Like any major change of leadership, the election of Jim Yong Kim as the 17th College president ("Global Health Leader Jim Yong Kim is Dartmouth's 17th President," March 2) brings with it an opportunity to redefine policies and reexamine long-term goals.
Now, perhaps more than ever, as Dartmouth finds itself in the process of restructuring its budget and reevaluating its priorities, Kim will have a chance to significantly shape the future of the College. His primary focus, we believe, must be to move beyond the status quo, and to ensure that Dartmouth's performance not only matches, but also exceeds that of its peer institutions -- particularly in academics.
However, if Kim is to guide the College to long-term success, he will require the respect of its students, faculty, staff and alumni. While much of campus received the news of Kim's election with approbation and enthusiasm, Tuesday's edition of the Generic Good Morning Message ("E-mail on Kim stirs controversy," March 5), came as an unfortunate reminder that some members of the Dartmouth community still struggle with inclusivity.
While we encourage thoughtful criticism of the College's leadership, the sentiments expressed in the GGMM, regardless of whether they were intended to be satirical, betray an underlying insensitivity that is inconsistent with our progress, both as individuals and as an institution.
It is this progress that we hope our new President will seize upon from the first day of his tenure, pushing Dartmouth farther and in different directions than ever before. What is perhaps most promising about Kim's impending presidency is his potential to bolster Dartmouth's profile outside the confines of the Northeast, and to reinvigorate the College's already strong academic offerings.
Kim's international reputation and acclaim will surely help him to achieve these goals. He must make them a priority moving forward.
The decisions Kim makes in the years to come could significantly, and positively, redefine the image of the College. Under current President James Wright, Dartmouth has certainly made meaningful progress -- the expansion of our financial aid program and the widespread improvement of our facilities have been major administrative successes. But, moving forward, there still remains much for us to accomplish if we are cement our position as a top-tier institution, both domestically and internationally.
The Board of Trustees has installed a man who we hope will be a visionary leader for the College. In the grand scheme of his tenure, we believe that the GGMM controversy will be little more than an unfortunate blip on the radar. It is progress, not prejudice, that we hope will define Dartmouth in the coming years.