Of the candidates running to fill the upcoming alumni trustee vacancy, Bruce Duthu '80 is the only one to have served as a Dartmouth administrator and faculty member for more than 15 years.
Duthu, the current Vice Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of Vermont Law School, graduated from Dartmouth as a religion major. After receiving a J.D. from Loyola University, he directed the Native American Studies program at Dartmouth in the late 1980s. He was subsequently appointed Associate Dean of Freshmen and still teaches a course on Native Americans and the Law at the College as an adjunct professor.
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Duthu said that of all the candidates for trusteeship, he is most in touch with the different campus groups.
"I am the most current, or up close, to the various constituencies on campus," Duthu said. "I think I've got a fairly good pulse on faculty concerns and aspirations -- and those of students too, for that matter."
Duthu's candidacy focuses on his belief that graduates of the College must be willing and able to engage in "critical intellectual and moral discourse on a range of matters," asking "why and why not" whenever searching for answers. Duthu's goals for the College include increased collaboration between faculty and students, maintenance of "the human scale of the College," provisions for sufficient resources and further building of a community of inclusion and respect.
Duthu wrote in his official statement that Dartmouth must continue to attract and retain first-rate faculty members who guide and inspire. Students "must be educated within an environment that reflects the diversity of the broader society," Duthu wrote, cautioning that Dartmouth cannot grow at the expense of its unique sense of community.
Dartmouth "cannot succumb to the pressure of packing people in like sardines, but instead must pursue opportunities of scale," Duthu said.
Like candidate Daniel Papp '69, Duthu boasts his work as an educator and higher education administrator as distinguishing characteristics that make him fit for the trusteeship. "Having trustees of academic experience means the Board is that much closer to being responsive and attentive to the needs of the campus community," Duthu said.
As the former director of the College's Native American program, Duthu is particularly knowledgeable about issues of diversity at Dartmouth. He contends that the College must remain committed to a diverse student, faculty and staff population; and he pledges to support the various academic programs and faculty who "give voice to the experiences of people from diverse or minority backgrounds."
Duthu also stressed the importance of need-blind admissions and financial aid policies, as well as the College fulfilling its commitment to the Student Life Initiative.
"Having worked in student services [at Dartmouth], I have close affinity and familiarity for student life outside the classroom," Duthu said. "My sense is that the Student Life Initiative is about creating meaningful relations among students outside the classroom in applied settings. The College owes it to the students to follow though on the Student Life Initiative."
Duthu is the only trustee candidate who in a written statement has referenced the Student Life Initiative and expressed support for the controversial program, now entering its fifth year of existence.
Like his fellow candidates, Duthu stressed the importance of fundraising and support for the College's upcoming capital campaign as a central issue facing Dartmouth in the next five years.
