While layoffs for hourly workers received widespread attention prior to the announcement of budget cuts, the effect of cuts at the upper levels of the administration was rarely discussed. Protesters, instead, pointed to the confines of Parkhurst for further reductions, but on Thursday, acting Dean of the College Sylvia Spears announced a plan for consolidating her office that will most likely eliminate a number of dean-level administrators ("Spears initiates structural changes," Feb. 12). Among others, the College will likely lose Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman to layoffs and assistant Dean of Residential Life and director of Greek Letter Organizations and Societies Deborah Carney to retirement ("Redman, Carney plan to leave College posts," Feb. 12). The departures follow the announcement that Associate Director of Coed, Fraternities and Sororities Fouad Saleet will leave for Colgate University, causing all of the direct oversight of Greek life to quickly evaporate. The absence of leadership, coupled with a nebulous plan for replacement, results in a troubling lack of institutional memory during what already was a period of transition for Webster Avenue.
The threat of "sting operations" this week added yet another burden to the current discussion on alcohol policy that has surrounded the Greek system recently ("Stricter alcohol plans outrage Greek orgs.," Feb. 5). Student leaders within and outside of the Greek community have publicly recognized the need to undertake new efforts to address dangerous alcohol consumption ("Hanover Police delay implementing policy," Feb. 11). In the same vein, students and administrators are preparing to launch the Organizational Adjudication Committee's new student board, which will review misconduct involving student organizations ("OAC to launch board earlier than expected," Jan. 25) and the College's event management procedures remain under review ("SEMP board to meet and discuss changes," Feb. 1). As Dartmouth's student leaders try to improve the system, they will undoubtedly need to work in conjunction with administrators who have experience dealing with Greek issues. Where this experience once resided, however, now only vacancies exist.
For lack of a clearer alternative, Spears is now the point person for these issues, but given the reorganization of the Dean of the College office, Spears will likely not have the time to devote her full attention to day-to-day Greek issues, let alone widespread reform. Spears who joined the College in 2007 does have past experience working with Greek leaders, but she has not been at Dartmouth long enough to navigate the complexities of the system alone. Any initiative to reform the policies governing student life requires the reformers to have some institutional memory, and the individuals who were most aware of what worked and what did not in past attempts may soon depart the College, taking their guidance with them.
Eliminating the Dean of Residential Life is a big risk to take. Streamlining the College's administration has the potential to be a success, but leaving gaping holes in student life oversight without a clear strategy moving forward is irresponsible. As it stands now, there is effectively no GLOS office, nor is there a system to respond to issues that may arise within the Greek community. Let's hope Winter Carnival runs smoothly.
