As an alum who reads The Dartmouth Online fairly regularly, I felt compelled to respond to Chris Curran's Op-Ed "Admit It," printed in the April 11th issue of The Dartmouth. Curran's paranoia that Dartmouth is falling behind other Ivy League schools is laughable, and the plethora of pieces printed in The Dartmouth that express similar sentiments shows an absolute lack of perspective. Admissions statistics should be studied over periods of many years, and while no one wants a drop in applicants ever, this is not a drastic situation. Contrary to what Mr. Curran may think, the reputation of a school is not made and lost in one year. Over the past 200 years, Dartmouth has built up a tremendous reputation and I am confident it will remain an elite school for hundreds more years, despite the growing pains it seems to be experiencing right now, and despite the shocking fact that more applicants applied for the class of 2004 than the Class of 2005.
Who cares if the number of applicants at Dartmouth went down while those at Harvard, Princeton and Yale went up? I will never understand why some Dartmouth students feel the need to constantly compare us to other Ivy League schools. Dartmouth is Dartmouth, and if you have such a complex about it and want it to be more like Princeton, then transfer. I am so thankful for the four years I had at Dartmouth, and I wouldn't even think to trade them for four years at any other school, Harvard or otherwise. It is so interesting to me that Dartmouth students complain furiously that the administration is trying to change Dartmouth into Harvard when they suggest something like decentralized dining, but in the pages of this newspaper, article after article points out how Dartmouth is lacking in comparison to Harvard. I am, and will continue to be, floored by this recurring contradiction. I beg all afflicted to please get over your problems and learn to appreciate where you are. It is so much easier to shout and complain about a situation than to work to make a positive change and grasp the opportunities around you.
Curran's article, and many with similar sentiments, blames the Student Life Initiative for every single thing perceived as "wrong" with Dartmouth. I admit that I personally am a little disappointed with the lack of change the SLI has thus far produced, but I am not willing to write it off quite yet. Rome wasn't built in a day, and changes at any long standing institution always take much longer than they should. I think students like Mr. Curran need to understand how slow an institution changes, because while the administration is trying to meet his needs, they also have to plan for the future. That is a tough juggling act. And contrary to what seems like the overwhelming student opinion, I really don't believe College President James Wright and the Trustees are putting time and money into useless efforts -- a wait and see attitude, though difficult and frustrating, must be adopted. I really respect students that are motivated to change Dartmouth and make it into a better community, but I also believe that President Wright and the Trustees should also be respected. I personally am impressed with the courage they show in trying to make significant changes at Dartmouth. While I don't always agree with what they do and say, I think students who are challenging them need to acknowledge that the administration has a perspective that goes well beyond that of any current student. Sometimes the short-term goals of current students are not in the long-term interests of the school, and it is those long-term interests that the Trustees are mostly responsible for in the end.
Talking to college graduates from many different schools has made me realize that the college you attend is regrettably always better after you leave. I would have much preferred to do my research in Berry than in the crowded, musty stacks of Baker. I also would have rather skiied at the new skiway. Hopefully, the SLI will be like these projects, something that was a pain to contend with while in school, but a source of pride in the end because it made our school a much better place.
And in the meantime, relax a little Mr. Curran. Dartmouth is not going to hell and your degree will be worth just as much as mine. And give the SLI a chance, three years is nothing in an institution with over 200 years of history.
