Social Security

ALONG with the rest of the U.S. citizenry, employees of Dartmouth College now have personal Social Security numbers to tax their memories. As of January 1, the College became a participant in the federal coverage that the amended law now extends to non-profit institutions. Of approximately 1,000 Dartmouth College employees, both academic and non-academic, 875 voted for participation. This was considerably more than the two-thirds affirmative vote required to make the plan effective. For persons employed by the College as of January 1 the Social Security coverage was voluntary, but for all persons employed after that date it is compulsory.

The College has integrated Social Security with the retirement plans of its own that were already in effect for all employees. On the non-academic side, the group annuity plan has been adjusted so that the monthly contributions by both employee and employer are reduced by the amount of the Social Security tax. In the case of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association plan for faculty members and officers of administration, the College's matching contribution each month has been reduced by the amount of the Social Security payment it must make. The combined plans now provide all Dartmouth employees with increased retirement benefits, at no greater cost to the College.

In working out the details of the integrated retirement program the College had the benefit of help from Richard J. Fowle '34, manager of the Social Security field office in Littleton, N. H. Dartmouth has a Social Security number too, and as a corporation founded in 1769 it is believed to be one of the ten oldest organizations now participating in the federal program.