Alumni Council

One of the most important responsibilities of the Alumni Council is to “nominate competent, qualified, independent alumni candidates to serve on the Dartmouth board of trustees” (Constitution of the Alumni Council of Dartmouth College). The 199th Alumni Council December meeting fulfilled this and other core responsibilities, which are highlighted below.

Nominating alumni trustee candidates Morton Kondracke ’60 and John Replogle ’88. The council’s nominating and alumni trustee search committee (nominating committee), after meeting diligently during two years (14 times) and reviewing more than 400 of your recommendations of qualified alumni, presented two outstanding nominees for two vacancies on the board for alumni-nominated trustees: Kondracke and Replogle. The nominees were overwhelmingly approved by the council. Mort Kondracke is a national journalist and political commentator with more than 40 years of experience in communications and independent analysis. He is executive editor of Roll Call (the Capitol Hill newspaper), previously served as Washington bureau chief for Newsweek and was an original panelist on The McLaughlin Group and The Beltway Boys (www.mort4dartmouth.com). John Replogle, president and CEO of Burt’s Bees, a leading global personal-care company, has more than 20 years of experience running complex global organizations, building budgets and making strategic financial decisions (www.john4dartmouth.com).

www.mort4dartmouth.com

john4dartmouth.com

Both candidates have multigenerational ties to the College, are highly accomplished in their respective fields, have prior board experience, and oppose the use of litigation to resolve alumni conflict. They are committed to preserving and strengthening Dartmouth’s unique undergraduate experience.

The nominating committee, which operates independently of the College, consists of 11 alumni members, the majority elected by their peers on the council, representing a broad spectrum of interests and affiliations. The committee’s presentation at the council meeting regarding their process is posted at http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/default.aspx?id=437.

http://alumni.dartmouth.edu/default.aspx?id=437

Because petition trustee candidates are expected to run again this year, the council voted 88 to 3 last fall to nominate one candidate—not two—per seat for this year’s election. This was based on overwhelming alumni approval (82 percent of the vote) last year of the Association of Alumni constitutional amendment, which simplified election guidelines and allowed for head- to-head contests for each open alumni trustee seat. The official election Web site, www.voxthevote.org, lists the biographies for Mort and John along with election guidelines and additional information. You will also hear about the candidates from your representative councilors. An Alumni Council directory of councilors is available at www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/council/resources. As I submit this column no alumni trustee petition candidates have come forward, but we anticipate petition filings by the February 4 deadline. Alumni have the opportunity to cast their ballots for trustee between March 10 and April 7. Please become informed about the candidates, vote in the trustee election and encourage your friends and classmates to vote. President Kim has asked us to let our voices be heard. I challenge all of us to set a record for alumni voting participation.

www.voxthevote.org

alumni.dartmouth.edu/council/resources

Communicating the state of the College and sentiments of alumni: The councilors were informed about the current state of the College by senior administrators, including President Kim, on issues regarding the financials, global studies through the Dickey Center and progress on the Visual Arts Center. A detailed report of the 199th council meeting is posted at www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/council. Also, the council alumni liaison committee’s second report to the trustees, documenting all alumni sentiment received last year, is online at www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/council/alc.

alumni.dartmouth.edu/council/alc

www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/council

Promoting alumni service: The council encourages you to become an alumni interviewer this year. Details on this and other opportunities for alumni service may be found at www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/dcn.

www.alumni.dartmouth.edu/dcn

Please keep your questions and sentiments coming. We love to hear from you.

Alumni Council President, Avner & Avner Lawyers, 11835 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90064; council. president@alum.dartmouth.org