1948

What goes around comes around. About 40 years ago several other San Diego alumni and I felt that we could improve on President John Dickeys hand-picked candidate for an alumni trustee spot, but time ran out before we could mount a petition campaign for someone else. In the process of trying we generated interest from the trustees and they changed the method by which nominations were publicized so that we have had the opportunity to have candidates other than those generated by the usual Hanover-dominated committees. My neighbor Dr. John Steel '54 had two terms on the board through the petition process, and the last three alumni trustees have been overwhelmingly elected by the petition process.

Alas, through the process of rewriting the constitution of the alumni association to "make it more responsive and improve communica- tions" it is proposed that any alumni trustees nominated other than through the regular process be presented well ahead of regular nominees. This most unusual condition seems to be a rather transparent attempt to discourage the indepen- dent petition nomination process. It is a part of the attempt to rewrite the rules so that the expanded Alumni Council takes over the alumni association, tightening even more its grip over alumni affairs.

Forty years ago Dartmouth was still managed by alumni officers. The Annual Fund got checks from three of every four graduates and was the envy of the academic world. Now it is hard to find an alumnus in administration or faculty and the books are balanced with federal and foundation grants as the Annual Fund participation sinks.

There has been a lot of public relations money spent to shed a positive light on the revised constitutions. Be not confused by it. If the alumni are to be heard at all, it is through the alumni trustee petition nomination process, which is in jeopardy with the proposed constitutional change by the alumni governance task force (AGTF) on which we all have a chance to vote before long. Tell your friends and classmates to vote against this proposed constitutional change proposed by the AGTF.

6442 Cardeno Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037;bobherrick@aol.com