In the aftermath of the yesterday's announcement that Dartmouth swimming and diving will remain a varsity sport for the next 10 years, both students and administrators seem to be relieved that the episode has come to a mutually satisfying close.
Alumni, students and administrators praised each other for the manner in which all sides carried themselves during the search for an alternative to trimming the swimming and diving programs from the College's diminishing budget.
At first, the men's and women's swimming and diving teams were caught off guard when Athletic Director Josie Harper and Dean of the College James Larimore boarded their team bus to personally break the news to them just before they were to leave campus for a meet.
"I think we were all kind of in shock," Alexis Ettinger '05 said. "It didn't really set in then, and it still hasn't set in."
The teams erupted in applause when Harper finally revealed the decision, eventually breaking out into hugs and high fives, men's swimming co-captain Paul Schned '03 said. "I think I even saw a few teary eyes."
Although some of the captains who had been meeting with administrators periodically suspected a resolution would come to light soon, the rest of the team was kept in the dark until the announcement on the bus. However, not everyone was necessarily surprised.
"I don't think it was as absolutely raucous as one would imagine because in the back of our minds we always knew that reinstating the teams would be the right thing to do -- this was the conclusion we were hoping for from the very beginning," co-captain Maureen Ellinwood '03 said.
With their future secure, non-seniors on the team were relieved of the additional weight of deciding between staying at Dartmouth or transferring to a school with a swimming program.
"I'm not transferring, I'm staying," Nicole Zarba '06 said. "It's just a huge burden that's been lifted off of my soldiers. I came here to swim and I'm going to be able to continue with it for my four years here."
Everyone seemed to share in the joy of the moment, according to women's head coach Joann Brislin.
"The seniors are thrilled to be leaving a legacy and the underclassmen couldn't be happier to have an opportunity to continue to train and compete," Brislin said.
Once the hugs had ended and the tears had dried, many felt a certain admiration for the administration's demonstration of their ability to seriously consider the concerns of the student body and the alumni.
Men's co-captain Louis Fidel '03, however, was less than pleased with how the administration handled the initial proceedings.
"I still think that the way they came about the initial decision and the way they announced the decision was flawed. But I'm proud of the way it was resolved," Fidel said.
Larimore, though, praised the students who supported the swim team for working cooperatively and maturely with the administration and alumni. He and other administrators frequently met with representatives of the swim team, the Student Assembly and other student organizations.
"Ultimately, the main thing that I've taken from this is just a confirmation of the students' ability to come to the table, deal with a complicated issue and be able to move things forward to a position resolution," Larimore said.
Jim Wilson, the head coach of the men's swimming team, praised the swim team members for their persistence in the face of compounding pressures aside from saving the team, such as exams and classes.
"You would expect young men and women between 18 and 22 to fall apart, but they are Dartmouth students, and they're not going to do that," he said.
While the decision to reinstate the team was unanimously applauded, many of those involved hoped that the administration's willingness to respond to community concerns will usher in a new era of cooperation between the administration and those it serves.
"Whether it's athletic, academic or artistically-oriented, hopefully this will serve as an example that all the different parts of the Dartmouth family are willing to work together and make something good happen," said Lisa Densmore, chair of the Alumni Council's athletic committee.
"I think the institution is stronger for having gone through this," said John Ballard '55, one of three former Dartmouth swimmers who led the effort to establish the $2 million fund that will buoy the swimming program. "I think they have found new ways to work with alumni and new ways to listen to students, and they proved them themselves adept at doing both."
Not only has the decision strengthened the community, but their strokes, too. The men's swimming team broke a remarkable 14 pool records at a meet with Middlebury College on Wednesday.
"I think everyone is just really fired up. This season, people are out to prove something -- and I think that everyone has something to prove," Fidel said.
