On the eve of College President Jim Yong Kim's first day in office, several alumni leaders expressed enthusiasm about the administration's potential for success including some alumni who had initially voiced concerns about Kim's selection. The reaction of Dartmouth alumni to the original announcement of Kim's upcoming presidency largely mirrored the split of alumni body in recent clashes with the College's Board of Trustees, as supporters of outgoing College President James Wright's administration welcomed Kim's arrival while Wright's critics questioned both Kim's qualifications and his commitment to undergraduate education concerns still raised by some of those alumni today.
Board of Trustees Chairman Ed Haldeman '70 said that, although the battle over alumni governance was a prominent issue during the latter years of Wright's presidency, he is optimistic that the current alumni lawsuit against the College will be less prominent during Kim's administration than were previous legal battles during the tenure of outgoing College President James Wright.
"[The Board of Trustees] will be as supportive as we can," he said, adding that the Board will not hesitate to debate with Kim about the direction and priorities of the College.
Kim will face many challenges as president, including fundraising and a growing demand for financial aid in a weak economy, Haldeman said.
Haldeman, who described Kim as a "great student of Dartmouth," noted that Kim "has yet to live Dartmouth" and will need more time to learn about the College.
Some alumni who said they initially had concerns about Kim's selection as president noted that their opinion has shifted in recent weeks as they've gained a better feel for both Kim and his previous work.
Alumni Council President John Daukas '84 told The Dartmouth that he had originally been unsure about the appointment, as he was not familiar with Kim's work. Upon meeting with him on several occasions, however, Daukas said he was "blown away" and is now hopeful about the new administration's potential.
Joe Asch '79, an outspoken critic of the Wright administration who expressed concern about what he termed Kim's "seemingly thin scholarly record" and "lack of administrative experience in an academic setting" in an interview with The Dartmouth in the wake of Kim's selection, said on Tuesday that he is similarly hopeful about Kim's presidency.
"He is not a classic candidate, but he has a lot of charisma," Asch said, noting that he believes a "classic" college president would have extensive published research and experience running a smaller institution.
Asch added that he hopes Kim will take on the challenges the College faces by reducing the number of oversubscribed classes, improving the quality of the faculty and scaling back bureaucracy, he said. He also urged Kim to "listen to new ideas from the faculty and staff."
Some alumni, however, continued to express concern that what they feel to be Kim's lack of experience with the College, and with undergraduate education in general, could inhibit his effectiveness as president.
Frank Gado '58, a former member of the Association of Alumni's executive committee, said he believes that Kim is likely to transform the College into a university.
"A school with Dartmouth's resources and reputation is clearly one of the leaders in higher education, but I ask, is it really distinguished in any field?" he said. "Higher education in general suffers from university-itis,' when the concentration needs to be on undergraduate education."
In May, Gado also criticized the appointment of Steven Kadish as senior vice president and strategic advisor, saying that Kadish, like Kim, lacks a previous affiliation with the College.
Association of Alumni President John Mathias '69 said he believes that Kim's availability to Dartmouth alumni after he was appointed as president-elect has helped fuel excitement about the new administration.
"He's certainly made himself available to the alumni," Mathias said. "I know I had an opportunity to meet with him for a couple of hours after he became president-elect. The more alumni meet him, the more they will really like him."
On June 25, the Dartmouth Club of Greater Boston held a send-off party for Kim that was attended by over 600 people. Kim spent several hours meeting people before and after he spoke, Haldeman said. The high turnout at the event was one instance of "an amazing outpouring of admiration" for Kim, Haldeman said.
"I don't know if there's ever been a larger alumni meeting in Boston than this one," he said. "They came out and were in awe of this man and his accomplishments and what he has inspired."
Student leaders on campus have also begun to prepare for Kim's arrival.
Cory Cunningham '10, student assembly vice president, said the undergraduate student body has been overwhelmingly positive in its reaction to Kim's selection and efforts to get to know the College.
Cunningham will present the Student Assembly's "Visions of Dartmouth Report" to Kim on Wednesday. The book contains comments and feedback on Dartmouth life from students and campus groups.
Cunningham is a member of The Dartmouth Senior Business Staff.
Kim will also attend a dinner with graduate students hosted by the Graduate Student Council on Wednesday night. Several graduate students said they hoped to share their experiences with the new president.
"The GSC plans to meet with President Kim soon to determine how we can continue to improve the quality of graduate student life, both academically and socially, here at Dartmouth," said Tina Chang, a fourth year pharmacology and toxicology graduate student and president of the GSC.
