I have never purchased Dartmouth merchandise. No, it is not because I lack school spirit. No, it is not because I’m “too cool for school.” It’s not because I think I can get an internship at Goldman Sachs without relying on those sweet Dartmouth connections, either. Trust me, I would love to tell airport crowds that I go to Dartmouth as much as the next guy. I do not own Dartmouth merchandise because I don’t think it’s worth it, given how much it currently costs.
It doesn’t take a financial analyst to realize that the Dartmouth Co-Op store — which claims to sell the “greatest selection of Dartmouth merchandise on the planet” — is heavily overpriced. Twenty-five dollars for a pair of socks, nearly $46 for a pair of flannel pants and almost $100 for a single sweatshirt hardly seems reasonable. In business for more than 100 years, it should go without saying that the store has a significant history and plays an important role in our culture of Big Green pride. In fact, the store’s website even states that “no one knows Dartmouth better than the Dartmouth Co-Op,” and I suppose there is some truth to that.
Given the store’s deep Dartmouth roots, its owners must also know that Dartmouth is not the most socially or financially inclusive campus in the country. They may not know, however, that their pricing system contributes to campus exclusivity — school spirit, in a sense, is pay to play. I argue that the Co-Op must lower its prices to make apparel and merchandise more accesible and the College must take tangible action to address the culture of exclusivity that surrounds Dartmouth gear.
At a school where social image is paramount and membership in exclusive social circles runs rampant, it’s practically instinctive to do everything to fit in. For most first-years watching their inaugural college football game, the most obvious way to assimilate would be by simply donning a Dartmouth hoodie. The Co-Op should not capitalize on a student’s desire to be included.
Don’t get me wrong — I have nothing against merchandise or local businesses. Wearing school merchandise is an important, if not necessary, part of the college experience. What I do take issue with, however, is the alarming prices at which the items are sold.
The pricing issue is exacerbated by the products themselves. A large portion of apparel sold at the store is what I would classify as subpar quality –– thin and flimsy material, an uninspiring color palette and a consistent lack of originality. Simply slapping on a Dartmouth logo, a “D” or the College’s name itself does not, in my opinion, constitute good clothing design. I believe there is a simple, and rather disappointing, reason for this: given its established reputation, the store can get away with subpar and pricey designs. There are, without a doubt, many talented artists and designers in the Dartmouth community who would be more than capable of designing better merchandise — items that reflect an appropriate mix of the old and new. Instead, the Co-Op has consistently relied on repetitive designs that fail to match the weight of their price tag.
So what’s the solution? While the College may not be setting the Co-Op’s prices, I do think it can help reshape Dartmouth culture — one that, to me, seems to prioritize exclusivity and profit over accessibility and community. Currently, Dartmouth is leaning into its brand as a prestigious institution while leaving students to shoulder the cost of that prestige. If Dartmouth wants to truly live up to its values of inclusivity and accessibility, the administration should make merchandise affordable — whether by partnering with the Co-Op to offer better student discounts, offering affordable alternatives through other channels or, at the very least, providing students with more opportunities to sport Dartmouth gear without breaking the bank. The College may lose some money giving out free gear, but it will create a stronger community. Because, at the end of the day, the problem isn’t just about overpriced sweatshirts — it’s about what those sweatshirts say about the kind of community Dartmouth is trying to build.
Last year, the College admitted an undergraduate class in which more than 50% of students received financial aid, and most students simply cannot afford to spend exorbitant amounts of money on merchandise, even after the Co-Op’s supposedly alluring four-year discount plans. To me, the heavy price tag is associated not with the clothing itself but with the color and the name on it. I have five different t-shirts made by the Co-Op — all grabbed during orientation week and housing community events — that were given to me, for free, by the College. None have the Dartmouth logo, pine or even the College’s name explicitly visible. Moreover, it is ensured that none of the free merchandise given to students has the Dartmouth “green,” lest students freely wear the color of the college they already pay north of $90,000 to attend. Dartmouth is no longer just a place of learning — it’s a brand obsessed with money and image. It comes as no surprise then, that the only merch given out for free is not ‘Dartmouth’ branded. I understand that, at the end of the day, the Co-Op is a business and profit is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of the students who seek to sport pride for Dartmouth.
We need to demand accountability from the Co-Op, and the Co-Op needs to reconsider the privilege of its position while also holding itself accountable. It’s true that the Dartmouth Co-Op is an independent retailer and not directly tied to the College, but that doesn’t entirely let either party off the hook. The Co-Op still profits immensely from its association with Dartmouth’s brand and should be doing more to ensure its merchandise is accessible to the students it claims to serve. At the same time, the College could take steps to address this issue by creating real alternatives for students — whether that means selling non-athletic Dartmouth-branded merchandise at lower prices or allowing students to use DBA to help offset the cost of Co-Op items. These aren’t unrealistic proposals, and they could make it easier for students to afford something as simple as a sweatshirt. While the Co-Op operates as a business, it’s also one that exists because of its Dartmouth connection — one that should come with some responsibility to the community off which it profits. If nothing else, the College should reconsider how it supports this longstanding — but flawed — aspect of campus life. After all, I’d like to think school pride doesn’t have to come at a price that’s so out of reach for most students.
