To the Editor:
In her Jan. 5 letter, Mary Anna Sullivan '76 was concerned that the College might "revert to the Dartmouth of the '70s." This concern was voiced in a letter supporting Dean Furstenberg's right to voice a personal opinion, whether that opinion ran counter to the philosophies of the Board of Trustees or, for that matter, the majority of the alums. She is right and she is wrong. Dean Furstenberg is entitled to have any opinions he wants as long as the voicing of these opinions does not adversely affect the admissions process and the overall mission of Dartmouth. It must also be acknowledged that the Office of Admissions is vulnerable to the whims of the administration, like President Freedman's distaste for the all-American boy (or girl) applicant and a preference for the "creative loner."
My personal contact with Furstenberg has always been positive. He has been receptive to my lobbying efforts to support the applications of my kids. He has also tolerated my assertions that somehow the Dartmouth of my brother and me was laudable and that somehow the College managed to produce the future leaders of our country without becoming an Antioch on one end of the spectrum or a University of Iowa on the other. Let's move on, let Furstenberg get back to work and build some dorms!
