As Dartmouth is the proverbial Animal House, comparisons between it and the fictional Faber College are often used in discussions of the College. However, must students would be hard pressed to draw a comparison between departing Dean of the College James Larimore and his cinematic counterpart Dean Wormer. Throughout his tenure at Dartmouth, Larimore has had a reputation as a man of honor and integrity who is personable and approachable by all members of the Dartmouth community. Larimore was hired during a period when relations between the administration and the rest of the Dartmouth community were tense. Throughout his seven years, he has served as a true liaison between the different groups that make up the College. At a time when there are continued calls for greater transparency at Dartmouth, his departure is a real loss, both to the student body and the College as a whole.
Larimore was initially hired after the announcement of the Student Life Initiative to help accomplish its goals. While the objectives outlined in the SLI have not been wholly achieved, Larimore has gained the respect of the student body for his even-handed approach to the Greek system. In particular, the eventual changes to the CFS rush process that occurred during his tenure and his openness to student concerns have done much to earn the respect of the student body. Larimore's accessibility has also earned him a reputation as an advocate for minority issues and underrepresented groups on campus. His goal of increasing administration contact with students has been best realized in this way.
Larimore's departure also provides an opportunity to reflect on what Dartmouth needs in a future dean of the College. In particular, we need transparency in the hiring process and in the process through which many major decisions are made. This includes not only procedural openness, but a better understanding of the thought behind the decision-making process at all levels at the administration. Students often only hear the final "unaminmous" decision from Parkhurst. Making the student body aware of the initially different ideas and decisions made by the administration would be a step toward increasing access and trust.
Ultimately, Swarthmore's gain is our loss, as Dean Larimore has been a staunch advocate for students while at Dartmouth. However, his departure also allows us to set goals for the next dean of the College, who will hopefully be able to continue much of his good work and expand upon it to improve the College as a whole.
