College history was both made and repeated with last week's release of the Committee on Institutional Diversity and Equity report.
On the one hand, the Student Life Initiative committee charged with addressing diversity secured what seems to be an unprecedented level of institutional commitment and funds.
College President James Wright ratified the CIDE's major recommendations, including a pledge to revamp Dartmouth's mission statement, establish an administrative council on diversity and create a senior-level post to coordinate diversity plans, shortly after receiving the proposal.
On the other hand, it was only eight years ago that another Trustee-sponsored diversity committee report, called "Managing Diversity," came out with what seemed at the time to be a sweeping list of recommendations to help enhance multi-culturalism at Dartmouth, most notably through the hiring of a full-time administrator to coordinate issues of diversity and community.
Immediately following the release of that report, then College President James Freedman made what was seen as a bold move by naming the director of the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Office to work part-time as "a coordinator and a catalyst of initiatives in a myriad of areas." Soon after, that position was eliminated due to a lack of financial resources.
The CIDE underscores the simultaneous uncertainty of College diversity reports and the Wright administration's commitment, in both words and deeds, to embrace and improve diversity.
This diversity report differs from past ones -- which date back to 1968 -- in Wright's move to adopt the major suggestions of the CIDE immediately.
Unlike the 1993 report, this time the diversity coordinating position was made full-time and permanent, and a significant amount of funds are available to making diversity an institutional priority.
At the same time, the CIDE is surrounded by the same cloud of doubt that has enveloped past diversity efforts. Though the Student Life Initiative earmarked about $100 million to reform Dartmouth's social and residential life, no money has been specifically and publicly alotted for diversity.
And while a revision of the College's mission statement promises to highlight institutional goals, such a change in and of itself fails to effectuate real reform. In fact, committee members themselves said they brought a sense of skepticism to their work.
"I think there are parts of the report that say we are skeptical. There were some of us who insisted that be there, particularly those of us who were on the sub-committee that looked at 33 years of reports," said English professor and committee member J. Martin Favor.
But many in the administration seem convinced that the timing of the CIDE report, in terms of where the College and the larger debate on diversity stand, will ensure that the recommendations are more effective than similar suggestions made in the past.
"The report in some ways does echo some of the remarks of earlier recommendations, but I think there are some differences," said Dean of the College and co-chair of the committee James Larimore. "What has changed very dramatically is the context."
"We're now at a point in 2001 where the educational benefits of diversity have been the focus of significant research attention and that it's clear to us from research that the most academically qualified students in the country are students who have an interest in being in a diverse educational community," he added.
Those who believe this report will be more effective than past ones cite the CIDE's focus on systematic and structural change, such as the creation of new and permanent diversity positions in areas like an associate deanery for student life.
"I think I have high hopes. What we tried to concentrate on were some of the bigger long-term issues so that we don't have to go in circles," said committee member and former Student Assembly president Jorge Miranda '01.But Miranda cautioned against an attitude of self-satisfaction.
"Just because the report is out, and just because decisions are made, there's still need for students to keep pushing the issues and Trustees to keep pushing administrators," he said. "As long as students keep challenging, then I think we'll keep making small steps."
Where Wright's plan of action is perhaps most vague is in its use of such language as "review" and "evaluate" when referring to possible changes in financial aid, the hiring and retention of staff and faculty of color and the mission statement. Still, Larimore said the College is supporting diversity in the way most likely to secure meaningful reform -- money.
