A three-term forced vacation isn't exactly what most prospective Dartmouth students envision when they first arrive in Hanover.
Yet each year, a small fraction of students leave the College against their will due to poor academic performance or conduct in violation of Dartmouth regulations.
College suspension, commonly referred to in the student vernacular as being "Parkhursted," technically results from academic penalty or from certain forms of misconduct, according to the College Student Handbook.
But while being "Parkhursted" prohibits students from even setting foot on the Dartmouth campus, some who went through the ordeal said it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
A reality check
After David Belden '97 was "given time off" for academic reasons following his sophomore fall, he embarked on a three-month National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course "hiking, biking, rock climbing, white water rafting and canoeing."
Citing the "Semester in the Rockies" course as the "coolest part" of his time away, Belden said he also thought the cooperative experience he gained while living in the wilderness with 11 other people on the 95-day trip helped him gain his current position as president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
"You have a lot of time to think in the woods," he said.
Wanting to get back into academia, Belden took classes at Stanford University for the summer, where he received a 4.0 GPA for his work. Although coursework completed at other institutions during a period of suspension cannot be applied toward a Dartmouth degree, Belden said he felt the experience was worthwhile.
Dealing with the reality of academic struggles can be difficult for people who have grown accustomed to success in high school.
"I had never failed before in my life. I got into Dartmouth and thought I was on my way," he said.
"It's a reality check to see that you have to stay on top of things," Belden added. "It's not that hard to get suspended."
Belden, who will be graduating with the Class of 1998, said students have made his re-entry into campus life a smooth transition.
He said although being "Parkhursted" is sometimes the focus of light-hearted joking, he doesn't feel the subject is taboo among students.
Belden feels completely comfortable discussing his experiences with students.
In fact, he said he may be interested in compiling a guidebook to aid students facing suspension. Undergraduate Judicial Affairs Officer Marcia Kelly said she is interested in this idea, when time permits, although she does not believe that the College is in any way required to offer outside assistance.
Belden said he wants to compile such a guide because "when I met with the deans and talked to them about what I should do with my time off since I was suspended, I was so unimpressed," he said.
Belden said that other students he spoke with who had spent time off from school were also upset with what they perceive as poor handling of their situations by the administration. He said it might be for this reason that "a lot of people get suspended and just don't come back."
Meeting College standards
While "Parkhursted" students are not in good standing at the College and therefore not entitled to all of the benefits of normally enrolled students, they are still considered Dartmouth students, Kelly said.
This poses a dilemma for administrators in terms of how they should treat suspended students, according to Kelly.
While the College wants to help suspended students to adequately prepare for their eventual return to academic life, administrators are reluctant to recommend these students to another institution or employment agency.
Kelly said the question of school intervention on behalf of suspended students is a philosophical one that the Committee on Standards has yet to tackle.
Despite the fact there is no clearly enunciated support system for "Parkhursted" students, they are not banned from utilizing College career planning services and are strongly encouraged to meet with deans to discuss their plans for their off-terms, Kelly said.
But Chris Showalter '99 said it is in the best interests of the College to help students make wise decisions about their off-term activities since suspended students will eventually be returning to the College.
Get out there and readjust
Showalter is one student that availed himself of the services that the College offers to suspended students.
But even utilizing these services was difficult. Suspended students are required to physically remove themselves from the College within 48 hours.
Showalter said he had to ask a friend to go into Career Services for him and fax him about 30 different job descriptions that might interest him.
Taking three terms off from the College after his freshman year, the future environmental studies major managed to arrange an internship through Career Services working for a real estate advisement and investment firm this past fall.
Although Showalter said his stint at the Boston firm was wonderful business experience, he most enjoyed the environmental research he did during the winter months with the international environmental agency Earthwatch.
The agency sponsors volunteers engaging in environmental research around the world.
The program entailed spending 10 days in Idaho catching mountain lions and taking measurements of the cats for a study about the sustainability of their habitat.
Showalter said it was an incredible adrenaline rush chasing the mountain lions through the woods. The landscape was some of the most beautiful he has seen, he said.
"You feel like you're the Marlboro man," he said.
Showalter also spent part of his off-terms on an Earthwatch program in San Salvador, the island where Columbus landed. He spent two weeks snorkeling in the reefs, which he called the "rain forests of the ocean."
Taking time off from Dartmouth is one of the most important things a student can do to get the most out of the College, he said.
"It's good to get out there and readjust and remind yourself of what you'll be dealing with when you get out of Dartmouth," he said.
Dan Perkins '97 agreed that being forced to take time off from school is a reality check for students. He said his own academic troubles stemmed from devoting too much time to training for the Dartmouth crew team and not enough to his classes.
Perkins chose to take his entire junior year off instead of the standard three terms -- which allowed him to save an entire year of varsity eligibility. Perkins can use this extra eligibility during the extra year he would have to remain on campus before graduating in 1998.
During his time off, Perkins spent a semester taking classes at the University of California at Berkeley and training with friends on the UC crew team. He spent the remainder of the year at home in Connecticut working at a local hospital.
After his term in California, Perkins said he wanted to transfer to UC permanently rather than return to Dartmouth. However, UC was hesitant to accept a student on academic penalty, despite the fact that he earned As during his semester there, and Perkins returned to campus in the spring.
He said although the deans did not make an effort to take him "under their wing," they did meet with him to explain what was expected of him while he was away from Dartmouth. He did not believe that deans should "baby" students, though, since students have to learn to function on their own.
Perkins said he felt no awkwardness in returning to campus after his suspension since most people were just happy to see him back.
"I don't mind falling into the dumb jock role or whatever," he said. "I am sure by any standards of that at Dartmouth, I do fall into that category."
