New Dean

The College had some difficulty contacting Gregory Edwards, the man chosen as the new assistant dean of students. He was on safari in Kenya, leading a group of educators and students on a trip sponsored by the American Forum for International Study, observing a variety of cultures and experiencing, as Edwards said, "the vastness of Africa." He professed to be deeply impressed by customs and traditions, and by the attitudes of villagers. "They just don't have," he said, referring to the amenities of electricity, running water, and processed food. "But they have a great deal of pride in their culture and way of life."

Edwards graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1973, and received a master's degree in counseling there in 1974. Before coming to Dartmouth, he was associate director of African-American studies at Adelphi University in New York. Although he acts as the College's liaison with the AfroAmerican Society and the Black Caucus of professors and administrators, Edwards rejects the unofficial title of "black dean." His responsibilities include counseling students of all backgrounds on a variety of academic, personal, and disciplinary matters; preparing reports and graduate school recommendations; overseeing programs designed to support the curriculum; and various committees.

He appreciates the "constant surge of experience" available to students here, but he is concerned that some students might be trading quality for a quantity of experiences. He would like, however, to introduce an opportunity for an African experience - some combination of classwork and travel.

Edwards also admits to being "very impressed by the atmosphere of tradition at Dartmouth," particularly tradition with a capacity to adjust to social changes.