In order to encourage students to address pressing issues on campus, the College Office of the President and Palaeopitus Senior Society have assumed responsibility for awarding the Milton Sims Kramer 1954 Memorial Group Award, which will now require people to apply for the award, rather than reward individuals after the fact, according to President's Office Intern Elena Falloon '11.
The monetary award endowed in honor of Milton Sims Kramer '54 is given annually to students and student groups for "engag[ing] in research, service or programming projects that benefit the Dartmouth community," according to the Office of the President website.
In the past, the prize was administered at the end of every year by the Dean's Office to a campus organization that has had a significant impact on the College, The Dartmouth previously reported. In 2004, for example, the Dartmouth Ski Patrol received the Kramer prize for the efficiency with which the organization handled incidents at the Dartmouth Skiway during the winter season.
This year, applicants will be assessed by members of Palaeopitus instead of the Dean of the College Office. The change came in response to donor requests to include student opinions in the decision-making process, according to Falloon.
The final winner of the $3,000 prize will be chosen by College President Jim Yong Kim, according to a campus-wide e-mail sent by Falloon. The winner will enact his or her proposal during the Winter and Spring terms of 2011.
This year marks the first time individuals will be eligible to apply for the Kramer prize, which was previously reserved for campus organizations, Falloon said.
The establishment of specific project areas for the prize resulted in the change in how the prize is awarded, Falloon said. Applications for the Kramer prize will now fall into one of four categories: environmental sustainability, campus technology, campus health and interdisciplinary studies, according to the e-mail.
Possible projects include "developing a modern replacement for BlitzMail bulletins," "organizing a campus-wide recycling competition" and "instituting a coding system for Dartmouth Dining Services to clearly identify healthy food options," according to the website.
Members of Palaeopitus will meet before reviewing applications to develop a set of criteria for choosing the recipient of the award, Falloon said.
"We hope that applicants think outside of the box when coming up with proposals," she said.
Each individual or group wishing to be considered must complete an online application and identify a faculty member or administrator who can "speak to" the applicant's ability to complete the project, according to the website. This individual will also serve as an advisor and must be available to provide guidance throughout the course of the project's implementation.
Falloon said she is unsure whether the process will become more competitive after the changes in application guidelines.
All proposals are due by Nov. 26, 2010.
