President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel once said, "A crisis is a terrible thing to waste." The announcement of the new Hanover Police alcohol policy unleashed nothing short of a crisis for Dartmouth's Greek life, which represents a large segment of the Dartmouth student body. While the police later announced that they will delay its implementation, we must not waste the brief crisis that swept the College and we must take action to protect the Dartmouth community's interests.
In the recent alcohol debacle, Dartmouth students were left out of the conversation before the new policy was announced. If students want local officials to acknowledge their interests, more students should participate in local politics. Because Dartmouth students are Hanover residents, we can run for elected office and take part in the town government. Currently Dartmouth has no students serving as town officials. As the largest group in the town of Hanover, we should have at least one representative in the Board of Selectmen, and the burden falls upon the students to run.
Recalling the political drama surrounding the election of Vanessa Sievers '10 as Grafton County treasurer, in which her kind opponent, incumbent Carol Elliott, called Sievers a "teenybopper" who "brainwashed" students to get votes ("Sievers '10 criticized for work as treasurer,'" Feb. 16, 2009), students may feel disconcerted running for political office. While many criticized Sievers' lack of dedication to her position initially, she continues to hold the position. Even though her example may not be one to idolize, it certainly proves that a Dartmouth student can serve in political office while remaining active at the College.
Besides running for office, students must realize the political power we can exert by simply registering to vote. Hanover is home to approximately 11,000 residents. If Dartmouth undergraduates amount to 4,000 and local voter participation numbers are similar to national levels, Dartmouth students can represent the largest voting bloc in any given election. In fact, students can have a majority. By taking part in local elections, Dartmouth students can ensure that their interests for example, in local alcohol policy are given serious consideration.
During colonial times, New England town meetings brought together almost all residents. Townspeople respected their duty to serving their community by taking part in decision-making. Likewise, Dartmouth students can attend the numerous public meetings that take place in the Municipal Building to remain informed and take part in various town developments.
If students do not learn from the recent alcohol incident and take a more active role as Hanover citizens, town officials may continue to make policies that hurt our interests. Favorable progress on alcohol policy cannot be made without clear communication between Dartmouth students and local officials. If students held public office or attended local town hall meetings, the communication barrier would no longer exist.
As for students who do not see any personal interest in getting involved in Hanover politics, certainly they will recognize their responsibility to the local community. College President Jim Yong Kim often mentions the importance of community, be it global or local, in his speeches. Assuming political office is indeed serving the local community. By taking part in local politics, students strengthen ties with the Hanover community. As residents of the town, students have the duty of taking an active role in maintaining the town and crafting policies; engaging in Hanover politics enables students to do this.
While the police chief may have given students temporary relief by delaying implementation of his new policy, students must not simply forget the issue ever existed. Dartmouth students have a vested interest in many town policies, including alcohol policy. By learning from this past alcohol fiasco, students can play a more active role in Hanover's governing structure to make certain future town policies take Dartmouth's interests to heart.
Dear old Dartmouth, let us not spend our time at the College active in the Dartmouth community but ignorant of the vibrant Hanover community around us. Because the two communities are intertwined, we must play a role in local political issues to preserve our Dartmouth experience and serve our fellow Hanover residents.
