NEWS AND NOTES

A Dangerous Ride

>>> Hoverboards have been banned from campus. “The concern is that the batteries are known to explode and cause fires,” says director of residential operations Catherine Henault. Possession or use of the self-balancing scooters is prohibited. Similar bans have been put in place at numerous schools in the wake of a number of hoverboard fires and subsequent injuries to users.

Students Celebrate Founders Day

>>> Baker-Berry Library hosted the College’s first Founders Day in late February, when students gathered to learn which of the six new house communities they’ll be joining in the fall. “This is your chance to get in on the ground floor, mingle as house members and imagine together how these communities can enrich everyone’s Dartmouth experience,” Dean of the College Rebecca Biron told the enthusiastic assembly. Students did just that, after signing a founding-member ledger and showing off the scarves and T-shirts—with house insignia on them—that were passed out. The new residential life model is part of Moving Dartmouth Forward plans.

Creative Energy

>>> Four winning ideas emerged at the February Pitch competition sponsored by the Dartmouth Entrepreneurial Network and Digital Arts Leadership and Innovation Lab. After 20 student teams pitched their big ideas, Shark Tank style, to a panel of judges, first place went to FoodShare, an app that “combines a marketing opportunity for restaurants with food donations to families in need.” Second place went to Lodestone Biomedical for a “smart” wand that detects iron deficiencies, and third place to Heartstring, an app that allows users to add original music to social media videos. The Audience Choice award went to Puke Pocket, which is best described as “a better way for EMT personnel to deal with vomit.”