The committee also met with faculty and staff Monday afternoon. The meeting was closed to non-faculty, and The Dartmouth could not reach anyone who attended for comment by press time.
Eight of the nine members of the visiting committee were present at the student forum, which was led by committee chair Anthony Marx, president of Amherst College.
"The reaccreditation process is intended to say no place is perfect,'" Marx said. "It's used to ask the hard questions of what we can do better what is working and what isn't working; what we should try to change and what we shouldn't try to change."
Marx said he invited students to speak to the committee about their experiences at Dartmouth on issues ranging from academics to social life.
Several students discussed their views of the Greek system and alcohol consumption at the College. One male member of the Class of 2012, who said he abstains from alcohol at school, said the College should offer more alternative social spaces.
"We need to make it safe and OK for people who don't drink," he said. "We need an alternative social space. A lot of students feel trapped. They go to frats freshman year and feel like they have nowhere else to go."
Other student speakers praised the Greek system for the sense of close community it offers.
"[Joining a fraternity] was the best decision I made at Dartmouth," a member of the Class of 2012 said. "I made a lot of new friends and learned about myself. It's one of the strongest parts of the Dartmouth tradition."
He added that "the administration needs to work positively with the Greek organizations" to reduce incidences of alcohol overconsumption and sexual assault.
Another issue that drew a lot of discussion was the health care system at Dartmouth particularly the quality of care at Dick's House.
"Everyone always told me as a freshman, don't go to Dick's House they'll tell you you're pregnant,'" one female member of the Class of 2011 said. "And although it's a commonly spread joke, I feel like there is something really wrong with our medical care on campus."
Another student said she went to Dick's House with a concussion and walked out with a Band-Aid.
Several students also expressed concerns about communication between students and College officials.
"There's a disconnect between administration and the student body," a member of the Class to 2014 said. "We need a stronger student voice in administrative decisions."
Because of miscommunications with the administration, one transfer student said she will graduate a year later than she expected.
During the forum, students discussed financial aid, the quarter system, the housing selection process, socioeconomic disparities within the College and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender experience on campus.
Several students praised the quality of teaching at Dartmouth.
"We are great at teaching. That is a hallmark of the Dartmouth experience," said a male member of the Class of 2012. "Of course, it's not every professor, but on the whole it's something we value very dearly here."
Several students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they enjoyed the event and were pleased with issues students discussed.
"I thought the forum went really well," Phoebe Gardener '11 said. "Everyone came with a commitment to tell what they wanted to change about the College."
Marx said several issues raised by the students had also been discussed by other members of the Dartmouth community.
"Lots of issues that came up in the student forum came up in other venues today," Marx said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "Folks here love the place, but want to make it better."
Staff writer Laura Bryn Sisson contributed reporting to this article.
