Week in Review
Friday, May 18, 2007
‘Visionary in Residence’: “It’s all one web.”
Last week, after a dinner and some slam poetry, Staceyann Chin accepted her position as “Visionary in Residence” at the Center for Women and Gender. The self-described poet/performer/activist/entertainer, whose oeuvre includes the classic “Haiku on being the only lesbian from Jamaica,” is the 8th person to accept the honor and was quick to offer opinions about the campus. She bemoaned liberals who only act liberal in the classroom and are not liberal enough in their daily interactions with friends. She encouraged the mainly female audience to make more sacrifices for their activism. “You have to see that all of the oppressions that oppress Asian-American women, that oppress black women, that oppresses black men, that oppress straight white women, poor white women—you have to see all of those as connected. It’s all one web,” she said.
The College recently announced the creation of Voices: The Dartmouth Theater Visiting Artist Program, a program created produce plays geared towards minority communities.
Reggie Williams Enters Hall of Fame
On Wednesday May 9th, Reggie Williams ‘76 was inducted into the College Footbal Hall of Fame in New York City. While at Dartmouth, Williams was a punishing linebacker and three-time first team all-Ivy selection from 1973-75. Following graduation, Williams played professionally for the Cincinatti Bengals for 14 years. Williams joins 12 other Dartmouth men in the College Football Hall of fame, that organization’s highest honor.
“OHWORD
FORREALLYDOH?!”
Dartmouth students can avail themselves to an event entitled “OHWORD FORREALLYDOH?!” at 8 PM, May 18, Collis Commonground.
No comment.
Valley News Not Keen on DDS
In a rather acrimonious editorial last Friday, the Valley News lampooned Dartmouth’s assertion that dining is an integral part of the educational mission of the College. The piece comes on the heels of the Hanover Zoning Board’s ruling that Dartmouth must get acquire a building permit for its planned new dining hall, to be located north of Maynard Street, near the nascent McLaughlin Cluster. Typically, the College is exempt from required permits, thanks to its Institutional zoning classification, which covers all functions deemed relevant to the educational mission of the College. The College filed an appeal on the ruling and, after much wrangling between its own lawyers and those of the Occom Pond Neighborhood Association, lost. The only true ramifications will require the new cafeteria to undergo standard review before being granted a permit.
The Valley News felt that the required zoning review ought to be a good thing for both the town and the College, citing that College projects which will appreciably change traffic patterns and otherwise impact the surrounding neighborhood should be subject to some degree of moderation, so as to maintain amicable sentiments. Neighborhood involvement, the piece continues, is not only beneficial, but logical, because so many faculty and staff members living nearby.
Nevertheless, the piece concluded by warning, “Dartmouth and Hanover are not synonymous, nor is the latter a company town. The college needs to be careful not to give the impression that it views town regulations as an impediment rather than as an opportunity to pursue its objectives in the fashion least likely to disrupt its neighbors.”
Though the issue is fairly minor in the big picture, it represents the most visible flashpoint between the College and the town thus far during the College’s rapid expansion.
Hanover: Unshackling Chains?
Recently, two vacancies opened up in downtown Hanover as NV (a store that aimed to sell “mainstream” and “trendy” to Dartmouth students) and Lyme Angler vacated their spots. Rocio Menoscal, the owner of NV, claimed her poor location and a lack of employees made business too difficult. The empty spaces have proved hard to fill because of zoning restrictions placed on certain types of businesses. For example restaurants must have a certain number of parking spaces available per seat.
The empty spaces have also ignited debate in Hanover over the character of the downtown with building owners weighing the pros and cons of independent retailers and chain stores respectively. Robert Christenson, real estate property manager for the Dartmouth College Real Estate Office, noted that chain stores are more financially stable. Others, however, are more skeptical. “Big box stores are a disservice to the community,” Lynn Kochanek, owner of Rare Essentials, said. Seriously, who want to pay less for goods and foodstuffs.
Student Assembly
Relinquishes More
Responsibility
The Student Assembly passed a measure handing over upkeep of public blitz computers, or “blitz terminals,” to Computer Sales and Services starting this fall. The reasons behind the change are that the Student Assembly cannot adequately service the computers due to budget constraints and a high turnover rate, and that a more dependable agency, such as Computer Sales and Services, can ensure that the blitz terminals across campus are better maintained.
Computer Sales and Services are planning to replace the computers every three or four years. Under Student Assembly’s watch, computers were once replaced after over six years of public use.
Currently, Student Assembly employs two students to services the numerous blitz terminals on campus. Due to inadequate staffing, there have been complaints circulating amongst the student body about malfunctioning blitz terminals, particularly in high foot traffic areas where computers are often “frozen” or are missing mice and keyboard keys.
This is the second major instance of Student Assembly relinquishing its duties. Earlier this year, the Student Assembly handed over control of the “Uh-Oh” blitzes, which notify students of important dates and deadlines, to the Registrar.
A member of the Student Assembly said that relinquishing control of the blitz terminals, “frees up [Student Assembly] to do other things.” However, without the Student Assembly overseeing the blitz terminals and the Uh-Oh blitzes-two important functions of Student Assembly—one cannot help but wonder what exactly these “other things” are.
“Finding the Doorbell”
Dartmouth played host to the poor man’s Vagina Monologues, a one-woman show entitled “Finding the Doorbell,” which was staged in Occum Commons of the Mclaughlin Cluster. Cindy Pierce, the star and writer, has a web site, which promises “Dicey situations retold—from the female condom, to an escapade with the ‘Last Resort Bra,’ to everything you wanted to know about urinal mints—all illustrating her life-long determination to find humor rather than humiliation from her anatomy.” The poor lady thinks she’s really pushing the envelope—you see, the aforementioned “doorbell” is the clitoris.
Unhinged Madman
Infiltrates Campus
Dr. Howard Dean visited the classroom of Lisa Baldez recently. If you’ll recall, Dean is completely off his rocker, crazier even than the craziest Tri-Kap glow-stick dance party. Well, he’s gone now, at least.
Student Governance
Review Task Force
Releases Report
The Student Governance Review Task Force circulated its report via blitzmail this week. It is a healthy 39-pages of various recommendations for improving student government. There are several proposals, covering everything from funding for student groups to structural changes of the highly ineffective Student Assembly. Notable funding changes include having only one funding application for proposals, a regular meeting between high-level officers of co-sponsorship groups, and the creation of a new committee in Student Assembly to review and assess all funding requests. Additionally, the Task Force has recommended capital investment in LCD screens across campus that all COSO sponsored organizations would be required to post their events on so that students can stay informed sans blitz.
In terms of reforming SA itself, the Task Force has recommended that one of the two chairs of the four SA standing committees be elected directly from the student body. Additionally, organizational representatives (who were largely responsible for stifling the reform movement during the Winter Term) have been eliminated. Membership qualifications for voting in the General Assembly have also been made much stricter. Perhaps most importantly, the Task Force has recommended a midterm vote of confidence in the Student Assembly President. Whether or not these recommendations will pass, let alone be effective, has yet to be seen.
Sarcastic Mission Not
Accomplished
Students received a quirky blitz from Stuart Lord, the interim Vice President for Institutional Diversity & Equity and Dean of the Tucker Foundation. It was enetitled “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!” and attempted to use sarcasm-induced shame to encourage students to attend ‘Campus Climate lunches.’ Decide for yourself whether he was effective.
I have amazing news to report to the student body! In juist [sic] a few months as the Interim Vice President for Institutional Diversity, I am delighted to report that the Campus climate is repaired and we have achieved a standard of excellence other schools only long to attain!
I know this because I had invited students to teo [sic] Campus Climate lunches, and out of the entire student body, only 20 (yes, just 20!!) students responded. I am certain this must be because we have accomplished complete diverity and harmony and almost no one thinks there are any discussions left to be carried on.
He later sent an e-mail entitled “Regarding Mission Accomplished”: “The goal of the e-mail I sent earlier was to generate publicity and increase attendance at our campus climate luncheons....” and went on to reinvite everyone to lunch and sign off as “Stuart.” This flooded campus psyches with Proustian memories of the hilarious ‘drum circle’ apology blitz from ‘Sustainable Dartmouth’ earlier this term. Those were the days. Ridiculous campus-wide blitzes have almost certainly entered a period of decline.
TDR Lacks Space for SA Election Nonsense
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