The United Nations Children's Fund touches the lives of over 500 million children around the world. Its members work tirelessly to help to develop community-based programs which work to protect the rights and satisfy the needs of poor children in over 158 developing countries. A few years ago, a campus initiative was organized within the United States, intended to galvanize student action and inform college students across the country that they can make a difference. Since then, 52 campus groups have been formed.
This winter, a group of students began an effort to bring the UNICEF campus initiative to Hanover and to involve Dartmouth students in the nationwide college movement. We had no idea what we were in for.
Our first move was to contact the Tucker Foundation. After a brief BlitzMail exchange, our last message remained unanswered and ignored. Refusing to be discouraged, we turned to the Council on Student Organizations. We jumped through all of COSO's hoops: wrote a constitution, filed the proper papers, and confirmed the support of a faculty adviser. An established group finally went before the board itself to present its case. COSO proceeded to, in the kindest way possible, refuse to recognize UNICEF-Dartmouth, noting their "frustration" in being unable to recognize us and sent us to the Dickey Center and Tucker, as they were more the more appropriate recognizing bodies for our group's purposes.
Accepting their decision, we forged ahead. We blitzed both the Tucker Foundation (again) and the Dickey Center. After receiving no response (again) from the Tucker Foundation, we decided to petition the Dickey Center for recognition. The Dickey Center, whose mission is to promote international understanding and awareness, rejected UNICEF, whose mission is to promote international understanding and awareness. They directed us back to Tucker. Completing our tour of the triangle of recognition power, we returned to Tucker with our proposal. We wrote up yet another petition request which was presented on Tuesday, April 13. After the presentation, we were informed that Tucker is currently "reviewing their process of accepting new organizations" and that they will get back to us at a later date. We replied immediately, inquiring as to a predicted date for our verdict. We, again, received no response and remain wrapped up indefinitely in Tucker's infamous red tape.
Dazed and confused? So are we.
The end result of this ridiculously long process is that Dartmouth remains the only Ivy League School without a recognized chapter of UNICEF. UNICEF-Dartmouth, which requires only a blitz account and the ability to reserve meeting rooms and tables (we are currently meeting in the cramped study rooms on the third floor of Berry), needs no funding.
To preempt the rebuttals of our critics, fundraising is indeed one component of UNICEF-Dartmouth's several activities, which seems to be a general cause for concern. Any fundraising we pursue would be limited to collecting small quantities (i.e., coins and dollar bills) for very specific causes with the hope of increasing awareness about key world issues, while also making a direct impact on the lives of those in need. Our main purpose is to advocate for social justice and to enable the Dartmouth community to both learn about and help ease the plight of suffering children around the world.
UNICEF-Dartmouth's experience calls Dartmouth's entire recognition process into question. Our own research has revealed that in order to be recognized at all other Ivy League schools, prospective organizations must have a faculty advisor, a constitution, and a minimum of six to seven members to eventually go before a division of their student government for formal recognition. UNICEF-Dartmouth currently meets all of these requirements -- and, in fact, our membership greatly surpasses the necessary number of members (over 100 people have expressed interest in the club).
Dartmouth is indeed a place that fosters international understanding. It is this fact that makes the institution's failure to recognize UNICEF-Dartmouth so disheartening. We have an obligation to challenge the Dartmouth community to realize its flaw and promote change. We have an obligation to cut the tape.
