Despite a spate of conflict in recent years, Tubestock 2002 now has a set date, unofficial support from a network of students and an informal clean-up crew.
Scheduled for next Saturday, July 20, Tubestock will run as it has for the past 16 years -- without any form of official sanction from the Dartmouth administration or student groups.
Though never a particularly popular event among the Dartmouth administration or the Hanover and Norwich communities, the scrutiny facing this tradition has picked up substantially since founder Richard "Boomer" Akerboom '80 withdrew his sponsorship, without public explanation, two years ago.
Safety First
Last year, which marked the first Tubestock without Akerboom's assistance, members of the '03 Class Council met with administrators to discuss the possibility of Tubestock gaining College recognition for the first time in its history. These talks, however, fell through.
The chance of Dartmouth ever officially recognizing Tubestock in its present form remains negligible, due to what Assistant Dean of Coed, Fraternity, Sorority, Undergraduate and Senior Society Administration Cassie Barnhardt and Senior Associate Dean of the College Dan Nelson described as "some imposing risks" and "pressing safety concerns," respectively.
Such issues of contention center on the combined factors of large amounts of alcohol, crowds of several hundred students and a major waterway containing unexpected patches of cold temperatures and currents.
With the administration involved in only very limited capacities -- Barnhardt and Nelson have met with student leaders -- responsibility has fallen on the unofficial efforts of students culled from such groups as the '04 Class Council and the Greek Leadership Council, among others.
'04 Class Council President John Kupiec '04 said he and other involved students want to "try to promote Tubestock in a safer and more reasonable manner than it's been carried out in the past." GLC Social Events Coordinator Patrick McCarthy '04 described the GLC's role as "collecting information and passing it on to students."
Kupiec emphasized the need for students to demonstrate that they can preserve this tradition by behaving themselves in a manner exhibiting common sense rather than engaging in "absolute debauchery."
"We're trying to show that we can be mature adults about it," McCarthy said.
All members of the '04 class will receive a letter and Blitzmail message advising them how best to conduct themselves with respect to safety and legal concerns from Kupiec sometime next week.
Good Neighbors?
Concerns over relations and interactions with residents of Hanover and Norwich and state and local law enforcement will loom large next Saturday.
Early discussion of this year's Tubestock began last fall when Kupiec met with Norwich resident Warren Loomis to discuss the environmental impact on the Connecticut River and surrounding area.
Loomis had previously written a published letter to the editor of The Dartmouth decrying students for trashing the river and nearby public and private property and the College for turning a blind eye to the abuse. Loomis wrote that parties at the yearly event displayed a "blatant disregard for the environment."
Nonetheless, Kupiec described Loomis as "relatively supportive" of students' desire to participate in Tubestock if adequate clean-up efforts were to occur following the event.
The GLC has taken on a significant role in assuring that such a clean-up does occur, in part through a desire to fight a perceived role as a "scapegoat" for past problems, GLC Public Relations Manager Grant Calhoun '04 said.
"The Greek community feels like they always get targeted for what's wrong with Tubestock," Calhoun said, noting that the GLC now aims to "do what we can to lessen the negative impact" of the event, regardless of who bears the responsibility.
Exactly what form these clean-up efforts will take remains tentative. The GLC had hoped to recruit one student organization to head up such efforts, according to Calhoun, but no group stepped forward.
Instead, an informal network including Greek houses, the Dartmouth Outing Club, Ledyard Canoe Club and the Environmental Conservation Organization will share responsibility.
In addition, Calhoun noted that GLC members are spreading the word among their friends to bring a trash bag and pick up after themselves.
Nudity, Drunkenness and the Other Usual Suspects
Despite numerous legal concerns surrounding the presence of open alcohol containers, underage drinking, litter, public nudity and unregistered rafts, as long as Akerboom sponsored the event -- and obtained the necessary permits -- Tubestock passed each year with relatively little legal trouble.
Now, however, since College policy prohibits student organizations from sponsoring Tubestock, no one is able to apply for such a town permit -- a problem that leaves open the possibility that students congregating on the river will be kicked off by the New Hampshire Marine Patrol.
In his letter to the '04 class, Kupiec will encourage students to abide by state and local laws and College restrictions.
"Contrary to popular belief, nudity is illegal in both New Hampshire and Vermont," Kupiec said, also noting that students should not bring alcohol into the river.
Police will also likely be more prepared this year, Kupiec said, than in 2001, when six patrol boats and 12 officers held watch over the event.
"Last year there was an increased police presence," McCarthy said, and this year students will "probably" see a continuation of that trend.
Hanover Police Chief Nick Giaccone and Hanover Town Manager Julia Griffin could not be reached for comment.
