Nathaniel Fick '99, Richard Kimball '78 and Benjamin Wilson '73 were elected to the Board of Trustees in three separate uncontested races, Association of Alumni president John Daukas '84 announced at the Association's annual meeting on Saturday. The three men were confirmed by the Board of Trustees confirmed the three men during the Board's April 13 meeting, he said. The three alumni will officially assume their positions at the next Board meeting on June 11, Diana Lawrence, director of communications for Alumni Relations, said. Although the Board retains the right to ultimately approve the nominated candidates, Lawrence said she does not recall a year in which the Board did not approve alumni-elected candidates.
Overall, 9,401 alumni approximately 14 percent of alumni who have shared their contact information with the College cast ballots in the trustee election online or by paper ballot between March 14 and April 11, Daukas said. Flick received 7,915 votes, Kimball received 7,571 votes and Wilson received 7,761 votes, Daukas said. Approximately 15.5 percent of alumni voted in the two uncontested Board of Trustees elections last year, The Dartmouth previously reported.
"I think that's a higher percentage than you'd find voting at other schools that allow alumni to elect trustees," Daukas said. "It goes back to the fact that Dartmouth alumni are crazy in love with the place more than other schools, so that's why you see continued participation in interest."
The three new trustees will replace Stephen Smith '88, who chose not to stay on the Board for a second term, and John Donahoe '82 and Thurman Rodgers '70 who both completed their second four-year terms, Daukas said.
"I'm hoping that the alumni body has had an opportunity to get to know them at least by reading their [biographies], if not attending some of the many alumni forums that they have kindly attended so folks could get to know them," Alumni Council President Danielle Dyer '71, Tu'89 said. "I do think they're outstanding candidates and would be a good fit for the Board."
Also in uncontested elections, College alumni elected Daukas to a second term as president of the Association with 8,434 votes, Gary Love '76 as first vice president with 8,440 votes, Peter Bleyler '61 as second vice president with 8,347 votes, Vice President for Alumni Relations Martha Beattie '76 as secretary-treasurer with 8,552 votes and seven executive committee members.
The new Board members will focus on the importance of attracting high-quality staff and students to Dartmouth, they said in interviews with The Dartmouth.
"I think we immediately find ourselves in a transition in the search for the next Dartmouth president," Fick said. "More broadly, I think that the central challenge for Dartmouth is to recruit and retain the best among the faculty, the staff and the students. That's what makes the place what it is."
Wilson said that fundraising efforts will be crucial in achieving these goals.
"We want to continue to be in a position to attract the best students and faculty from across the country and around the world, so that requires raising money quite frankly so our college is strong and competitive with other peer institutions," Wilson said.
Kimball said he hopes to "preserve the uniqueness of Dartmouth, which is that it is a school with the resources and ambitions of a major university but where the emphasis is squarely centered on teaching."
Willson said he accepted his nomination due to a desire to give back to the College.
"I saw it as a privilege, really, to hopefully render service to the college that has meant so much to me and my family," Wilson said. "It's a very special place, and I'm hoping that I can help ensure that it remains a special place for future students."
