Q. From an administrator's point of view, what are the pros and cons of having senior societies at Dartmouth?
A. I think anything that allows people an opportunity to be together in community around shared values has some positive aspects to it, [but] any organizations that have elements of exclusivity have some potentially harmful effects, and so it really is about how members of an organization carry themselves in their community.
I think it's important for students to have a niche, a community where they can be most themselves and sit in the company of others who are like-minded. I also think it's important for people to have the opportunities to engage in real dialogue with people who think totally different than they do not even within an organization does everybody think the same.
Q. In what ways do societies contribute to the College?
A. You can almost see the beginnings of really strong mentorship that happens, and really strong leadership development [within societies]. Organizations that facilitate and support the leadership of its membership, to me, are a positive contribution to the College.
I also think that organizations [that have] a particular focus where they have lots of depth of understanding can help move the institution forward in addressing those things.
Q. What is expected of society members?
A. [With] being in a senior society also comes responsibility. And that is to always be mindful of your impact on other people as a group and to have an understanding of what it really means to be tapped.
Q. What is the role of a society's adviser?
A. I really think it's an issue of how much students want to use their advisers and how involved advisers can be. There is the latitude for students to say, "This is how our structures are going to work." Hopefully, the moderators or the leaders of those organizations are having good conversations with their advisers about how to optimize the work of an organization.
Q. Compared to Greek and other student organizations, societies are subject to comparatively less oversight. Has this ever been problematic?
A. I don't think in my years here I have ever had an instance where a senior society has engaged in behavior that was in violation of college policies or anything where you would say, "That is harmful to the community." I think part of the reason why administrative oversight has been less necessary than in some other settings is because it IS a group of seniors who are leaders on campus in various areas and bring some additional maturity to how they engage in their activism or their organizational work. And so as a result they're also less likely to take risks that are harmful to themselves, harmful to their members or harmful to campus.
Q. What do societies add to campus culture that isn't provided by the Greek system?
A. Even at a college that is our size, which is fairly small, people are looking for a place within a community where they can, with a certain level of comfort, engage with other people. Most people, whether it's on a college campus or in society, are looking for smaller communities of people to connect to. To me, it's a natural human phenomenon to want to be part of a group that's not the whole College. The College can't determine how people connect.
Q. What experience do senior societies offer their members?
A. The phenomenon of senior societies, to me, is just a marker of the next step toward graduation. They are inviting people into a community of other students and giving them another anchor to the College even as they transition to their post-college experience. And those relationships [between society members] are some of the strongest relationships that people will have post-graduation.
Q. You point out a lot of potential benefits of being in a society. Doesn't it seem unfair, then, that not all upperclassmen are affiliated with one?
A. I think that is a real call for students. If students really felt that there needs to be options for everyone then I think that's a place where students can co-create. Some group of people students, not the administration created all of those organizations that exist now. Is this the new wave? This is [a potential] dialogue for students to say, "No, I think we do need more secret societies or societies in general" I haven't heard a lot of people talking about it but that doesn't mean that there isn't conversation going on.
Q. If societies really are making positive contributions to campus, why must they keep their identities secret?
A. I think it's a value judgment for students. What is more important? Some have said, "No, our political agenda suggests that we prefer to be secret because it allow us to do things that we would prefer to do anonymously." Others would say, "We're really a social group and so the issue of secrecy is less important."
Q. Are you involved in the tapping process at all?
A. No.
Q. How were you asked to be an adviser?
A. A group of students, who I knew, but didn't know they were involved in [that society] actually came and said, "By the way, we belong to a certain organization," and talked in all coded talk and they [both formally and informally] asked me.
I simply said, "Of course." Because a lot of the interests, concerns, observations that [the society] has historically made are some of the same observations and concerns that I have. So we share some personal values. I think that on Dartmouth's campus, [organizations that facilitate] mentoring, leadership and connections to each other are really important.
So for me, it was just logical, natural for me to say yes. It made perfect sense. Not only am I honored to be doing [advising], but I enjoy spending time in the company of [those members] that are thinking about the kinds [of issues that I am]. The students did the tapping, if you will.
