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As Winter term comes to a temperate close, we at The Dartmouth look back on a term that was, in many ways, light on news around campus. Aside from the whirlwind New Hampshire Democratic primary, the winter doldrums seemed to have quelled campus activity. We look forward to a busier spring -- and the return of our cold-fleeing classmates.
The seminal event of the term was, of course, the month-long sprint of frenetic campaigning leading up to the Democratic primary. Candidates came and went, while student volunteers worked around the clock to get out the vote. With all the remarkable appearances, however, there was one thing noticeably missing: a high-profile debate. Kabir Sehgal '05 and his BuzzFlood colleagues did their best to make an issue out of it, claiming that their attempts at organizing such an event were sabotaged by the College. Instead of the big story they hoped to create, campus news media and students at large generally ignored or rebuked the organization for its rather backward way of "promoting excellence" at Dartmouth. Nevertheless, we hope that this year's disappointing lack of a debate will prompt the College to make a more concerted effort four years from now to take advantage of our prime location.
Meanwhile, with a little less glamour, the Student Assembly hacked away at several small projects to improve student life. Julia Hildreth '05's effort to create a new student advising system for incoming freshmen met with considerable success and should be in place for the incoming freshman class. Considering how uninterested in advising first-years many faculty members are, this will be a welcome addition and will hopefully serve to answer many of the questions that greet students new to Dartmouth.
The Student Assembly continued to address students' rights and will soon be distributing wallet-sized cards with information relevant to the practices of Safety and Security, the Hanover Police and the administration. After surveying the student body, the Assembly successfully pushed to reopen the Big Green Bean for Collis late-night studiers, and it is working to free up more space in Berry Sports Center for those who prefer lifting to lattes. Overall, the Assembly has had a successful term considering the dearth of sophomores and juniors, as well as financial constraints. We look forward to the Assembly elections this spring and hope that Janos Marton '04's successor can match his take-charge nature.
The Greek system was met with several obstacles at the start of the term when a slew of charges for minor offenses were tossed about, and most every house was under the cloud of suspicion for a time. Fortunately, the hype turned out to be just that, and only a few fraternities are in the unfortunate position of having to wait for a table in someone else's basement. Furthermore, all signs seem to be pointing toward a return to fall rush -- a victory for houses that are strapped for cash with fewer members.
Lastly, Winter Carnival once again managed to drag even the most seasonally-affected students out of their rooms for a weekend of excess and outdoor amusement. Hats off to the builders of the big snowy cat and to everyone else who made the Carnival a resounding success.
And now, bring on the sunshine, bare feet and frisbees. Spring is just around the corner.
