Starting this term, students can fulfill the College's physical education requirement while performing community service, thanks to the athletic department's recent decision to grant credit to Habitat for Humanity project participants.
Susie Chung '07 and Tyler Brown '07, co-chairs of Habitat for Humanity at Dartmouth, formalized the plan with Associate Director of Athletics Roger Demment. Under the arrangement, students receive one credit for 13 hours of service.
"By having the PE credit, we can get a solid base of volunteers," Chung said.
Chung estimates that participation in Habitat -- which works on a home construction project in Lebanon, N.H., Mondays and Saturdays -- has increased by about 50 percent as a result of this partnership, with 62 individuals having registered as of Monday.
While students may attain a PE credit in just three days, some view the program as an initiative to further participate in Habitat efforts.
Andrew Eastman '07 plans to remain involved with the group even after he fulfills his required hours.
"It allowed me to get off the Dartmouth campus, do a little work and possibly help somebody else out while fulfilling my PE credit," he said.
Habitat for Humanity's request for a credit status went smoothly, according to Demment. In order for an activity to qualify for credit status, it must promotes physical engagement, health, and safety. Furthermore, Demment emphasized that a PE activity should be something that could be continued after college.
"We are trying to encourage folks to be physically active, not only at Dartmouth, but later on in life as well," Demment said.
Summer term Habitat co-chairs Wesley Clark '08 and Jennie Park '08 approached Demment during the summer, but the arrangement was not finalized until the end of Fall term.
"It was pretty easy actually," Chung said. "But it helped that Habitat had a well-known program of manual work and exercise and helping the community."
The organization, now building its third house, coordinates with the Upper Valley chapter of Habitat for Humanity, although it raises construction funds independently.
Since one of the volunteer sessions is on Monday from 1 to 4 p.m., students who have class at that time have not been able to register for PE credit on BannerStudent. He explained, however, that students may circumvent this problem by calling or blitzing the athletic department, which will override the system. Kenneth Brown Klinger '07 had such a conflict and said the situation was easy to resolve.
