To the Editor:
I learned early in my life that when I assume, I make an ass out of U and ME. Well, you, The Dartmouth, assumed that the Student Assembly has done nothing on this campus. You made an ass out of U and MED. Who, you might ask, is MED? Many Educated Dartmouth students. You beat up Med and Med is hurting.
Med has been hit quite a bit in my past four years at Dartmouth. I have hit Med a few times. And recently I have hit my own head against cement. It's my senior spring and, though I have been involved in various ways on campus during the past four years, I really dove into activities this term. But I dove into shallow water. And it hurt.
There are people on this campus who have tested the water and know where and when it is appropriate to dive. And by this, I mean the Student Assembly.
The Dartmouth is too quick to cement rumors about the SA. The Dartmouth did not even consult the SA if its thoughts were well founded. The Dartmouth did no research about the SA's recent actions and because of their Editorial "For the People" in the April 25th issue, the paper hurt all the students on this campus.
Do you want to know the facts? Well, I did the research. SA is currently in the process of conducting summits around various areas of concern that bring together students, trustees, faculty and administrators. SA, just three days before the Speak Out rally outside Parkhurst Hall, passed a resolution that urged the Trustees to generate a long-term plan towards tolerance and progress. The Student Life Committee put together a collection of past student ideas, proposals and reports regarding diversity, submitting it to the World Cultures Initiative Committee. This project challenged students to think about the future of the college and to detail what they liked best, what they liked least, what they would change and how. SA passed resolutions in 1998 and 1999 in support of creating the Korean Studies Program. 1999 was also the year when the Dartmouth Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Literature (DAMEL) chose not to have a Korean Studies program. Since it has been two years, SA will be following up with the Dean of the Faculty and DAMEL to find out what the current situation is and if a program is possible. SA has been coordinating with the Student Life Office to make sure that current students play a major role in defining what the new student center and Women's Resource Center will look like. In addressing the need for the College to release information about its investments, there will be a meeting on May 4th with several students interested in investor responsibility. In 1996, SA organized the public meeting for the Education department which 300 students attended, after which the college decided not to abolish the department. In 1999 and in the fall of this year, SA supported the Education department and against the College's handling of the department.
After researching what the SA has accomplished, I hit my head against another cement block. I should have joined SA. Well, there's still time. I have a little over 30 days until graduation. Who wants to join SA with me? Let's save Med.
