Freshmen felt the effects of the Student Life Initiative as their social options during First-Year Orientation grew substantially compared to previous years.
The Dean of the College increased the number of sponsored social, cultural and recreational programs during orientation week from 10 to well over 50 programs to provide an array of alternatives to students, according to the Student Life Initiative update published in May 2001.
In the past four years, orientation has built on the usual daytime schedule to include a full range of social events at night.
One evening, the Dungeon, a live comedy act brought in from New York City, performed in Collis Commonground. Each night, Midnight Movies were shown at Collis, and students were invited more than once to karaoke and dancing at Poison Ivy in Collis Center.
Additionally, UGAs and Community Directors worked together to plan at least three cluster social events for first-year students within dorms.
The College administration wants the orientation program to embrace diversity, but subtly. Dean of First-Year Students Gail Zimmerman believes that "a specific diversity program is not the best way to address it. For example, during orientation there are different kinds of movies and social events to address diversity."
Diversity and culture were also examined through the first year summer reading program that Zimmerman revived when she came to Dartmouth. The selected book, Ron Suskind's "A Hope in the Unseen," was concerned with issues of race and ethnicity in a learning environment.
Dana Polanichka '02, a First-Year Office Intern last year, says that this year "there are a lot more social events and a lot later hours. My freshman year, there were a lot of room parties and people going to frats. Now they have a ton more stuff and more variety."
New programs planned for this year's orientation included everything from a feng-shui room design clinic to daily Ultimate Frisbee games on the Green.
Casino Night also made its orientation debut, in which freshmen could gamble in order to win tickets for prizes. "Fashion Emergency" had students modeling clothes at campus events for the DTV cameras.
Ruth Morgan, one of the coordinators of student programs, said that many events were expanded this year. More shopping trips in to West Lebanon were offered, and the hypnotist was moved to a larger location.
Despite a plethora of alternatives, many freshmen still chose to visit, fraternity basements. There is "a big misconception that the College does not allow first-year students to go to Greek Houses," Zimmerman said.
Rather, it is the Greek Houses themselves that have elected not to allow first-year students into the houses during Fall term. Zimmerman did mention, though, that the College is concerned about students violating the College Alcohol Policy.
Residential Life made changes in the way they house freshmen and the expectations of Undergraduate Advisors. The first-year housing program was expanded for the Class of 2005, with 50 percent of first-year students being housed in the River Cluster and the Choates.
Both clusters have an increased budget in order to fund a program called First Night, which plans events for freshmen throughout the year.
Some orientation events were rescheduled or duplicated in order to accommodate students celebrating the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashana on Sept. 19. A second DarCorps program was added on Sept. 23 for all students interested in a day of community service with the Tucker Foundation.
The schedule of orientation events was unaffected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, despite fears that travel delays would make it difficult for students to arrive on time.
