“It might not come as much of a surprise to students, but a significant majority of those who tangle with Dartmouth’s disciplinary system do so because of alcohol . . . . For the third straight year, roughly 60 percent of the cases entering the disciplinary system this past academic year resulted in students being found responsible for either public intoxication or underage possession of alcohol.”
"Along with the standard priorities of keeping Dartmouth a college and ensuring strong Greek and athletic programs, Smith speaks adamantly against the 'bureaucratic bloat' that he convincingly argues is evident. He even expresses support for Committee on Standards reform. To me, these last two issues in particular strate that of the four candidates, Smith is most in touch with current student opinion.
"[M]any colleges and universities do not limit themselves to the narrow definition of 'harassment' that is outside the realm of constitutional protection. Instead, they abuse the term to prohibit broad categories of speech that do not even approach actual harassment. And they persist despite the fact that many such policies have been struck down by federal courts.
"Dartmouth’s student-athletes . . . contribute to many aspects of the community. We may be the College on the Hill, but we certainly are not some bland ivory tower of all-pervading academia. This school thrives on having a dynamic student body, and athletes add to that diversity of abilities."
