Student Assembly demonstrated strong support last night for the Ivy Council, almost unanimously rejecting a resolution to sever ties with the organization composed of student representatives from Ivy League schools.
Members backing the Ivy Council hoped that the Assembly's full support would ensure stability and tangible results from the flagging organization, which recently suffered the resignation of two-fifths of its executive board.
Despite having sponsored the motion to dissolve the Assembly's relationship with the Ivy Council, Student Body Vice President Michael Newton '04 said he was pleased with the outcome.
"I think its important that the Dartmouth Student Assembly made a commitment to Ivy Council," Newton said. "Hopefully, that commitment will help to push and motivate other schools to challenge themselves and their role in Ivy Council in order to improve the institution."
Only one Assembly representative, Clark Copelin '02, voted for the resolution. Copelin cited the financial costs associated with Ivy Council membership as justification for supporting the resolution.
"I think that the SA can better spend that much of its meager fiscal holdings than on 'something' for 10 members of the student body," Copelin said in a BlitzMail message.
Appointed Ivy Council president in the wake of the recent flood of resignations, Joshua Marcuse '04 led the contingent in favor of the maintaining the relationship with Ivy Council.
Marcuse refuted charges made by Newton that the Council has not produced enough tangible benefits to warrant the Assembly's funds by noting the Council's potential if managed effectively.
The Ivy Council is planning to hold a conference at Dartmouth this spring, which will likely entail the contribution of as much as $2,000 worth of Assembly funds.
For the 2001-2002 academic year, the Assembly's total budget is approximately $35,000.
Student Body President Molly Stutzman '02 viewed the meeting as a means by which the Assembly both fortified its involvement in the Ivy Council and improved the pan-Ivy forum itself.
"I think with Josh as president, we can be assured of a great conference and commitment on behalf of the Ivy schools and the Ivy Council's continued success," she said.
According to Marcuse, if the Assembly approved the motion, the Ivy Council could very well have died in turn. Newton, however, believed this was "hearsay."
Many Assembly representatives were angry that Harvard's resignation from Ivy Council was included as a reason for severing ties with the organization.
Prior to the vote, Sarah Blantan '00 -- a member of the Dartmouth admissions office staff -- spoke on the early decision process. The speech was followed by a discussion on many different aspects of admission at Dartmouth.
Early decision applicants are subject to the same criteria as regular decision applicants, Blantan said, adding that Dartmouth tends to accept a higher percentage of these applicants because they are typically very qualified and polished students.
Dartmouth accepts approximately one-third of the freshman class in early decision, a lower percentage of its class than to other elite universities.
Early decision policies at colleges across the country have come under attack recently for perceived racial and class biases as well as for forcing high school students to deal with college admissions before they are ready.
The Assembly also discussed plans to create a Vice President of Diversity position and the possibility of Dartmouth Dining Services offering dormitory deliveries.
