More turmoil
The campus concerns that have generated attention since last fall diffused as the year drew to a close but showed no signs of dissipating entirely.
Student disciplinary hearings continued to make headlines, and the Trustees and administration began examining possible changes to the College's system of student discipline. The Committee on Standards held a closed hearing in mid-May for 21 students involved in the April 11 prodivestment occupation of Baker Tower. One student, a photographer for The Dartmouth on assignment with the protesters, was found not guilty. The remaining 20 were variously charged with illegal entry, unlawful and disorderly conduct, giving false information, and vio- lating several College poli- cies. All were found guilty and given fines of $100 each, plus sanctions ranging from a College reprimand to a year of College discipline. Three of the students charged declined to attend the hearing, saying the "hours . . . spent haggling over ludicrously abstruse details trivialize the suffering and the struggle of black South Africa."
The ten students earlier convicted by the COS of the destruction of anti-apartheid shanties on the College Green were continuing to work out the details of the public service projects they had been directed to perform as part of their punishment.
The recent COS hearings have focused a good deal of attention on the group, which includes student, faculty, and administrative membership. Following the decision on the Baker protesters, President McLaughlin issued a statement noting "the perception on the part of many that the College's disciplinary system dispenses justice with an uneven hand." (Students involved in two sit-ins in the president's office last winter were found guilty; some were not issued any punishments and the rest received reprimands. The shantybashers were originally given suspensions ranging upward from one term; after a rehearing, their penalties were reduced to College discipline for some, a term's suspension for the rest.) McLaughlin expressed the feeling that "the sanctions imposed [on the Baker protesters] do not reflect adequately the seriousness with which the College community views these actions." He went on to note that "in view of major questions this year about the efficacy of the College's disciplinary system in its present form, the Trustees have requested the Committee on Organization and Policy to review these procedures and to recommend such changes as they deem appropriate."
Divestment and diversity were also involved in other campus matters. After the penalties for the shantybashers were reduced in mid-April, the Afro-American Society considered withdrawing its support from "Discover Dartmouth" weekend, a minority recruitment program. The Afro-Am executive committee originally contended it could not encourage minority applicants to attend Dartmouth, but the general membership of the group decided to participate as usual in the recruitment weekend.
Political expression went beyond rhetoric to vandalism in mid-April. About $10,000 worth of damage was done to Dartmouth Hall, Blunt Alumni Center, Parkhurst Hall, and Webster Hall. Pro-divestment slogans were spray-painted on the buildings and several windows were broken. Despite efforts by campus and Hanover police, the culprits have not yet been apprehended.
Relations between men and women on campus were also a focus of dissent. The Greek system came un- der attack by some students who felt that single-sex houses foster "oppression in the form of homophobia, sexism, elitism, and racism." During rush, several men attended rush functions at sororities, and some women rushed all-male fraternities. In some houses, confrontations resulted from the rush challenges, though in most places members and protesters interacted politely and used the occasion to discuss the issues of diversity that have been raised on campus all year.
The atmosphere grew tenser two weeks later when a female student was assaulted by an as yet unidentified male. Carol Caton '88 was hit in the face as she walked near Webster Avenue about 2:30 a.m. on April 16. The attack sparked a demonstration the evening of the 16th that attracted nearly 1,000 students, faculty members, and administrators and culminated in a candlelight march from the Green down Fraternity Row. Participants carried signs decrying violence against women, chanted slogans, and sang protest songs. It was the largest public show of support for a feminist cause the campus has seen for some years.
Thoughtful approaches to dealing with another term of turmoil also flowered during the spring. The newlyappointed Council on Diversity held an open hearing and discussed a number of initiatives it was considering. The Interfraternity Council passed an amendment adding to its constitution a prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sexual preference. A multi-media event, Artists Against Apartheid, attempted to unify the campus through artistic expression of social protest. The Admissions Office began responding to a resolution of the faculty calling for increased recruitment of Hispanics. President McLaughlin attended one of Hillel's weekly student dinners as part of Hillel's effort to develop more social programs for Jewish students. President McLaughlin has expressed optimism that "the great preponderance of the debate and protest here . . . has been orderly."
With 52% of the 44,000 eligible alumni casting ballots, incumbents Robert Field '43 (left) andRonald Schram '64 (right) were renominated to the College's Board of Trustees by a margin of4 to 3. Field received 13,088 votes against 9,020 for challenger Stephen Kelley '81, and Schramreceived 12,727votes against 9,403 for challenger Daniel Provost '41. The Trustees acted onseating the twowinners at their ]une meeting. This year's Trustee election the fourth in whichchallenges havebeen mounted to the Alumni Council nominees elicited the largest participationever in the Alumni Trustee selection process.
With 52% of the 44,000 eligible alumni casting ballots, incumbents Robert Field '43 (left) andRonald Schram '64 (right) were renominated to the College's Board of Trustees by a margin of4 to 3. Field received 13,088 votes against 9,020 for challenger Stephen Kelley '81, and Schramreceived 12,727votes against 9,403 for challenger Daniel Provost '41. The Trustees acted onseating the twowinners at their ]une meeting. This year's Trustee election the fourth in whichchallenges havebeen mounted to the Alumni Council nominees elicited the largest participationever in the Alumni Trustee selection process.
