News
The College has refocused its efforts to change the military's ban on open homosexuality after conceding that the courts, not the government, are most likely to change the policy.
In a recent letter to Peter Williams '76, a member of the Dartmouth Gay and Lesbian Association, Board of Trustees Chair John Rosenwald said the College will attempt to take an active role should any judicial challenge to the policy arise.
"Although in April there seemed to be some prospect of pursuing a satisfactory resolution to this issue within the legislative process, it is certainly now clear that for the foreseeable future, an improvement in the 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy can only be the result of judicial developments," Rosenwald wrote.
Last April, the College's Board of Trustees voted to keep the Reserve Officer Training Corps on campus, but admitted the program discriminates against homosexuals and pledged to change the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.
"Regrettably, changing the 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy is not a short-term goal," he wrote.
In his letter, Rosenwald also mentioned the College's plans to "provide the requisite advising and support that gay, lesbian and bisexual students need."
"Whatever influence Dartmouth may or may not have in altering federal policy, it clearly has more control over the status of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals on campus," Rosenwald wrote.
Members of the College's homosexual community said they were not surprised that the College has had little success at changing the policy.
"The letter confirms what I already knew -- the movement is not going to happen at a national level anytime soon," said Religion Professor Susan Ackerman, co-Convenor of the Coalition of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns.
"Clearly the wheels of government grind slowly and Dartmouth is going to have a minimal effect on that."
Ackerman said Rosenwald's letter was heartening because she said it was the first time the Trustees had ever made a statement about the possibility of an adviser for gay and lesbian students.
Co-Chair of the College's Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Organization, Earl Plante '94 said he will meet with Dean of the College Lee Pelton next Wednesday to discuss funding for the position.
Plante added that he hopes interviews for the position will begin this spring, and the successful applicant will begin next fall.
"At a minimum the College should be committing resources in support of gay and lesbian students as it is committing resources to ROTC," said John Crane, the Coalition's other co-convenor.
Ackerman said that the College should place more emphasis on changing on-campus dynamics.
"I thought [changing the policy] was unrealistic in April, I think it is unrealistic now," she said.
