Incoming freshmen are encouraged to jump directly into student government at Dartmouth College. Dartmouth's student government is the Student Assembly, and while Assembly officers are elected every Spring term by the student body, freshman representatives are elected during Fall term, after they matriculate, to represent their dorm clusters.
This year's Student Body President is Julia Hildreth '05. Hildreth will lead the Assembly during the 2004-2005 academic year along with Student Body Vice President Todd Rabkin Golden '06.
Hildreth won the student body presidency by a single vote in the closest student election in the College's history. Runner-up Ralph Davies '05 will chair the Assembly's alumni relations effort next year. Davies campaigned on a platform to expand alumni input in order to augment the Assembly's student advocacy efforts.
The Student Assembly's responsibilities include voicing student concerns to College officials and increasing student involvement in decisions made in governing the College.
The Assembly also works on projects to benefit the student body. It has a budget to spend on events and purchases that can benefit the entire campus. A recent Assembly purchase was $10,000 worth of exercise equipment for the Kresge fitness center. The Assembly has also purchased computers for campus use to check BlitzMail and bicycles for the new "Rides Across Dartmouth" bike program, which it hopes to expand in the fall.
Student health is also a concern for the Assembly. During Summer term, the Assembly distributed magnets with details of Dick's House phone numbers and policies and organized classes in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The Assembly is also looking into speaking with Dick's House regarding hours that would better accommodate students.
Unlike student government in high school, the Assembly is just one part of Dartmouth's decentralized student government.
While the class councils are the chief organizers of social events, the Student Assembly occasionally sponsors social events as well. During Summer term, it hosted a free barbecue and band on Webster Avenue. during Tubestock weekend, the unofficial party weekend of the term.
Students do not have to be officers to attend Assembly meetings, which are held weekly and are open to the entire student body. Students are encouraged to become involved by attending meetings; they can also keep updated on Assembly news by monitoring its BlitzMail bulletin and visiting the Student Assembly website. Assembly leaders can be contacted via BlitzMail as well.
The Assembly's accessibility is part of their goal toward increased professionalism. Golden sees accessibility and communication between Assembly leaders and students as one way to increase student involvement.
"The Student Assembly could accomplish so much more if every student knew how to reach us, and we want to help resolve issues that students have in every way possible," Golden said.
