In response to the survey, the Assembly recommended on Jan. 5 that the College reduce funding for OPAL unless it restructures and improves efforts to reach out to the entire campus. Students involved with OPAL-supported programs subsequently created a petition supporting the organization.
During the discussion, Spears said the survey's results did not worry her, adding that she believes the budget cuts are unlikely to affect OPAL any more than other College offices.
Crady said the College will continue to address the diverse needs of the student population despite upcoming budget cuts.
"If we want a vibrant community, we have to do our best to ensure that all students will be successful," Spears said.
Students are generally unaware of OPAL's work on campus, Spears said. Every year, OPAL is involved in approximately 350 events open to the campus and advises more than 100 student organizations, she said. Many of the opportunities students have identified as essential to their Dartmouth experience, such as academic support and leadership training, are provided by OPAL programs, she added.
Yasumura added that a majority of OPAL's work is not immediately visible to most students because of the one-on-one nature of OPAL services. These services, including student advising, are still valuable to campus, she said.
OPAL also works to make students feel welcome in the Upper Valley and attempts to increase awareness of diversity-related issues among community members, Yasumura said.
OPAL has been striving to improve its image on campus by working on a web site and reorganizing its office, Spears said.
"OPAL doesn't need to justify itself," Crady said. "It provides invaluable services for the campus community."
The planned $40-million budget cut will require a "painful and difficult" process to determine how to best allocate resources, Crady said, and all areas under the jurisdiction of the office of the Dean of the College will be considered for spending reductions.
"It's a more complex task than it seems at face value," he said. "It comes down to the level of looking at what type of office supplies you have."
The College has not yet made any specific budget decisions, Spears added.
"We can't necessarily talk about the nuts and bolts of the dollars now," she said.
To "maintain the integrity of the student experience," the College's budget advisory committee will consider input from students, faculty, staff and administrators before presenting its recommendations to the Board of Trustees in mid-February, according to Crady.
The Thursday discussion was organized by Student Assembly, the Palaeopitus Senior Society and the Inter-Community Council.
