Dartmouth Moves Towards House System

The Committee on the Student Life Initiative at Dartmouth College has released a 50-page proposal designed to dramatically change the focus of students' social lives.

Introduced on Jan. 10, the initiative recommends stricter standards for co-ed, fraternity and sorority (CFS) organizations and alcohol on campus, including an end to the groups' pledges period. The committee has also called for a "cluster"-based housing system--similar to Harvard's Houses--with increased common spaces for students.

Student response to the proposals has been mild compared to the mass outrage on the Hanover, N.H. campus last fall, when the crackdown on Greek-centered social life began.

"Overall, I think that the intentions behind [the initiative] are good,"

said Dartmouth sophomore Elizabeth M. Carroll. "The general idea is supposedly to improve social life and general atmosphere at Dartmouth, and I don't fault that intention."

Dartmouth has long had an "animal house" reputation given the prevalence of CFS-affiliated students and parties on campus. Currently, there are 28 CFS organizations at Dartmouth, and 43 percent of students are CFS-affiliated.

Last year, Dartmouth announced that it was aiming to decrease the Greek presence on campus, but because of student opposition, the new initiative calls for the transition to be made gradually.

The proposal therefore recommends prohibiting the formation of any new CFS groups and imposing a strict new set of standards on those already in existence.

CFS organizations would be required to maintain a minimum number of members and house advisers and either become co-ed or affiliate with an opposite-sex organization. CFS members would also have to fulfill a community service requirement.

Under the new proposals, the university would also enforce a requirement that any individual who participates in rush be guaranteed membership in at least one CFS organization. Due to fears of hazing, the rules also require that CFS organizations eliminate the pledge process.

Because they don't have the minimum membership or simply don't want to follow these rules, likely several CFS groups will disband or be de-recognized by the school.

The college hopes that residential "clusters"--groups of adjacent residence halls with associated social spaces--will replace CFS groups as the center of Dartmouth student life.

The ultimate goal of the cluster system closely resembles Harvard's House system, in that students will remain affiliated with a cluster from matriculation or their sophomore year through graduation.

Each cluster would have student representatives to the Cluster Council, as well as college employees called Cluster Coordinators residing in the buildings.

According to the proposal, student dining will become less centralized. Dartmouth currently has centralized dining in Thayer Hall. The initiative proposes an additional new full-service dining facility as well as smaller snack bars.

Carroll said she feels the school's party stereotype is inaccurate and that many students feel these proposals are overkill for an about-average drinking problem on campus.

"I think a lot of students feel that it proposes a lot of restrictions on the Greek system, and the proposals about residential life seem really restrictive," she said.

Other proposals are aimed at reducing underage and binge drinking, which most officials say often occur at large open parties in CFS buildings. All beer taps and large refrigeration units must be removed from CFS buildings, and their basements must be renovated into lounges or study areas.

Parties of 15 or more people must be registered, and can only take place on the first floor of CFS buildings. All alcohol purchases, which until now were not allowed to be with CFS budget funds, now must be recorded along with the regular budget.

The committee also recommended that venues for licensed sale of alcohol be expanded or built, in order to decrease the amount of illegal underage drinking.

The Committee on the Student Life Initiative, appointed in the spring of 1999 by Dartmouth President James Wright, consists of trustee members, faculty and graduate and undergraduate representatives.

The college will now conduct a public discussion about the recommendations through the end of this academic year.