Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism. Support independent student journalism.
The Dartmouth
April 13, 2026
The Dartmouth
News
News

Convocation focuses on diversity

By Ithan Peltan | September 20, 2000

Dartmouth's 231st academic year began yesterday with the themes of diversity and community taking center stage at the Convocation ceremonies held in Leede Arena. Featured speakers at the event were College President James Wright, recently-elected Trustee Michael Chu '68 and Student Assembly President Jorge Miranda '01. All three directed their remarks towards encouraging all students, and the Class of 2004 in particular, to take part in all of the educational and growth options available at Dartmouth, not just the academic ones. In contrast to last year's Convocation addresses, references to the changing character of the College were subdued.

News

A Dartmouth tradition swings its last

By Jen Tutak | September 20, 2000

After surviving one last term as the favorite summer pastime of countless students, the famed rope swing on Mink Brook Trail is coming down. According to Hanover's Town Manager Julia Griffin, the rope swing will be cut down this week, but the tree to which it is attached will remain.

News

Bronski: Potter has homosexual subtext

By Mike A. Hamilton | September 20, 2000

Speaking to a crowd of students, professors and Dartmouth community members yesterday afternoon, visiting lecturer Michael Bronski contended that the experiences of popular fictional character Harry Potter may be understood as an allegory for the coming out of a homosexual individual. In the speech, entitled "Queering Harry Potter: The Trouble With Normal" Bronski discussed general trends that point to a gay allegory subtext in the novels. He did not assert that Harry Potter is himself homosexual. The journalist and cultural critic described author J.K.

News

Mather discusses role of court justices in campaign

By Rachel Osterman | September 20, 2000

Making her public debut as the Acting Director of the Rockefeller Center, Lynn Mather spoke to politically-oriented freshmen and others about the November election's impact on the judicial system. In what was a particularly lively lecture for a Rockefeller Center event, Mather made the case that although the 2000 race will be a critical one in determining who will sit on the Supreme Court bench, the presidential contest is unlikely to focus on judicial nominations. Much of last night's talk focused on why the presidential candidates have shied away from Supreme Court politics.

News

'04s initiate unique housing option

By Julia Levy | September 20, 2000

In addition to experimenting with freshman-only housing for the first time in two River Cluster dorms and various floors in residence halls, the College has also designated those River dorms substance-free after a record number applied for the option. In the past, only 21 beds in Butterfield were set aside for freshmen who requested substance-free housing. But this year, the Office of Residential Life received more than 200 requests for substance-free housing and/or all-freshman housing. Director of Housing Services Lynn Rosenblum said she was surprised by this high level of interest in special housing arrangements. She explained that in the past, the maximum number of students requesting substance-free arrangements was 120, and last year, only 60 members of the Class of 2003 had applied for substance-free housing. This jump in applicants for first year, substance-free housing may have something to do with the new housing applications, Rosenblum said, explaining that "it was more an option for this class." When the 2004s received housing applications at the end of May or the beginning of June, there were clear options for smoke-free, substance-free and all freshmen.

News

Final fall rush begins tomorrow

By Wendy Yu | September 20, 2000

Both the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils expect the rush process to successfully match a vast majority of -- if not all -- participants to Greek houses. After disappointing a group of women who did not receive bids during rush last year, Panhell once more predicts being able to successfully offer bids to all rushees, due to a low number of people registering. With the first meeting taking place later today and round zero starting on Thursday, around 250 women have registered for rush, a number that continues to grow.

News

Library gets cold welcome

By Maggie Shnayerson | September 20, 2000

Students viewing the inside of the newly constructed Berry Library after tours yesterday responded with mostly negative comments, many describing the interior as cold and impersonal. "It's kind of like a hospital," Jeannie Eisberg '01 said, of the lighting in the library. "It felt really institutional, like a public library.

News

College avoids fall housing crunch

By Wendy Yu | September 19, 2000

The Office of Residential Life managed to avoid a Fall term housing crunch for the second consecutive year, despite a long waiting list at the end of Spring term that led to a demonstration by members of the Class of 2003. The College paired the 249 students who did not receive housing in the spring with rooms that were allocated to students who later changed their D-plans to be off-campus in the fall and therefore no longer needed their spaces. "I think Lynn [Rosenblum, director of housing services] and I bit our nails a lot ... we did our best to find accommodations to meet students' needs in a variety of ways," Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman said. He said 250 to 300 students typically change their plans, giving ORL a significant number of spaces for the housing waiting list. "[The number of students on the waiting list] was a higher number than we would've liked, but we made a commitment to them," he said. Also, around 30 students, mostly seniors, opted to leave the residence halls and live in College-owned off-campus rental property when given the chance later in the year. The apartments became available after they were renovated to meet local building codes.

News

Taps, trees and Men's Health mark summer term

By Kathleen McDermott | September 19, 2000

The Summer term began with an announcement that would affect many more classes than just that of 2002, in residence for their Sophomore Summer. Only one week into the term, Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman announced that all CFS houses must remove their permanent bars and tap systems by this past Saturday, as part of changes due to the Student Life Initiative.

News

Senate impeachment begins against alum

By Julia Levy | September 19, 2000

New Hampshire's Senate opened its first-ever impeachment trial yesterday, to hear charges against State Supreme Court Chief Justice David Brock, who graduated from Dartmouth in 1958. According to government professor Lynn Mather, the trial "is significant because it's the first impeachment trial before the Senate ever in the state of New Hampshire." She said at this point in the proceedings it is hard to predict the outcome of the trial, but she noted that the Senate is "treating the issue quite seriously." She explained that the Senate is paying close attention to certain procedural issues and is taking stricter stances towards evidence than have been taken in earlier stages of the case. Twenty-two senators -- two others were disqualified for potential bias -- will act as jurors in the trial, which is expected to last between two and five weeks. The trial began for the senators yesterday with a tour of the Supreme Court building, focusing on key locations that will come into play in the ensuing trial. According to the Boston Globe report yesterday, defense lawyers will focus on the judge as a man, not a symbol, claiming that using Brock as a scapegoat for the wide-reaching problems of the court is unfair. In pretrial hearings, a large majority of the Senate voted to require a two-thirds vote -- or 15 senators -- to convict Brock instead of a simple majority.

News

In leaked college rankings, Dartmouth leaps up two

By Julia Levy | August 31, 2000

After two consecutive years of falling in the annual U.S. News & World Report's college rankings, Dartmouth has leapt two spaces to ninth place on the hotly-debated list that will be released tomorrow morning on the magazine's website. Among Ivy League institutions, Dartmouth placed fifth behind Princeton, which holds the first position, Harvard and Yale, which are tied for second and the University of Pennsylvania, which is tied with Stanford in sixth place. Director of Admissions Karl Furstenberg told The Dartmouth today that "When you're in the top ten, it just confirms what people already know ... It may not make a big difference, but it doesn't make our job harder." "I think that when you're in the top tier of institutions nationally, you're really talking about angels dancing on the head of a pin," Director of Public Affairs Laurel Stavis said, noting that the differences between the most highly ranked schools are "incredibly small." She explained that it is tough to apply a quantitative ranking system to the Dartmouth experience, which she classified as "an experience that is essentially qualitative." College Provost Susan Prager said applicants and their parents do look at the rankings, but she added, "When you're dealing with as accomplished an applicant pool as we have, most of the applicants are looking well beyond rankings." She said more important factors that perspective students consider and the breadth and quantity the College has as well as atmosphere. The rankings were leaked to the media before the scheduled Sept.

News

Students to reside in Phi Delt

By Wendy Yu | August 22, 2000

The Phi Delta Alpha fraternity house, dormant since the fraternity was derecognized Spring term, has finally found a new calling -- as rental housing for graduate students. The decision to lease the 14 rooms to graduate students was made at the beginning of this summer, after discussions between the Phi Delt Corporation president and former members of the fraternity. "Obviously it's not our first choice because we'd like to be living there, but given the circumstances and our need for money, it's the best option," Benjamin Steele '02 said, former member of Phi Delt, charged with handling the negotiations. The need to pay insurance and taxes for the property with some form of income prompted Steele to enter the house into the graduate student housing market. According to Steele, Phi Delt did not offer the space for undergraduate housing because "if any undergraduates were going to live there, it would be Phi Delt brothers." College derecognition sanctions prohibit undergraduates from residing in the house. Steele contacted the graduate students office for help in locating graduate students who would be interested in renting rooms. But Steele emphasized the fact that College involvement is minimal in the arrangement and will not be responsible either for the house nor the tenants. "This is really being done mostly without the College's help.

News

Chaplain to leave College for sabbatical

By Jen Tutak | August 22, 2000

After 20 years of serving in ministry and 16 years of guiding the spiritual core of the College, Interim Chaplain Gwendolyn King will finally be taking a much-needed sabbatical. For King, who just celebrated her 20th anniversary of ministry on August 10, the decision to leave was not an easy one, nor will be saying good-bye. About two years ago, King said she began praying for guidance as to what direction God wanted her to pursue. "I was beginning to feel the stress and strain of being in ministry for 20 years," she said.

News

Convention Perspective

By Dan Pollock | August 18, 2000

LOS ANGELES -- Like a boxer entering the ring before a title fight, Vice President Al Gore ran down a side corridor at the Staples Center and entered the presidential arena to the cheers of the thousands of convention guests and delegates assembled here. In his acceptance speech, which also had boxing-like, reoccurring theme of "I will fight for you," Gore used a combination of McCainesque "straight talk" and policy promises to deliver the most important speech of his campaign, and possibly his entire life.

Trending
The Dartmouth