Report from the Council

Greetings. May 28-30, 1987, the 154 th meeting of the Dartmouth Alumni Council will be held in Hanover. The purpose of this report is to give you a preview of what will be on the agenda for the Alumni Council when it meets. The basic theme of the meeting will be the ongoing challenge of the institutional planning and priority process with an emphasis on the residential life of the College, the athletic program, the Native American Program, the alma mater, and the new president.

To begin the weekend, on Thursday, May 28, we are planning a Coaches Panel, which will include several varsity coaches who will discuss their teams, their prospects, and how alumni can help with their programs.

On Friday, May 29, the committees of the Council will meet in the early morning. The main meeting of the Council will commence at approximately 9:30 a.m. with an Alumni Panel. The purpose of such a panel is to bring alumni in from outside the Council so that fresh perspectives and new ideas can be exchanged. In the past, this panel has also provided a lively forum for alumni to be able to speak to the Council about their concerns regarding the status and direction of the College.

The Alumni Panel will be followed by a Student Panel. That panel will be discussing the fundamental issue of residential life on campus. The College has made a major effort to renovate dormitories and to improve the social and educational opportunities within the dorms. Both fraternities and sororities will also be discussed. In both cases, there will be plenty of opportunity for interaction between the panelists and alumni.

In keeping with tradition, the luncheon on Friday will be a faculty/Council member lunch. Various members of the faculty are giving of their time to come and join Council members at the Inn. It is an informal gathering and one which has promoted much better dialogue and communication between alumni and faculty.

When the Council reconvenes on Friday, there will be a presentation regarding the Native American Program. This is a program of which many alumni are largely ignorant. In addition, it will give many Native Americans on campus the opportunity to meet with alumni. The program will focus on the history and the current status of Native Americans at the College. We hope to involve members of the Native American Visiting Committee, which includes faculty, administrators, alumni, and students. At the Hood museum there will also be an excellent Native American art exhibit.

This will be followed by a tour of the new John W. Berry Sports Center, which will have opened just prior to the Council meeting. We will then move across the street to a reception at the new dormitories on East Wheelock, Street. That evening, several alumni will receive Dartmouth Alumni Awards, and President McLaughlin will address the Council.

On Saturday, Sandy McCulloch, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, will address the Council. There also will be a question and answer period with President McLaughlin. This will be followed by a session devoted exclusively to "new business."

We believe that the Council meeting promises to be a very interesting and informative one. We believe that it is appropriate to follow up on the theme of our fall meeting regarding planning and priorities at the College, especially at a time when a new president' is about to be inaugurated.

I look forward to providing you with a more comprehensive report regarding this 154 th meeting of the Alumni Council in the next issue.

President Alumni Council