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Dartmouth will be in the national spotlight Septernber 26, when it plays host to a televised Democratic presidential debate. A date has yet to setfor the Republicans. Bothevents will be moderated byNBC Washington bureau chiefTim Russert and will air nationally on MSNBC and regionally on both NECN andNew Hampshire Public Radio.

The College reported gifts totaling $159,1 million for the fiscal year. Among records set was the $39.1 million in unrestricted gifts, a 27 percent increase over the prior year. Nearly 41,000 individuals and entities contributed to the annual fund-raising effort while the Campaign for the Dartmouth Experience reached the 67.2 percent mark as of June 30, posting $877.3 million against its goal of $1 billion.

Sylvia Spears began work in July as the College's second director of the office of pluralism and leadership (OPAL). She was previously a professor at the University of Rhode Island, where she also served as interim affirmative action officer. She is a member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, for which she has been a tribal administrator.

A 13-member Dartmouth team was among seven groups of college students that earned trips to Google headquarters after winning the firm's "Build Your Campus in 3-D" competition. The team beat out 35r0 others, working with guidance from computer science professor Lorie Loeb. The CS department sponsored the project along with the College's new digital arts minor, helped by funding from the William H. Neukom 1964 Institute for Computational Science and Borealis Ventures.

Dartmouth's lightweight crew j made its 15th trip to the Henley Regatta July 4, only to lose in the first round to Georgetown.