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Georgraphy department teaches more than capitals and countries

By Michelle Comeau | April 25, 1997

As students majoring in the Ivy League's only geography program, Dartmouth geography majors spend more time than they would like describing what their discipline is not. About 700 students each year take geography courses and the department graduates about 25 majors each year. The department, which is 55 years old, enjoys strong administrative and financial support.

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Parents flood Hanover for '00 Family Weekend

By Eun Lee Koh | April 25, 1997

The College is expecting more than 650 families of members of the Class of 2000 for First-Year Family Weekend, which starts today. The '00 Family Weekend Committee, the 2000 Class Council and Director of Student Activities Linda Kennedy have been planning for this weekend since the beginning of Fall term, according to Thad Glowacki '00, a co-chair of the committee. "We're prepared for a full weekend," Kennedy said. This evening, freshman family members will be greeted by College President James Freedman at the opening welcome reception.

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Pow-wow will return to Green permanently

By Edward Thomas | April 24, 1997

Native Americans at Dartmouth have secured permission from the College to use the Green as a permanent location for the group's annual Pow-wow, beginning with this spring's 25th anniversary Pow-wow celebration. The move came partly as a response to overwhelming student protests following the College's decision last spring to deny NAD use of the Green for the event. More than 600 students had signed a petition calling on the College to allow NAD to use the Green and the Student Assembly passed a resolution asking administrators to reconsider the decision. The College responded this year by creating a committee to formulate a coherent policy for allowable uses of the Green.

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In gorilla's midst: Hanke studied primates: Sophomore traveled to Uganda to study mountain gorillas with prof

By Michelle Rosen | April 24, 1997

Amidst the dense vegetation and high elevation of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda, Alexa Hanke '99 and Anthropology Professor Michele Goldsmith spent this past winter studying the behavioral patterns of mountain gorillas. Last fall, Goldsmith approached students in her Primate Biology and Behavior class about traveling with her to Uganda to aid her research on the comparative ecology of chimpanzees and gorillas. Hanke was selected from a group of six applicants. A few months later, the pair was living in camping conditions, half the time without bathrooms or running water, and hiking several miles a day. Accompanied by trackers over the mountainous terrain, the two followed a group of 13 gorillas that had never previously been researched. Braving the elements Hanke and Goldsmith were forced to contend with a variety of dangers, including charging gorillas, infestations of ants, a run-in with an elephant, and bacterial infections from unsafe drinking water. On a typical day, Hanke and Goldsmith would wake up early, build a fire to boil water for drinking and prepare breakfast.

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Presidents have name, little say

By Erik Tanouye | April 23, 1997

The Student Assembly president is the chief executive of the College's only student representative elected body, a job that would seemingly carry a host of powers. But when Assembly President-elect Frode Eilertsen '99 takes the Assembly reins immediately after Commencement, he will inherit little else other than a title -- a title that affords access to administrators and visibility among students but hardly any formal ties to either of these groups. The past two presidents, Jim Rich '96 and Jon Heavey '97, have helped transform the Assembly from an incoherent, bickering organization to a more respectable campus issue-oriented group. Still, the actual power of the Assembly president is restricted by factors like students' short stays at the College, the perceived lack of representation in the Assembly and the ghosts of Assemblies past. Rich's election on a platform of reforming the Assembly coincided with the release of the Student Assembly External Review Committee's report in the spring of 1995. And as a result of changes made following the SAERC's suggestions, the Assembly's president and executive vice president have more power to decide the direction of the Assembly, but the Assembly's actions are delegated to a number of other vice presidents. As the Assembly's work on improving the College's weight room situation has shown, when the president acts with the backing of the Assembly, they can make significant achievements. After an $8,500 donation by the Assembly and a term-long campaign to gather student support, the College responded with a $7,200 contribution, and recently John Manley '40 donated $100,000 for the construction of additional weight room facilities. But, as Assembly Vice President Chris Swift '98 put it, "If the Assembly is not going to work with the president, it won't get done." Politics of personality Due to the nature of the Assembly's setup, both the president's success and the amount power vested in the position depends on the personality of whoever holds the office. "It's like any position of leadership," Dean of the College Lee Pelton said.

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Delta Pi chooses to remain local

By Katie Uhre | April 23, 1997

Following a lengthy internal debate and a five-month search for a national sorority with which to affiliate, the 17 members of Delta Pi Omega sorority have decided to remain local for the time being. Earlier this month, Delta Pi decided against affiliation with Alpha Xi Delta, a national sorority.

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Today's democracy rare for Dartmouth

By Erin Loback | April 23, 1997

As on-line voting continues today in the student referendum that may determine the future of Dartmouth Dining Services, the College is experiencing something that most observers regard as rare at Dartmouth -- pure democracy, where students have a real opportunity to effect actual change. The administration has said it will listen to student responses -- even if students vote to eliminate residential dining at the College as we know it. But even if this were the case, it would represent a departure from the way important decisions are normally made at the College -- a process that Student Assembly President Jon Heavey '97 says has little regard for student opinion. Heavey said he agrees with Trustee Susan Dentzer '77, who earlier this term told him the College is not a democracy.

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Committee of Chairs may dimish its role

By Erin Loback | April 22, 1997

At its Spring term meeting yesterday, the Committee of Chairs, which consists of the chairs of all academic departments, discussed a proposal that could lessen its role on campus. More than 30 professors attended the meeting in Alumni Hall, which was led by Acting Provost and Dean of the Faculty Jim Wright. Committee On Procedure Chair and Religion Professor Susan Ackerman proposed changes suggested by the COP, a subcommittee of the COC.

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Webster Hall renovation begins

By Jean Blackerby | April 21, 1997

Workers have already begun the process of transforming Webster Hall into the new home of Dartmouth's Special Collections library, and the process should be completed by next winter. Asbestos is being removed from the building, and major structural remodeling should begin in the next few weeks, according to Director of Facilities Planning Gordon DeWitt. DeWitt said the renovations will require "a lot of demolition inside the building," including the removal of the main floor and the excavation of the underground stacks between Baker Library and Webster Hall, which will take place this summer. Once completed, the Webster renovations will provide much-needed space for the millions of books, manuscripts and photographs in Special Collections.

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Passover observance begins today

By Erin Loback | April 21, 1997

Sundown tonight marks the beginning of the eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover, and many members of the College's Jewish population, which comprises 10 percent of the student body, will observe the occasion by attending Seders and refraining from eating leavened bread. Passover is the annual remembrance of the Jewish people's liberation from slavery in Egypt.

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Allegations of sex-abuse unlike Dorris, friends say

CONCORD -- They were ''the king and queen of contemporary American literature,'' two powerful and versatile writers whose private love story infused every book. ''For Louise, who found the song and gave me voice,'' reads Michael Dorris' dedication in his latest novel, ''Cloud Chamber,'' published earlier this year. ''To Michael,'' followed by the symbols for the Queen and Jack of Hearts, was Louise Erdrich's dedication in ''Tales of Burning Love,'' her novel published last year. Over 16 years they shared their writing, their American Indian backgrounds and the raising of six children: three he adopted before he married Erdrich and three born afterward. But by the time their latest books came out, the love story was falling apart.

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