consequences of pong?"
