Dimensions show to be canceled
Dimensions of Dartmouth, the College’s annual prospective students’ weekend, is slated to undergo a number of programming changes.
By Marissa Lilly
Published on Friday, February 22, 2013
Originally a hodgepodge of fake prospies, performers decked out in flair and a medley of Top 20 songs adapted to describe Dartmouth traditions, the Dimensions show will no longer headline admitted students weekend if proposed changes are put into place.
Dimensions of Dartmouth, a three-day event designed to give prospective students a feel for student life, is slated to undergo a number of programming changes to focus on intellectual life, including more student research showcases, a new program about the Dartmouth Plan, a student leaders mixer and a new intersectionality program by the Office of Pluralism and Leadership to feature diversity.
The event’s organizers plan to incorporate elements of the original Dimensions show into residence hall welcomes, as the show will no longer be held in Leede Arena.
“We hope these changes will take the shape of a multimedia event that will capture the breadth and depth of our students’ intellectual experiences,” said Katherine Madden, associate director of admissions.
The heightened focus on how Dartmouth helps students achieve academic success is consistent with Dimensions’ goal to give regular decision students the opportunity to explore the intellectual life of the College firsthand, Madden said. Dimensions organizers will strongly encourage students who applied early decision not to attend the event.
Admissions staff proposed the changes to Dimensions based on information from a number of sources, including surveys of prospective students after past Dimensions weekends and anecdotal evidence from those who previously worked the event.
Madden said she hopes the changes will strengthen the administration’s relationship with this year’s Dimensions crew. The students working with the program will manage the residence hall shows and advise prospective students about the activities put on by the College that are most relevant to their academic interests.
“I think seeing people here who are excited about what the College has to offer will have a big impact in who decides to come to Dartmouth,” she said.
Ashton Slatev ’15, Dimensions Show 2013 director criticized the academic and intellectual focus of the new program for its inconsistency with the student body’s best interests.
“It’ll be an obvious turn-off, at least relative to what we’re used to seeing,” Slatev said. “We can try to gauge our weekend off of Harvard and Yale and Princeton but the fact of the matter is, when we give up what makes us Dartmouth, we’re really giving up our identity and selling out.”
Slatev said the changes will likely have an adverse effect on matriculation rates at Dartmouth.
“I blitzed out to the ’15s and the ’14s and within five minutes I had received 45 blitzes, paragraphs long, explaining why this was a terrible idea and that they had been thinking about other schools but hadn’t gone because the other weekends were boring,” Slatev said.
Emphasizing what upperclassmen have already achieved may alienate prospective students.
“Having the most accomplished students that Dartmouth has to offer to speak would be intimidating,” he said. “It wouldn’t be very suitable.”
Students had strong reactions when told that the Dimensions show would be forgone in favor of smaller residence hall welcomes.
“I personally enjoyed the Dimensions show because it wasn’t serious,” Alice Hong ’16 said. “A lot of people that I was talking to were between colleges, and they all said that Dartmouth’s Dimensions show changed their minds. I am so upset that they’re taking it away.”
Callan George ’16 said the school’s reputation for academic excellence makes this shift in focus redundant.
“Everyone knows about the academics and how the school is in that way, but seeing how excited and involved the students were and how they could be themselves and be so crazy and fun made me want to come here,” she said.
Pilar Brito ’16, who applied for the Dimensions 2013 crew, said that though she did not see any harm in incorporating more intellectual events into the program, she preferred having the traditional show, which is what convinced her to come to Dartmouth.
“I think honestly now Dartmouth is just going to look like any other Ivy League school, which is maybe what they want,” Brito said. “I knew I was going to get a great education here. If anything, I feel more passionate about being on the crew because since our role is being toned down I want to show people how great this school is.”
Ian Blanco ’14, Dimensions Show 2012 director, said he was not convinced by the admissions office’s justification for moving the show into residence halls welcomes.
“I really love Dartmouth and it’s given me so much, but in this instance, we as a student body have been failed by the admissions office,” Blanco said.
Both Slatev and Blanco felt that a more intellectual weekend and the Dimensions show are not mutually exclusive.
Reducing Dimensions crew members to “glorified tour guides” will only create a rift between prospective students and their hosts, Slatev said.
Somebody get going on an over/under bet on how many people sign the inevitable petition. This should be fun.
By Sebastian, ‘14 on Feb 22 | 2:48 am
This is quite possibly the worst idea I’ve ever read. I remember going to Dimensions and seeing the Dimensions show, and let me tell you, all I could talk about to my friends and family for weeks and weeks afterward was how awesome Dartmouth was because it was a great academic institution that inspired creativity. I got goosebumps watching the show, and at that moment I realized how excited I was to start my education here. Killing the show kills part of Dartmouth’s identity. I’d be heartbroken if the admissions staff gets rid of this iconic part of the Dartmouth experience.
By Every Dartmouth Student Ever on Feb 22 | 2:50 am
This is yet another bad idea from the Dartmouth administration WITHOUT ANY STUDENT INPUT. Dimensions shows prospective students the lighter side of Dartmouth. It shows how much of a community we really are and how it is possible to have fun while still maintaining strong academic credentials. Replacing that with a bunch over overly-censored exhibitions of the smartest and “most diverse” students among us will not attract more students. C'mon Dartmouth administrators, when are you going to start asking the people that actually matter at this College, the students. Also, please stop hiding behind “surveys and anecdotal evidence” to justify these stupid decisions. In case you haven’t noticed, most of us are pretty smart. Show us the data, let us make our own conclusions, or admit that your “data” is in fact bullshit.
By Frustrated ‘13 on Feb 22 | 3:02 am
WORST DECISION EVER. Off the top of my head alone I can name 20 people I know who chose to come here after the show. Matriculation will go way down, I absolutely guarantee it.
By anon on Feb 22 | 3:30 am
I wonder how much input President-elect Hanlon has had in this and other recent controversial decisions. Part of me hopes he has had no part in this and will immediately reverse the decision upon taking office. INTERIM-President Folt is desperately trying to change as much as possible before she gets fired. The other part worries that he is involved, or worse supportive, of this.
By Angry ‘13 on Feb 22 | 3:41 am
Completely absurd. Dimensions will be made completely flat and unappealing…we all come here for academics, sure, but also for an incredible social experience. You can learn about our academics from Google…you can’t get a feel for the Dartmouth community without Dimensions. Wow. I came to Dartmouth because it’s NOT like other Ivys…
By Meghan ‘15 on Feb 22 | 3:50 am
Stockholm syndrome all up in deez comments.
Dimensions is a joke and a half. Oh, it’s cancelled forever? Don’t care.
Oh, and Trips – get ready because Fat Brisc is coming for you.
By Fat Brisc on Feb 22 | 4:00 am
Even though I did not attend Dimensions, this show was a huge part of why I chose Dartmouth. I, like many others here, was admitted to a number of top schools that vary only slightly in their intellectual life. What I ultimately began looking for was a school where I would be happy. As I sat with my mom 1300 miles from Dartmouth and watched the Dimensions show as it was streamed online, I knew that at Dartmouth, I would find not only an intellectually engaging college (a given, considering Dartmouth’s Ivy League status) but a place where students were warm and friendly and excited about the college they went to. I sincerely hope they do not get rid of this show. Our wackiness and welcoming attitude is what truly differentiates us from our peers and is what I believe ultimately attracts people to Dartmouth.
By ‘14 on Feb 22 | 6:22 am
Why must the College be so bad at deciding how change should be made? Ask any student who went to Dimensions (or even saw YouTube clips of Dimensions), and they will tell you that the Dimensions Show was integral to their experience and decision to go to Dartmouth.
I am not against focusing more on intellect and academic/scholarly content of the College, but taking away the central event of Dimensions is just a terrible idea.
The administration continues to suck the Dartmouth out of Dartmouth, bit by bit. Perhaps their poor admissions statistics this year relate to these sorts of changes. You cannot fight the system with a broken system. Listen to the students and alums. LISTEN, rather than “listening” and then ignoring.
By ‘12 Alum on Feb 22 | 7:24 am
What? I realize traditions need to change. I have no relationship with the Dimensions Crew. No personal stake – but can easily see Dartmouth’s misstep here. They’re thinking about admissions as middle aged adults, not high school seniors. It’s fine to focus more on academics, but many people will tell you the dimensions show was one of their favorite parts of visiting Dartmouth – something that gave it a unique character over all of the other boring admissions weekends they went to. Just another sign of Dean Johnson’s out of step and incompetent administration – Hanlon, please get here faster.
By Alum ‘11 on Feb 22 | 8:04 am
Dear Administration, In the short time in between real presidents, you have managed to attack and then subsequently destroy some of the main things that make Dartmouth the great place it is. Congratulations on continuing this effort by ridding the school of another honored and loved tradition that has had lasting effects on a large section of the past and present student body. I would prefer on your next move that you have less student support, if that is even possible. Don’t ask what the student body would want for itself, it’s not like they were ever prospies or know what brought them to Dartmouth. They’re probably still drunk anyway.
Also, please do off with that bonfire thing. It is too bright and pollutes the environment. Thanks.
By Brian H ‘12 on Feb 22 | 8:16 am
I think this is actually a good thing. People talk about how unique trips and Dimensions shows and attitudes are, but they aren’t really representative of Dartmouth at all. Those same “croo” members or green-haired crazy-people will just ignore you once you’ve chosen Dartmouth or finished out your trip unless it is socially convenient for them. Flair and silliness is just a front for facetime and social-climbing.
By ‘13 on Feb 22 | 8:24 am
I’m on board with the skeptical student body. Dartmouth is consistently ranked as one of the top institutions for higher education in the nation. When students apply they know that. What they may not know is the incredible amount of positive, community based energy Dartmouth campus has. Located in the Upper Valley, Dartmouth has a unique challenge in providing entertainment for the students, and the students do a great job stepping up to the plate. I’m sure a lot of students are wondering if they can have a good time at a small college situated in the middle of the woods. I see merit in the activities that Admissions is trying to add to the weekend, but I don’t see how they highlight what makes Dartmouth different. I don’t see how they answer the question: “Do I want to make Dartmouth my home?”
By Alex Hall ‘10 on Feb 22 | 8:39 am
They took away blitz. They took away Foco. They took away harm reduction based alcohol policies. Now they’re taking away Dimensions… This college is nothing like the place I matriculated four years ago, and it’s transforming into something worse than it used to be.
By ‘13 on Feb 22 | 8:55 am
When even the Dimensions director is criticizing your changes, you know that you have failed the student body. We get it, Dartmouth is an intellectual place of academic excellence. That was one of the main reasons I applied. But the fact that, when I got here for Dimensions, Dartmouth showcased that it was unique, that the student body had fun, and that it wasn’t the same weekend of puffing up their achievements like every other Ivy. Dartmouth will never be HYP, or at least not until Hanover becomes a significant town (so never), so let’s not try to pretend that we can encourage a better group of applicants by making Dartmouth into something it’s not. I wonder if the Admissions office even bothered to consult anyone outside of their own office, claims of “surveys” aside (sounds like Dean Johnson’s “silent majority”).
By Disappointed on Feb 22 | 9:21 am
When I came to dimensions I had already been to Corrnel’s diversity flyin and Yales bulldog days in the week in a half before. All three of the programs had a center piece in which a dean came up and spoke none sense about what made the school unquie, but at Dartmouth the students took over and put on a show.
Dartmouth was the only school that let its students control the program. It was this program that stood out to me and ultimatly why I went to Dartmouth.
Why Dartmouth is choosing to give up its brand so easily is a question that needs to be answered.
By ‘12 on Feb 22 | 9:26 am
Wow. This is horrifying. I wonder if a single student advised the administration to cut the show? It is widely acknowledged as a huge success and does show a unique side of Dartmouth that attracts many prospies.
By Anonymous on Feb 22 | 9:35 am
In the months leading up to trips/orientation, I literally must have re-watched the Dimensions show on youtube at least 5 times, that’s how much I loved it. And every time I watched it, it re-affirmed my decision to come to Dartmouth.
I do believe Dimensions could use some more intellectual/serious events, I wished there was more of that when I attended. However, this is a ridiculously misguided attempt at doing so. The show could be somewhat toned down if they are afraid that it is alienating some students— such as less overt sexual innuendos, less focus on partying, etc. This could all be done without eliminating the show or compromising its great aspects.
By ‘15 on Feb 22 | 9:44 am
I think this decision is just as terrible as the next, but stop trying to blame this on Administration. If you read the article, it clearly stemmed from decisions made by the ADMISSIONS office. Don’t use this as another fake argument in your bizarre hatred of admin.
By Not About Administration on Feb 22 | 9:47 am
One, “Not About Administration,” please check what falls into the Administrative offices:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/home/about/administration.html
Also, HAVE THIS ARTICLE REMOVED. Prospies will read this and it will ruin their dimensions when we eventually manage to have things our way.
By Concerned for prospies on Feb 22 | 9:52 am