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An Unfair Advantage

By Blair Sullivan '10, Staff Columnist

Nov 24 | 12:00 am

According to a New York Times blog post, a scientific study determined that athletes with lower-leg amputations who use certain high-tech prosthetics appear to have an advantage over ordinary competitors. The carbon-fiber Cheetah Flex Foot, for instance, may provide middle-distance sprinters an edge in races. This discovery raises a number of interesting issues regarding disability accommodations, the definition of competition and the implications of scientific progress. More»

War Is Not the Answer

By Raza Rasheed '12, Staff Columnist

Nov 24 | 12:00 am

In his column last Friday, Chris Talamo ’11 (“This War is the Answer,” Nov. 20) made some interesting points about the worthiness of the War on Terrorism, concluding that “The world is much better off for America’s actions — no matter how belligerent.” Ultimately, however, I couldn’t possibly disagree more. The War on Terrorism has been a failure of both policy and spirit, giving the terrorists exactly what they wanted and significantly weakening our national security. More»

Monday | November 23, 2009

Constructive Criticism

By Charles Clark '11, Guest Columnist

Nov 23 | 12:00 am

I think that I will spark little controversy by describing Dartmouth’s environment as pluralistic and academic. Our college brings together people who differ in every respect of geography and circumstance and encourages them to engage substantively with ideas and to pursue knowledge. At Dartmouth, diversity and scholastic excellence are mainstream values. Those who do not share them are relegated to the fringe of our small society. I doubt that anyone will bother to dispute these observations. But I would like to raise a more controversial question: What happens when our academic pursuit of knowledge collides with our pluralism?

Short Answer

By The Dartmouth Opinion Staff

Nov 23 | 12:00 am

Kim’s decision to streamline the administrative structure at Dartmouth represents a positive step forward in dealing with the financial crisis. A less bureaucratic and more efficient administration is what any college should want, and in the face of major budget cuts, it is what Dartmouth desperately needs.*—Jasper Hicks ’12*

Friday | November 20, 2009

VERBUM ULTIMUM: Constructive Consolidation

By The Dartmouth Editorial Board

Nov 20 | 12:00 am

College President Jim Yong Kim will never be accused of sitting idle during his first five months in office — Parkhurst Hall has undergone significant restructuring under his watch, much of it long overdue. While we have been apprehensive about some of the change — mostly notably the unusual timing of former Provost Barry Scherr’s decision to step down earlier this fall — these rearrangements have represented significant steps toward addressing inefficiencies and redundancies that have plagued the College’s central administration for years. Many of these inefficiencies were enumerated in a McKinsey and Company review of the College conducted four years ago.

This War is the Answer

By Chris Talamo '11, Staff Columnist

Nov 20 | 12:00 am

It’s not often in our country when transfers of power produce serious policy changes. The Obama honeymoon period significantly improved the nation’s general foreign relations, but that was more of a product of our neighbors’ thankfulness that they didn’t have to put up with Bush, rather than a result of American pressure. So how is it that the War on Terrorism, the primary motivation of Bush’s foreign policy and his greatest legacy, has come under intense scrutiny?

Thursday | November 19, 2009

I Don’t Know, But…

By Zachary Gottlieb '10 , Staff Columnist

Nov 19 | 12:00 am

Perhaps I’ve been reading too many William Safire columns or have succumbed to the jaded pettiness of a senior amidst enthusiastic underclassmen, but I’m using my 700-word allotment to discuss a daily decision in Dartmouth discussion diction that deliberately diminishes discursive value (alliteration, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship). A quotidian bother for this humble columnist has been the frequent use of “I don’t know, but…” as the preface to comments during class discussions. Despite the lengthy and adequate answer that usually follows, students constantly add this small, humbling prefix to their statements. I have decided to deconstruct the thought process of these self-effacing Ivy Leaguers.

Thinking Outside the Box

By Emily Johnson '12, Staff Columnist

Nov 19 | 12:00 am

Last year, sizable budget cuts were implemented by the Dartmouth administration, with little noticeable impact on the quality of student life. The newest round of reductions, which may total $100 million, will likely not be as painless. Although some easy cuts may still remain, these easy fixes will not be enough to make up the entirety of the budget shortfall. The time for difficult decisions has come. These cuts will require us to look inward as an institution, deciding which values are fundamental to our mission, and which are negotiable. However, the fact that these decisions must be made on the basis of more essential considerations about Dartmouth’s core values does not preclude us from turning to outside experts for some advice.

Wednesday | November 18, 2009

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

By Josh Kornberg '13, Contributing Columnist

Nov 18 | 12:00 am

The United States prison system is as unsavory and misguided as David Bowie’s 1972 mullet. With 7 million Americans in jail, on probation or on parole, the “land of the free” is host to nearly 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, according to a CNN study. Over one in 100 Americans is incarcerated.

Hiding Behind Our Pink Spandex

By Jasper Hicks '12, Staff Columnist

Nov 18 | 12:00 am

Flair, like Homecoming or Winter Carnival, is a Dartmouth tradition. But part of what distinguishes this tradition from our termly festivals is the fact that flair is worn year-round — it begins with Trips and ends, well, never. Whether worn as party attire, used as a costume to cheer on a team or donned just for fun, flair is about as ubiquitous on this campus as beer and snow. Even more than a tradition, it seems, flair has become a Dartmouth obsession.

Tuesday | November 17, 2009

Teachable Moments

By Isaiah Berg ’11, Staff Columnist

Nov 17 | 12:00 am

In a recent interview with The Dartmouth about faculty reaction to the College’s impending budget cuts (“College leaders to face profs’ budget concerns” Nov. 6), mathematics professor Dan Rockmore, chair of the Committee on Priorities, said that economically vulnerable employees of the College should not be disproportionately affected. Speaking following College President Jim Yong Kim’s October address to the faculty, English professor Donald Pease went so far as to argue that the definition of a liberal arts education is to deliver services to people in need in the midst of social change. Pease, therefore, said that the College should take the lead in bringing people back to work, despite the example of our peer institutions. Does this square with your definition of a liberal arts education?

An Intolerable Situation

By Justin Murray ’13, Contributing Columnist

Nov 17 | 12:00 am

I have a special talent: I can identify nearly every skeptic in any crowd without asking questions. All I do is announce that I’m Catholic and wait to see who smirks.

VOX CLAMANTIS: Not ‘Low-Level’

By Roland Adams

Nov 17 | 12:00 am

To the Editor: The Dartmouth’s most recent editorial (“VERBUM ULTIMUM: Informing Decisions,” Nov. 13) is in error on the following point: The College’s layoffs earlier this year were not aimed at, nor did they impact greater numbers of, “low-level staffers.” In fact, positions were eliminated at all levels in the effort to bring expenditures in line with reduced revenues. More managerial and professional positions than support and service positions were eliminated.

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