Dartlog: 08/17/2003 - 08/24/2003

The Dartmouth Review

Saturday, August 23, 2003

Says It All

Grossman has previously referenced Dartmouth's self-description of campus life on the Princeton Review web site.

Its general description begins:

"Dartmouth College, founded in 1769, is one of the foremost universities in the world."

Ouch. It continues:

"A member of the Ivy League, Dartmouth has a long history of dedication to the highest educational ideals. The College community comprises a breadth of cultures, traditions, and ideas. The diversity of backgrounds, talents, and accomplishments among our students, faculty, and staff enrich our community and create a campus that is alive with ongoing debate and exploration."

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Scott at 11:46 AM (0 comments)

Re: Prophecies

As of the Dartmouth Club of Long Island meeting last weekend, a representative of the Office of Alumni Relations was still offering the #2 behind Princeton ranking. He said the College's goal was to rebound back above 50% and approach the top.

The SLI is at play here in two different ways. First, it is unpopular within itself. Second, it contributes to a larger issue of what Dartmouth is or may be. I've been discussing Dartmouth as a brand since my freshman year, though not as a brand solely as a relative measure of prestige. Dartmouth simply need not be all things to all people. The SLI and campus expansion are signs of a school confused about its identity. When students apply to Bob Jones University, they know what they're getting. When they apply to Indiana University, they know what they're getting. When they apply to Dartmouth, they are applying to Darvard University or Cal-Hanover or something. I remember being told by an administrator, "You're going to Dartmouth at a very important time. What you do will shape this place. It is a great opportunity and responsibility." Or something to that effect. If not Ye Olde Dartmouth, I just want a little stability.

Another issue that may be at play in the recent alumni giving drop or will at least be a challenge in the near future may be the commitment to (ethnic) diversity. Last year an active alumnus at a top prep school who is involved in the school's fundraising told me that ethnic minorities at the school were not pulling their weight in terms of alumni giving. Affirmative action acceptees, or since many argue you can't pinpoint such acceptees on the individual level--ethnic minorities, strictly by the numbers, give less money and less often.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by alex at 10:38 AM (0 comments)

Re: This Day in Blabbery...

Don't forget the references in "The Simpsons" too - especially trick pouring counting for course credit at Dartmouth College.

And really, what movie stands up to the test of time better? "Animal House" or "Stealing Harvard?"

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Ben at 10:37 AM (0 comments)

Prophecies Fulfilled

Thursday, I predicted Dartmouth's alumni giving rank would fall from #2 in U.S. News this year. Using my premium online subscription (don't ask), I have culled the following ominous data:
1. Princeton - 61%
2. Harvard - 49%
3. Notre Dame - 48%
4. Dartmouth - 47%
5. Duke - 46%
6. Yale - 44%

Also, I think this data follows a couple of years behind the actual giving, so I would accept similar drops in the future.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Scott at 1:16 AM (0 comments)

Friday, August 22, 2003

Re: This Day in Blabbery...

...and specifically the Bertran quote, "The last movie about Dartmouth may have very well been that black and white one about Winter Carnival, not one with Reese Witherspoon or Joshua Jackson."

Well, we do get choice shout-outs in films "She's All That" (Freddie Prinze!), "Wag the Dog," "A River Runs Through It" and "Can't Hardly Wait" (Jennifer Love-Hewitt!).

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by alex at 10:12 PM (0 comments)

Speaking of U.S. News...

Hot off the proverbial press:

1. Princeton University
1. Harvard University
3. Yale University
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. California Institute of Technology
5. Duke University
5. Stanford University
5. University of Pennsylvania
9. Dartmouth College
9. Washington University in St. Louis

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Scott at 12:12 PM (0 comments)

More

I know Grossman linked to the new Princeton Review rankings, but, for what it's worth, I'd like to explicate the Quality of Life categories for folks who haven't read them.

These are, you may remember, top 20 lists compiled by students:

Happy Students
Dartmouth - #3
Harvard - NR
Princeton - NR
Yale - NR

Great Food
Dartmouth - #6
Harvard - NR
Princeton - NR
Yale - NR

Palatial Dorms
Harvard - #13
Dartmouth - #17
Princeton - NR
Yale - NR

Beautiful Campus
Dartmouth - #9
Harvard - NR
Princeton - NR
Yale - NR

Quality of Life
Dartmouth - #4
Harvard - #9
Princeton - NR
Yale - NR

The moral of the story? Dartmouth provides the number 1 quality of life of in the country, combined with a top 10 academic experience. Combining these two measures yields what is very likely the best overall undegraduate experience to be had.

I freely admit that Harvard, etc. are currently better schools if one only factors in academics (SAT scores and the like). Incresing D's National Merit haul, for instance, is a worthy concrete goal. But for people who realize that college is a place to live, not just to learn, Dartmouth is the unparalled choice.

I'd love to see this fact disseminated more widely (i.e. higher prestige). I'd love to see Dartmouth #1 in U.S. News. However, neither should occur at the expense of our wonderful quality of life.

Moreover, much worse than its aims (which I don't so much mind), the way BlabberForce has communicated its message is 1) silly (worrying about three/four universities with more prestige when thousands have less) and a slap in the face to everyone (read: all D students) who've recognized the value of the Dartmouth experience.

And I say all this as a former prestige whore who once had his little high school heart set on attending HYP.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Scott at 11:32 AM (0 comments)

This Day in Blabbery

Review associate Eddie Bertran weighs in on the controversy in today's D. I've been on the fence about this whole issue thus far, but Eddie's lucid and confident apologia of Dartmouth as is strikes a chord.

A choice chunk:

"Sure, we don't have an office of overseas apparel like our good friends in Cambridge or New Haven. The last movie about Dartmouth may have very well been that black and white one about Winter Carnival, not one with Reese Witherspoon or Joshua Jackson. But do you really want that? Do we even need that? Or would you rather have Dartmouth be the school that has its student's (sic) speak for the institution without any need for self-promotion, by account of their own merits and achievements."

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Scott at 11:21 AM (0 comments)

Thursday, August 21, 2003

Re: Still running at the mouth

Glabe,
When I applied, Dartmouth's alumni giving rate was 60%. Apparently it had been 70% a few years before. And it's been about the same since '01 or so, which means that alumni giving dropped by a fifth during an economic boom. Not a good sign, and I can't see the rate going up anytime soon, not with everyone having a bad taste in their mouth from the swim team and such.

Basically, from what I understand, alumni giving used to be Princeton and Dartmouth about even, with the rest of the Ivies way behind. Since then, it's gone to being Princeton then Dartmouth then everyone else, and now it's very nearly Princeton and then everyone else.

Thank you James Wright.

Maybe if they re-name it the Alumni Fund instead of the College Fund, people will give again.

I'm actually surprised that Princeton's rate hasn't gone down, given all the scandals with the Woodrow Wilson School's endowment and the like. Showing such massive disrespect for those who give gifts usually causes those who give gifts to cease and desist.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by John Kalb at 7:48 PM (0 comments)

Re: Still Running at the mouth

Re #2 below:

According to U.S. News last year, Dartmouth is now #2 in the Ivies behind Princeton (and also #2 overall), at around 50%. However, according to Christian Weeks' piece a couple weeks back, the '03 giving rate was 25%, compared to Princeton's 60+%. I predicted sinking number when the new rankings come out.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Scott at 5:35 PM (0 comments)

Re: Still running at the mouth

Some quick thoughts:

1. This has nothing to do with Dartmouth College. Just like Liberia's Charles Taylor isn't the Converse guy, either.

2. Dartmouth had the highest alumni contribution rate among the Ivies before the SLI. I'm not sure about now, but I do know that it's dropped. How's that for a strategic vision?

3. If there is a "language of disparity," it's probably owned by those on high who devised that strategic vision.

4. Will the man who's prosecuting Kobe Bryant "[evoke] unimaginable pride among women and minority alumni"?

Embarrassment will probably cause these links to break. Smell the mediocrity while you can.

Update: Thanks to MRC for letting us know that, as we expected, the files were all removed. Fortunately, we keep backups of everything and have updated our links.

Also, thanks to DM for sparking this particular snarkiness.

Update: And if you weren't convinced that this Kabir fellow is an odd duck, take a look at this and, for a nervous laugh, this.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Andrew Grossman at 4:10 PM (0 comments)

Re: Still running at the mouth

If asked yesterday, I would have doubted that a name worse than "Blabberforce" were possible.

I would have been wrong.

How embarrassing.

Can I sue if they drive down the value of my diploma?

Clearly, the admissions office is guilty of negligence.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Andrew Grossman at 11:19 AM (0 comments)

Wednesday, August 20, 2003

Still running at the mouth

BlabberForce didn't see fit to acknowledge our super-sleuthing re: the existing BlabberForce firm. But they did change their name in a hurry, eh?

For the past month, we've been working on a new name to help take the force to the next level in spreading Dartmouth's story to ever wider audiences. Hundreds of bad suggestions later, here we are. Our mission is the same, our name is new and improved. We're going to be launching the website soon as well (www.buzzflood.com), so things are looking good.

That's funny; we never heard that BlabberForce was having a contest to determine its new, official name. I'm sure Joe could have provided a few amusing suggestions. In any event, "BuzzFlood" will surely have an easier time embarrassing Dartmouth than did its previous incarnation.

By the way, "hundreds of bad suggestions"? From whom, pray tell? Kabir and Jim Wright?

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Stefan Beck at 11:54 PM (0 comments)

Re: Ski Team

I wouldn't bet the farm on it, but I believe that the ski team *is* part of the Athletic Dept, but because of the outdoorsy bent of the ski program, as well as what I think is a greater degree of financial independence, they lease space in Robinson Hall. Outdoor Programs is just one of many orgs leasing space in the building, other notables are the Aegis, D, and WFRD.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Nilanjan at 11:25 PM (0 comments)

Re: Ski Team

Here's a question, why is the ski team, which competes in the NCAA, part of the Outdoors Program and not the Athletic Dept.? I can't help but think that the violations, especially if inadvertent as they claim, wouldn't have occured had the team been run by the athletics department - which must be far more familiar with NCAA rules and guidelines than the Outdoors Program.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Ben at 6:47 PM (0 comments)

Snow Snafu

As a result of both a regular audit of its athletic programs and an internal investigation of its own, Dartmouth College is preparing a report for the National Collegiate Athletic Association on what the school believes may be violations in its skiing program.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by alex at 1:43 PM (0 comments)

Blatherforce: Busted!?

Review associate, the Rev. John Buckholz, has found Blabberforce's smoking gun. Seems a few chaps from Babson founded their own Blabberforce with a slightly different purpose: "Our mission is to be the college market's first student owned and operated marketing company providing the most effective network of BlabberMouths marketing internally throughout college campuses."

It appears they had this game first.

But: As John wrote in his yet-unpublished letter to the Daily Dartmouth, Kabir and Brent may have a reasonable excuse.
If they do not, John points out quite rightly: "That's odd: a group that wants to raise Dartmouth's prestige is also guilty of copyright infringement and plagiarism. This is the model we want to follow?"
If they have permission, I'd like to hear all about it. I'll even print Kabir's and Brent's reply right here. They can send it to editor@dartreview.com or rdg@dartmouth.edu.
Brent, Kabir: We're waiting.

(Grossman adds: yes, we know it's not copyright infringement. Potentially, it could be a trademark dilution issue, though...)

(Gorsche adds: A whole new ballgame with dilution. Either way, it's certainly plagiarism, assuming Babson's Blabber boys haven't given permission...we'll see)

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Ryan at 12:37 PM (0 comments)

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Dartmouth College in the Princeton Review

#5 "Lots of Beer" school, among other rankings: Dartmouth Rankings.

Then again, the College's own description of campus life for the Review's survey is really strange.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Andrew Grossman at 2:11 PM (0 comments)

Monday, August 18, 2003

How cute...

That other blog has added to their name. They have appended Fair and Balanced to their already ironic moniker.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by JR at 6:46 PM (0 comments)

Kabir Sehgal, Master of Fine Prose.

The Daily Dartmouth is noted, of course, for its delightful prose. Take, for example, this treat from today's edition:

"For only the second time this summer, beef strips will flow like water as unimitatable campus dining option Homeplate opens for a one-night-only showing tomorrow."

I couldn't help but be reminded of the fine work of Kabir Sehgal, the staff columnist who first pushed the idea of "Branding" Dartmouth. Here are some gems from his collected works.

From a bit on late-night comedy:
"Two minutes later, I was laughing louder than the voice of an auctioneer."
"Let's just say his idea of funny is not in keeping with the rest of America as his Nielsen television ratings have slipped lower than the price of a Christmas tree on Dec. 26."
"...funnier than Ex-Lax in a diarrhea ward."

And these, I think, speak for themselves:

"'Bzzz!' The Monday morning alarm clock buzzer is an annoying reminder. It is the clock's way of saying "The weekend is over."

"America lost its moral way years ago. It bounced on the aimless avenue of ambiguity like a dazed child springing on her trampoline. "

"The media has swooped in on LeBron like vultures going after appetizing prey, or -- in Dartmouth terms -- like an ardent coterie of '06 girls going after the Dartmouth Cords."

"Sniff, sniff. Something stinks. America's skies are more polluted than Chi Gam's basement."

Kabir Sehgal - that guy is a bit of terrific.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Joe at 2:54 PM (0 comments)

Dartmouth/Hanover news

I went to a meeting of the Dartmouth Club of Long Island yesterday. There was a representative from the Alumni Affairs Office. Learned two interesting things.

1) The College went to the NH House of Representatives for approval to amend its charter to increase the number of trustees. Approved. No clear details on how many more and how they will be allocated.

2) In the Main Street space once occupied by Mojo's restaurant, there are plans for a "Canoe Club." A Connecticut-based developer foresees a restaurant/bar with a folk music scene. It may be open and ready as early as September.

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by alex at 7:57 AM (0 comments)

Sunday, August 17, 2003

A worthy cause

Why not donate to the Dartmouth Review, which is a 501c(3) charity?

Just click the button on this page and you're ready to go. Major credit cards accepted (even Discover, for those of you who are into that sort of thing).

Full post and comments below the fold.

Posted by Andrew Grossman at 6:22 PM (0 comments)