A new plan currently before state education officials would allow New Hampshire high school students to start college at age 16, according to U.S. News and World Report. The plan allows students who pass an exam at the end of 10th grade to receive their diploma early and take classes at community colleges. The program would be optional, and students could still apply to a four-year college after completing a two-year associate's degree. Supporters of the plan say it would provide an incentive for students to do well in core subjects and provide talented students with more challenging coursework, making them better candidates for top colleges and universities. Critics say it would create unnecessary pressure and hurt students' social development.
Dartmouth is joining with the Orange County Headwaters Project and Upper Valley Land Trust to preserve 700 acres of College-owned land, located 35 miles from campus in Vermont, according to the Office of Public Affairs. College President James Wright finalized an agreement on Dec. 19 to establish an easement on the property, which grants the organizations access to maintain and preserve the forests located there. The College can still harvest timber, construct and maintain trails and use the property for education and research. The land was given to the College in the 1920's and includes wetlands, streams, woodlands and habitats for a variety of plants and animals, including the Eastern Small-footed bat, among the state's five most endangered mammals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Floren Varsity House, which houses facilities for Dartmouth varsity student athletes, received an award for its environmentally friendly and sustainable design and architecture, according to the Office of Public Affairs. The U.S. Green Building Council honored the facility with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design 2.2 Silver Certification in recognition of its energy-efficient building design, which includes a heat-recycling unit and sustainable construction process. The Varsity House, which was completed in November 2007, also won the Design Award of Honor from the Society of American Registered Architects.
