The inauguration of President James Wright nearly four years ago marked the culmination of a career spent largely in dedication to Dartmouth, but ushered in an era of change and controversy at the College.
Wright's years at the helm of the administration have produced some of the most significant and wide-reaching changes since the College began admitting women in 1971.
With the surprising announcement of the Student Life Initiative less than six months after the beginning of his tenure as president, Wright's time as head of the College has been marked by a degree of debate and discussion over the future direction of the institution.
Controversial changes
In the days before Winter Carnival, Wright announced "The end of the Greek system 'as we know it'" after an interview with The Dartmouth in which he explained the changes coming as a result of the Initiative.
The president's work so far has largely focused on the implementation of this project, working closely with the Board of Trustees, faculty, students and other members of the Dartmouth community to determine how best to achieve and implement the goals described in the document issued by the Board.
Just five months ago, Wright announced a strategic plan for the College, titled "Darmouth College: Forever New," that emphasized Dartmouth's continuing commitment to improving the quality of student life through the expansion of financial aid offers and the construction of new, spacious dormitories and dining halls.
Wright, however, has long been working to modify the social and residential life at the College.
In 1987, then Professor Wright chaired a committee that issued the "Wright Report," urging the College to build a new student center, reduce the influence of Greek houses on campus and increase the sense of community in residence halls.
Many of these proposed changes have been carried over into the first stage of the implementation of the Initiative.Wright also sparked minor controversy when he accepted his appointment as president by stressing the idea of Dartmouth as a research institution. This theme also carried over into his inauguration speech, though in a somewhat modified version.
In the speech Wright described the College as having a "dual commitment" to undergraduate teaching and research opportunities.
"We at Dartmouth are proud to call ourselves a college, recognizing that Dartmouth is a college that has many of the best characteristics of a university. We are a university in terms of our activities and our programs, but one that remains a college in name and its basic values and purposes," he said.
The path to Dartmouth
Wright's childhood and path to Dartmouth in many ways has prepared him for the challenges of leading the College, as well as restructuring some of its core institutions and self-identity.
Born in 1939 in Madison, Wisconsin as the grandson of a miner, Wright worked in the mines of his hometown, Galena, Ill. throughout his college career as a double major in English and history at Wisconsin State University. During that time, Wright's father worked as a bartender to finance his education.
"I certainly didn't start off on a trajectory where one might have predicted that I would be at this place at this time," he told The Dartmouth in a previous interview.
Wright, who spent three years in the military before arriving at Wisconsin State, also told The Dartmouth that he had initially expected to return to Galena after college, but that his professors at that school urged him to continue his education.
His teachers had such an impact that Wright invited two of them, Roger Daniels and Tom Lundeen, to attend his inauguration ceremony at convocation in September 1998.
Early years in Hanover
When Wright came to Hanover in 1969, he planned to spend his career teaching history to Dartmouth students.
Instead, Wright's relationship to the College took a slightly different turn as he broadened his responsibilities to include administrative positions.
In 1981, Wright served four years as the College's associate dean of the faculty for the social sciences, while continuing to teach history courses.
He was married when he came to Dartmouth in 1969, but was divorced in 1982. He has three children by his first wife.In 1984, Wright married his wife of now 18 years, Susan, and in 1985 resumed full-time teaching in the history department on American politics.
"I enjoyed teaching very much," he said in a previous interview. "One of the great ironies is that I know students from the '70s and the '80s better than students from the '90s."
But Wright did not completely abandon his work with the administration even while he acted as a full-time professor.
Following the "Wright Report" in 1987, Wright was invited to serve as the College's dean of faculty in 1989, a position he accepted partly because of his admiration for Freedman. Wright served in the position for two terms, a total of eight years.
Wright said he initially thought he would continue to teach during his tenure as dean of faculty, but after he accepted the position, he recognized this might become difficult for him and his students.
"I soon realized [I would] start treating my 10 o'clock class like a 10 o'clock appointment," he said. "My students deserved better."
Wright as provost
After his tenure as dean, Wright was looking forward to an opportunity to return to his teaching and writing.Freedman, however, asked him to replace Provost Lee Bollinger who had recently left the College.
Wright served as acting provost for the next year-and-a-half, and balanced his duties as provost with his job as dean of the faculty.
Freedman finally appointed Wright to the permanent position of provost. The appointment sparked controversy among members of the faculty, as Freedman did not consider others for the position in the usual search committee process.
Wright announced that he would only serve for one year as a result of the debate, and would resign after that.
Despite a faculty petition supporting Wright as a full-term, four-year provost, Wright did not rescind his decision to resign, but instead was appointed to the College's presidency.
