New Afro-American Center

In response to the Afro-American Society's request for larger quarters, the College has designated Cutter Hall as the new social and cultural center for black students and also as a facility to be linked with the developing program in Black Studies.

The Nathan Lord House on North College Street, which has served as the Afro-American Society's headquarters for the past two years, will become an International Student Center for Dartmouth's undergraduate and graduate foreign students. Cutter Hall, along with North Hall, has for some years been the focal point for an experiment in international togetherness, both in living and in informal educational programs. The program has lost some of its momentum and the College's financial support was cut off this year.

Provost Leonard M. Rieser, in announcing the new Cutter arrangement, said, "As we explored the implications of recommendations by the Committee on Equal Opportunity, it became increasingly apparent that what we faced was an opportunity rather than a 'problem.' Cutter Hall will serve three purposes: (1) it will be closely linked to our program in Black Studies; (2) it will serve as a temporary 'transition house' for those black freshmen who may need fairly constant counseling as they make the social and academic adjustments to Dartmouth; and (3) it will replace Lord House as the social and cultural center for black students and provide office space for the administrative functions of the Afro-American Society."

It is expected that students enrolled in Black Studies courses will fill most of Cutter's 35 residential places. Residence will be limited to one year, and white students enrolled in the courses or serving as tutors will be eligible to live there. Robert C. McGuire, Coordinator of Black Studies, will have his office in Cutter, a seminar room will be used for classes and group discussions, and the library will emphasize books and publications in the Afro-American area. Cutter's guest suite will provide accommodations for visiting lecturers in the Black Studies program.

The new International Student Center will house three foreign students and three American students. They will work with a faculty committee to create a new program of activities related to the interests and needs of foreign students at the College.