Bucking the Trend

With online social networking allowing instant documentation of students’ college days, print yearbooks are fading like an old Polaroid. This year the University of Virginia joined Purdue, Mississippi State and others in scrapping their book. Minneapolis-based Jostens, publisher of Dartmouth’s Aegis and one of the nation’s largest yearbook publishers, estimates 1,000 colleges still publish yearbooks, down from around 2,400 15 years ago. The Aegis, however, isn’t going away soon. According to current president elena Mustatea ’11, roughly 1,000 seniors purchase the $80 book annually, and this year should be no different. “It’s the strength of our community,” she says. “Students have a much stronger connection to Dartmouth than a larger university.” The quality of the Aegis the Printing Industries of America named the 2008 edition the best yearbook in the nation—also contributes to its popularity. So will the Aegis still be around in 10 years? “Definitely,” says Mustatea.

“No other Ivy league president can dance like that.” WALT CUNNINGHAM, DARTMOUTH IDOL PRODUCE, ON PRESIDENT KIM'S STINT AS MICHAEL JACKSON DURING THE MARCH COMPETITION

Amount the College earned in 2008 from license and patent income. Dartmouth was issued 13 patents from 25 applications that year. The revenue ranks 50th among colleges and universities nationwide.