Report from the Council

President McLaughlin's October announcement signaled the end of an era. In my opinion, it was done gracefully and with a great deal of class. Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with the policies of his administration, there is no question that David McLaughlin worked selflessly to improve the quality of the Dartmouth experience for one and all. We wish him well as he moves on to new challenges.

This is an especially important year for Dartmouth alumni. While this column is being written in October, by the time this issue reaches your mailbox the Alumni Council will have nominated a candidate for the Board of Trustees and the work of a presidential search committee will be well underway. The College is at a crossroads, and it is at a time like this that the entire Dartmouth family needs to pull together, put personal agendas aside, and put the institution first.

The advent of a new administration has provided the Alumni Council with an historic opportunity to undertake, in conjunction with the faculty, administration, and students, an appraisal of Dartmouth's strengths and weaknesses, and to identify areas that should be given special emphasis over the next 15 years in order to fulfill the historic educational purposes of the College. To that end Alumni Council committees will interact directly with their coordinate faculty/administrative/student committees on campus. At our November meeting we will also sponsor a trustee panel and a student panel and presentations from the Provost, Dean of Faculty, Dean of Students, and President McLaughlin. Finally, one of the centerpieces of the meeting will be a guest alumni panel involving alumni from diverse backgrounds, each with a different vision of Dartmouth's priorities and its future. Our purpose is to make Council meetings the forum for responsible discussion and debate for all alumni concerns, regardless of where they may fall on the political spectrum.

I'll report further next month. In the meantime, if you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me. My address heads the class of 1973 class notes.

PRESIDENT, ALUMNI COUNCIL