VOL. CLXXVIII NO. 12
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dartmouth reinstitutes indoor Kotz: For now, no mask mandate in public spaces additional distancing or gathering restrictions BY Anais Zhang
The Dartmouth Staff
OLIVER DE JONGHE/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
BY THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF This article was originally published on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. Dartmouth has reinstated a mask mandate for all indoor public spaces regardless of vaccination status, citing the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 across the country. This decision comes just after Hanover’s renewal of its indoor mask mandate at an emergency Selectboard meeting last night. Face coverings are not required in “private, non-shared” spaces such as dorm rooms and individual are actively eating or drinking, according to an email announcement from interim provost David Kotz and executive vice president Rick Mills. Masking is also not required outdoors.
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“We understand that much has been asked of you over the past 16 months and we do not take this step lightly,” Kotz and Mills wrote. “We believe that early intervention of to avoid future disruptions and the earliest possible return to normalcy.” In the email, Kotz and Mills stated that Dartmouth’s “return to indoor masking is consistent with similar policies at our peer schools.” Brown University, Columbia University, Cor nell Univer sity, Harvard University and Yale University have all either maintained or reimposed their universal mask mandates. Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania have not reinstated a mask mandate as of press time, but both encourage indoor masking regardless of vaccination status. Kotz added in the email that the
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made no mention of changed social distancing guidelines or gathering restrictions. He said that the College hopes to “relax this requirement at the end of September.” Returning students will begin moving into their assigned dorm rooms on Sept. 11 and 12, according to the housing portal, and fall term classes begin on Sept. 13. As of Wednesday, there were three active student cases and seven active the College’s COVID-19 dashboard. Eight of the active cases have been detected since August 1. The vaccination rate among the on-campus vaccination community is 93%, according to the dashboard, and the vaccination rate among the overall community is 82%.
Sororities issue safety requirements for events with other houses BY LAUREN ADLER, EMILY LU & PIERCE WILSON
OPINION
College will “likely” be requiring more frequent COVID-19 testing
Dartmouth’s eight Inter-Sorority Council sororities have issued a safety standards and events policy for holding social gatherings with other Greek houses, after releasing four interim requirements in July. The list of ten requirements will serve as “mandatory, non-negotiable” prerequisites for hosting social events, according to the standards document. According to ISC yearly president Molly Katarincic ’22, the document, a copy of which was obtained by The Dartmouth and is available in the online version of this article, is not meant to be a “comprehensive solution” to sexual violence in Greek houses, but is a “temporary step.” She said that summer and full-year sorority presidents collaboratively wrote and edited the document, and that they hope it will spread organically across campus. Katarincic added that she shared the ideas from the document with the Interfraternity Council, Gender-Inclusive Greek Council, and National Pan-Hellenic Council presidents, and that they all were “super supportive” of the ideas presented. The standards are divided into physical space of the house, sober individuals and resources, alcohol and water and accountability and consequences. Before each event begins, designated individuals from all houses in attendance will be required to review the list of standards and perform a walkthrough to determine “if the event is safe to proceed.” Designated individuals include risk managers, social chairs or other appointed house leaders. K at a r i n c i c a d d e d t h at i f individuals from any house in attendance feel uncomfortable with their members entering the event
space, they are “entitled to open a dialogue and cancel the event.” The physical space section of the document states that lights must be on in all upstairs rooms of the hosting house and that all bathrooms must be clearly labelled, well-lit and clean. It also states that bathrooms must have intact resource posters and clearly marked. As an extension of two of the interim requirements regarding risk monitors, the full policy requires the hosting house to send out the names, phone numbers and photos of all sober risk managers to the president of the visiting house. This information — which must also be available at the door — must be sent out no later than two hours before scheduled events. Individuals designated as sober risk managers, who are required to abstain from consuming alcohol or any other substance during events, will make “regular rounds of all physical spaces.” In addition, the document includes a template of the resources that must be posted on all restroom doors of the hosting house. This template includes the names and contact information of the hosting house’s executive board and all trained sexual assault peer advisors in the house. Phone numbers for resources such as WISE, the Department of Safety and Security, Title IX and Dick’s House are also required. According to these guidelines, all risk managers will be required to wear a responsible resource while on duty.” The document also states that the hosting house must have individually packaged non-alcoholic beverages in event walkthrough.” SEE SORORITIES PAGE 2
The College officially reinstated its indoor mask mandate Thursday, following new recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and similar measures adopted by the town of Hanover due to the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. However, as of now, physical distancing and restrictions on gathering size will not be imposed, nor will the outdoor masking requirement be reinstated, according to interim provost David Kotz. “The primary driver for me behind having this masking requirement come back is the people in our community who cannot be vaccinated and the vulnerability of those people,” Kotz said. “There are people who have medical conditions or religious beliefs that prevent them from being vaccinated.” Kotz added that various faculty and who are not yet approved to receive a vaccine. As of Wednesday, there were three active student cases and seven active faculty and staff cases on campus, according to the College’s COVID-19 dashboard. Eight of the active cases have been detected since Aug. 1. The vaccination rate among the oncampus community is 93%, according to the dashboard, and the vaccination rate among the overall community is 82%. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy policy fellow Anne Sosin, who studies public health and health equity issues in rural New England, said that the Delta variant is “highly, highly transmissible” among unvaccinated people.” “While vaccines remain highly preventing breakthrough infections, and also transmission between people,” Sosin said. “Our concern is really that someone who was vaccinated is not only able to get infected but can transmit to both unvaccinated and vaccinated people.” She cited a recent COVID-19 outbreakinProvincetown,Massachusetts as one example of a situation that helped inform the change in CDC guidelines. In the weeks following the July 4 weekend, the heavily vaccinated community nonetheless saw hundreds of mostly asymptomatic cases among vaccinated people — though, notably, only saw seven hospitalizations and zero deaths, the New York Times reported. Sosin said she thinks that dropping masking entirely is “fantastical,” as in the absence of all mitigation measures, an outbreak would be “highly concerning” and pose a threat to both health and education continuity. She explained that she thinks that masking is warranted in classroom settings where students are interacting with members of the outside community, such as professors who may
have children. However, Eric Lee ’23 said that he is “very disappointed” with the reinstatement of the mask mandate. “Considering that over 90% of us are vaccinated and we’ve had very few COVID cases, I don’t really think that it’s in line with what we should be doing,” Lee said. Lee added this was a sentiment shared by several of his peers, who are worried that the College’s actions “signify a willingness to go into lockdown or to send people home.” He said he thinks that Dartmouth’s rural location and high vaccination rates would obviate the need for the mandates instituted by peer institutions and expressed his desire to see the College “fully reopen, full steam ahead” for the fall. Grafton County is currently “substantial” community transmission as of Thursday, an update from the experiencing “moderate” community transmission. The CDC guidance that fully vaccinated individuals should mask in indoor public areas applies to counties experiencing “substantial” or “high” transmission. In an email at the beginning of summer, the College announced the removal of the mask mandate and the disbanding of the COVID-19 Task Force. According to an emailed statement from College spokesperson Diana Lawrence, a core group of Task Force members — including former co-chairs Lisa Adams and Josh Keniston — continues to meet, even though the broader task force has been dissolved as of Aug. 1. Hanover health officer Michael Hinsley noted several days before the new masking rules were announced that the Task Force facilitated communication and cooperation among the various schools on campus. “The communication from the Task Force [also] really helped the town make decisions that were in concert with the College,” Hinsley said. Hinsley added that the town is still in regular contact with the Dartmouth Health Service and affirmed his commitment to remain in touch moving into the fall term. Looking ahead to the upcoming term, Kotz said that the College hopes to increase the pace of testing to have vaccinated students tested once a week. Sosin said she thinks that a more conservative approach on the part of the College may be warranted going forward. “We really need forward-looking policy,” Sosin said. “It’s better for us to anticipate changes in conditions and build policy around that than it is for us to be in a position where we have to rapidly react and shift course. I think that we should have some humility as we go into the fall.”
NAINA BHALLA/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021
THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Walking escorts replace Safety and Security SafeRide program BY BEN FAGELL
The Dartmouth Staff
At the onset of the pandemic, Dartmouth’s Department of Safety and Security replaced its SafeRide program with walking escorts — a decision the College has yet to reverse, according to Safety and Security associate director Douglas Babcock. “The SafeRide prog ram is under evaluation and the College is looking at a number of options regarding transportation of students,” Babcock wrote in an emailed statement. “There are a number of departments working to figure out how best to address the needs of the students in a sustainable manner.” Babcock added that the Provost’s office, transportation services and representatives from the student body are involved in evaluating whether SafeRides will return. B e fo re t h e p a n d e m i c , t h e SafeRide prog ram offered individual, vehicular transport by on-duty Safety and Security officers between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. to students who felt unsafe walking alone, Safety and Security director Keysi Montás wrote in an emailed statement. Walking escorts are still provided by uniformed security officers but, unlike SafeRides, are not provided to students at private residences or off-campus locations, according to the Safety and Security website. Student Wellness Center director Caitlin Barthelmes said the College sought to both reduce COVID-19 transmission and provide options for students faced with unsafe situations to travel across campus with walking escorts. According to Barthelmes, both SafeRides and walking escorts attempt to offer students a “safe journey” and work to de-escalate potentially dangerous situations. “Having a third-party person
appear in a situation that is causing concern can de-escalate that situation and intervene,” Barthelmes said. “…From our work with bystander intervention, we know that anything that interrupts the moment, whether that’s a vehicle showing up or a person in a uniform showing up, is going to do something in terms of shifting the situation.” Barthelmes added that walking escorts do more to minimize risk on campus than SafeRides do. “T he presence of of ficer s visibly around campus is another environmental strategy for reducing risk,” Barthelmes said. “When folks are walking alongside an officer, there is a visible presence of the partnership that’s focused on safety.” H o w e v e r, E l l i e C l i f f ’ 2 2 noted that SafeRides are able to “completely remove” students from unsafe environments, in contrast to walking escorts, who cannot provide as quick of an exit. Cliff added that SafeRides are also needed for injured students who cannot walk unassisted and need vehicular transport to get to class or their other commitments. Although Montás noted that medical transports are still offered 24 hours a day for students with a sudden illness or injury, provided they comply with COVID-19 safety measures, rides are not intended to accommodate these students in non-emergency situations. Julia Luo ’23 said she received a medical transport from Safety and Security to her dorm after “severely” injuring her ankle on July 30. The following day, however, she said that Safety and Security denied her two rides, including one to her scheduled meeting with an athletic trainer, due to the suspension of the SafeRide program. In those moments, “no one tried to offer any services,” Luo said. “I just had to make my own
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arrangements during that time.” Luo said Safety and Security eventually notified her that Dick’s House would have scooters she could use. But after crutching her way there and waiting over an hour, she said she was informed that a scooter was unavailable. In addition, Luo said that Safety and Security recommended that she use the Advanced Transit system, a free public transportation service that offers four different routes looping around campus. Luo called the solution “ignorant,” citing students’ varied schedules that may fail to align with the service. “In all my correspondence with [Safety and Security], I just found a complete lack of empathy at every level,” Luo said. “And I would characterize
a lot of the conversations as rude and dismissive. I just didn’t feel a regard for the safety and security of students from the organization that’s specifically dedicated towards that.” L u o w ro t e i n a n e m a i l e d statement that on August 4, Montás reached out to her to check-in about her injury and said that if she was still on crutches, Safety and Security would “try and work with [Luo] to assist.” In the upcoming year, Barthelmes said it is important to collect data such as utilization rates and student and officer feedback before making a final determination as to whether the SafeRide program should be reinstated. “Both quantitative and qualitative data can help us improve
programs and services … and help us reevaluate the decisions around what method the escort should be taking,” Barthelmes said. Aaron Trauner ’22, a trained student advisor in the Sexual Assault Peer Alliance, said he does not feel SafeRides should be eliminated, but noted that walking escorts could be more effective at “optimizing the time” of Safety and Security officers. “I think there might’ve been a tendency for SafeRides to have been misused through the wintertime — to only be used, not because somebody felt unsafe, but because it was cold outside and they didn’t want to walk,” Trauner said. “Limiting escorts to a safe walk might make it less attractive to take advantage of the system.”
West Coast wildfires cause air pollution in Hanover, across U.S. BY Soleil Gaylord The Dartmouth Staff
Record-breaking wildfires are wreaking havoc in the Pacific Northwest once again, and this summer, smoke has stretched across the U.S., causing hazy conditions in the Northeast. The smoky conditions have contributed to unhealthy air quality and red-tinged skies on campus and around New England. Fueled by drought and a number of unprecedented heat waves, wildfires in the Western United States and Canada have released enormous amounts of smoke. A plume continues to stretch across the country and has caused unhealthy air conditions from Toronto to Philadelphia. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 91 wildfires now rage across the United States and have burned over 1.8 million acres in Oregon, Northern California, Montana and Hawaii. Oregon’s Bootleg Fire is the largest of these blazes at 554,587 acres, and forecasts predict that the fire will not be contained until October. Research from the National Academy of Sciences shows that large wildfires can account for 25% percent of hazardous air pollution in the country, including recent poor air quality in the Upper Valley. Earth sciences professor Eric Osterberg said this summer’s wildfires come after record-breaking heat and drought due to climate change. “The entire western part of the United States is in extraordinary drought that we have never seen in recorded history going back hundreds of years,” Osterberg said.
According to Osterberg, wildfires in Canada — including two fires that are each over 400,000 acres — are likely the primary source of smoke visible in the Hanover region. He added that as climate change worsens, widespread smoke events will likely become more common. “We have good data that wildfires are getting worse,” Osterberg said. “The rest of the country has been dealing with those effects, and this is the first time the east coast has had a little taste of that, and it’s something that we might expect to see more of in the future.” Alex Lawson ’23 said he noticed the effects of distant western fires when both the moon and sun in the Hanover area appeared “redder than normal.” “I was driving to Boston, [in late July] and the further away the hill was, the more grey it would look — you could see the smoke pretty clearly,” Lawson said. Initially, Lawson said he thought this phenomenon was the result of a blood moon, which occurs when the moon is in total lunar eclipse. Upon researching further, he found that it was due to traveling particles from wildfires out West. Lawson added that he noticed a worsening air quality in Hanover — on some days, he said, the forecast showed conditions dangerous for people with asthma. According to Osterberg, smoke traveling across the country is more diluted by the time it reaches the northeast, making hazy conditions less harmful than at the wildfire’s source. Gabi Rodriguez ’23, who suffers from asthma, said that it was “noticeably hazy” when she went outside last week. “I have bad asthma, it gets
ANGELINA SCARLOTTA/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
trig gered early by ir ritants,” Rodriguez said. “I started coughing and had to carry my inhaler around.” Rodriguez added that she avo i d e d w a l k i n g at a f a s t e r pace and triggering an attack, calling the situation “pretty concerning.” Wildfire smoke has caused unhealthy air conditions across the country as concentrations of PM 2.5 — air pollution particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter — reached high levels. Wildfire smoke is mostly fine particulate matter, which can lodge deep into the body and elicit
an immune response. Bacteria, fungi and heavy metals can also disperse in wildfire smoke. Smoke can travel across the U.S. in just a few days, and New York, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore issued air quality alerts in response to smoke settling from thousands of miles distant. Geography and earth sciences professor Justin Mankin said the haze visible from Hanover is propelled by the jet stream, which brings air from east to west across the United States. The jet stream “is essentially this river of air that moves really
fast,” Mankin said. “Any time we are getting hazy conditions over New England due to wildfire smoke out West, it is because of this wind pattern due to the jet stream.” Mankin said the intensity of wildfires also contributes to the smoke travelling thousands of miles. Hot smoke rapidly rises in the atmosphere at the site of the wildfire, then slowly settles over the ground due to gravity and precipitation. “This loading of smoke in our atmosphere is a direct indicator of the intensity with which these fires are burning,” Mankin said.
Pre-event walkthroughs will offer hosting houses chance to fix issues FROM SORORITIES PAGE 1
Katarincic said that the authors of the document did not specify the quantity of non-alcoholic beverages or the space in which they should be available because they wanted people to see the standards as “reasonable.” If any house is uncomfortable with the quantity or placement of nonalcoholic beverages, then that house can “bring it up” during the pre-event walkthrough. In its accountability and consequences section, the document
the hosting house will have the opportunity to correct itself and adhere to standards. Afterward, “relevant leadership” will meet to discuss a course of action that is consistent with the severity of the infraction, and the executive and risk teams of the house in violation are expected to plan for improvement. According to the document, houses will also maintain an incident log to keep track of violations and their context. Katarincic said that she is not sure whether or not the incident log will be public, but said that there
may be “legality issues” surrounding the circulation of such documents. She added that the preferences of survivors of sexual assault would also need to be taken into consideration if incident logs were to be made public. This section also states that visiting houses may deem, at any point during an event, that the event is unsafe and communicate that to its members. Members of visiting houses may remain in the hosting house after such a decision has been reached, but “their continued presence is in no way indicative of the continuation of the Visiting Chapter(s) initially
planned consent.” The document includes a list of “future and long-term initiatives” including increased sexual violence prevention and safe consumption training for all risk managers and executive board members, databases of house-specific protocols, the implementation of quiet spaces in all houses and encouraging all houses to participate in wellness consultation with the student wellness center. Phi Delta Alpha frater nity summer president Hayden Welty ’23 wrote in a statement that Phi Delt “[appreciates] ISC’s diligence in
creating a thorough and productive set of policies, and [looks] forward to implementing them to improve the safety and enjoyment of our Greek space.” The summer presidents of Sigma Nu fraternity, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Epsilon Kappa Theta sororities, and the Tabard gender-inclusive Greek house did not respond to requests for comment. IFC president Danny Gold ’22 did not respond to a request for comment. The summer presidents of Alpha Xi Delta and Sigma Delta sororities directed requests for comment to the ISC.
THE DARTMOUTH OPINION
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021
STAFF COLUMNIST NATALIE DOKKEN ’23
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STAFF COLUMNISTS
A Line in the Sand
Dartmouth should not use the reinstatement of the indoor masking policy to rationalize more drastic COVID-19 measures.
Yesterday, Dartmouth announced that transmission relative to its peer institutions. the College would be reinstating its indoor Another factor that would call into masking requirement in light of the Hanover question any decision to reinstate the Selectboard’s decision to renew its indoor College’s previous social distancing masking policy on Aug. 4. Interim provost guidelines is COVID-19 case data from David Kotz and executive vice president the seven weeks this summer in which there Rick Mills also stated in a campus-wide were few, if any, cases, without any social email that the decision was made to “avoid distancing or masking guidelines. While the future disruptions” and offer the community Delta variant has wreaked havoc across much “the earliest possible return to normalcy.” of the country, the Dartmouth community While both decisions are likely a has remained relatively unscathed. preventative measure in response to the While there were a handful of cases growing presence of the Delta variant reported throughout the term, the high in the United States, it is critical that rate of vaccination means that, even in Dartmouth does not use this moment to the unlikely case that transmission levels revert to its previous draconian COVID-19 climb on campus, it is extremely unlikely policies. I say this not because I believe that anyone would get very sick, if they that the reinstatement of the mask policy even exhibit symptoms. All three available is entirely unwarranted or ridiculous, but COVID-19 vaccines significantly decrease rather because implementing more drastic the likelihood of getting severely sick and measures would completely overlook considerably decrease the risk of even Dartmouth’s progress in combating exhibiting symptoms. COVID-19. None of this is meant to say that the The concer n that the College is reinstatement of the masking policy is an considering more serious measures — entirely unfounded request of students. widespread among the student body — However, given that support for the stems from its predilection to conform its reinstatement of the indoor masking policy is COVID-19 policies with those of peer limited at most — and that’s being generous, institutions. Even in the email announcing given reactions on social media among the decision, Mills and Kotz acknowledged students — it would be entirely inappropriate that this decision was made in light of to go any further. As of Wednesday, there similar policies from peer institutions. are only ten confirmed active cases, just However, those peer three among students, in institutions are operating the community, which, within vastly different Whether we like it or given the absence of any contexts than Dartmouth. not, COVID-19 is here COVID-19 precautions Basing our own policies the ter m to stay, and the College throughout on those from peer and the resurgence of institutions, particularly must learn how to COVID-19 around the in regard to COVID-19, differentiate between country, suggests that a is nonsensical. without COVID-19 an imminent threat to term Unlike most of the Ivy precautions is possible League, Dartmouth is public health and minor and will not place the located in a rural setting. fluctuations in cases. community at significant Its overall community has risk. a vaccination rate of 82%, An alternative on-campus community — or a helpful addition members have a vaccination rate of 93%, — to the indoor mask mandate would and cases have remained low throughout the be to increase surveillance of COVID-19 summer despite the fact that all COVID-19 beyond the current once-a-month testing restrictions have been lifted since June 23. requirement for vaccinated students. This Its community vaccination rates are similar would provide the College with a better to those of peer institutions such as Brown understanding of the COVID-19 landscape University — which currently boasts a on campus and a greater ability to stop an vaccination rate of approximately 91% outbreak before it spirals out of control. among students and 94% among faculty Additionally, it would require little effort and staff — but these numbers have different on campus while cultivating the sense implications. For example, Brown is located of normalcy that so many students have in Providence, a city more than 40 times embraced this term. more densely populated than Hanover. As we approach fall term, it is vital that we Furthermore, Providence County is just 56% not act in haste any time there is a slight shift fully vaccinated, compared to Hanover’s in cases. Centers for Disease Control and 67%. Prevention experts have reported that new This is not a one-off example. Every other strains of COVID-19 will likely continue to Ivy League school that has reinstated its mask emerge in the coming years. As such, the mandate — all but Princeton University College must learn how to handle them with and the University of Pennsylvania — logic and reason. Moving toward even more has a surrounding population density far stringent policies in light of minor shifts in higher than Hanover’s. Given this dramatic COVID-19 cases would be a grave error. difference, there is a much greater risk for Whether we like it or not, COVID-19 is here community transmission of COVID-19 at to stay, and the College must learn how to any other Ivy League school than there is at differentiate between an imminent threat Dartmouth, regardless of vaccination rates. to public health and minor fluctuations in In this sense, Dartmouth has an advantage cases. Otherwise, the administration risks due to its rural location and small population, further alienating students — and it’s skating which decreases the risk of COVID-19 on thin ice as is.
JULIA SIEGEL/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Summer term served as a test of Dartmouth’s ability to operate “normally” as the pandemic continues. It’s fair to say things have gone well so far: Until recently, cases have been few and far between even after most COVID-19 policies were rolled back in the last month. However, increasing case counts locally and the rapid spread of the Delta variant across the country have thrown a “normal” fall term into uncertainty. Just this week, Hanover reinstated its indoor mask mandate, and the College did the same yesterday. What should Dartmouth do to balance fears around COVID-19 with its long-promised return to normal operations? Should the College prioritize one over the other? Dartmouth’s decision to reinstate a mask mandate sends the wrong message. One of the supposed advantages of getting the vaccine was the promise of a “return to normal.” There is no reason why vaccinated individuals should be taking precautions — sacrificing “normalcy” — to protect others who have willingly chosen not to receive the vaccine. I’m afraid that unvaccinated individuals would see the return to universal masking as a reason not to get vaccinated. They would think, naturally, that other people, those who were responsible enough to get vaccinated, are taking steps to protect me — so why should I bother getting vaccinated? Dartmouth should not give into irrational fears about COVID-19 when 93% of the on-campus community is already vaccinated. It is far more important, especially in light of many students’ mental health challenges, that we continue in the direction of normalcy. Continuing to live in fear of a virus — against which the College is requiring vaccination — defeats the purpose of getting vaccinated. — Michael Harrison ’24
KYLE MULLINS, Editor-in-Chief EMILY LU, News Executive Editor NATALIE DOKKEN, Production Executive Editor
Throughout the pandemic, Dartmouth has made many adjustments, and because of them, campus transmission of the virus has been relatively low. However, that has not come without costs. Throughout the past year, the Dartmouth administration has repeatedly made its decisions with little to no student input. Students are what make the Dartmouth community, yet it feels as though we are perpetually excluded from the conversation. I urge the administration to give students a voice regarding its decisions. We can have a safe community without being burdened by superfluous restrictions. Student concerns must be heard. Stop leaving us out of the conversation. — Katherine Arrington ’24 Given that upwards of 90% of the on-campus Dartmouth community are currently vaccinated and vaccinated individuals are at a low risk of contracting the Delta variant, this decision is an unnecessary overreaction. Dartmouth cites similar policies enacted by peer schools as justification for their decision, but Ivy League schools such as the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University are only requiring their unvaccinated students to mask indoors. Right now, with just three active student cases, this policy seems overzealous. — Thomas de Wolff ’24 As long as it stays just a mask, it’s fine — that’s my mindset on our new COVID-19 requirements. It’s unfortunate that even in one of the most vaccinated communities in the country, Dartmouth students are still required to take this step. But masking indoors is low on the list of pandemic hardships, so long as we can avoid returning to social isolation and reduced in-person interaction. Let me try to be optimistic — perhaps this mask mandate is just what’s needed to help head off a Delta wave and avoid more drastic measures. — Max Teszler ’23
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THE DARTMOUTH ARTS
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2021
Putting the art back in Dartmouth: Hood Museum reopens Aug. 4 BY Paulina Marinkovic The Dartmouth Staff
After facing several challenges during the pandemic and having to adjust to an entirely remote setting, the Hood Museum of Art finally reopened its doors to the public on August 4. Throughout the pandemic, the Hood found alternative ways to engage with the public and hosted several virtual events, including gallery talks, “sip and sketch” evenings and writing workshops. Curator of academic programming at the Hood Amelia Kahl ’01 expressed excitement over returning to normal walk-in hours as opposed to having just reservation-based tours. “Faculty, staff and community members can come in at their leisure without having to make an appointment, without having to be in a class or have a special reason,” Kahl said. “They can just come in to take a break, to enjoy themselves and to discover something new.” As the Hood gradually moves toward a full re-opening, the virtual activities that museum personnel developed during the pandemic — such as the remote escape room game “Escape to the Outdoors” — will remain part of their curriculum. According to campus engagement coordinator Isadora Italia, certain public programs will remain virtual –– such as the virtual discussion with artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, which took place during the re-opening event. Italia expressed hope that students living both off and on campus will take advantage of the Hood’s virtual programming opportunities for engaging with the College’s art collections. “We will continue to live stream lectures so that they’re available
online and recorded so that they can be shared afterwards,” Italia said. “We want to be able to have those folks still participate who are not in the Upper Valley, but also offer the in-person experience for those who can be with us in the galleries. We’re definitely finding ways to keep the virtual [components] to some extent while still recreating those in-person experiences that we have missed.” In addition to the virtual lectures, Italia said that the Hood is currently experimenting with a new program series titled “Expressive Writing Workshops.” This creative writing workshop series was offered virtually during the pandemic. Due to its success this past year, the museum will be hosting weekly sessions and alternating between in-person and virtual settings. Kahl added that the Hood will continue to offer “Hood Highlight Tours” throughout the month of August to encourage students and the larger Hanover community to explore the new art collections being showcased. The tours will take place Thursday afternoons and will not require pre-registration. Individuals who are interested can simply meet outside the museum, where a staff member will be waiting to lead every incoming group through a highlights tour. The Hood, Kahl continued, has already started to collaborate with a handful of departments and programs this summer. This includes working with the FirstYear Student Enrichment Program to welcome incoming freshmen and offering certain Dartmouth courses access to the galleries and the Bernstein Center for Object Study. Kate Zeser ’22, who was a special projects intern at the Hood this past year, shared the excitement
PHOTO COURTESY OF ISADORA ITALIA
Screen capture from Shannon Te Ao’s video piece “My Life As A Tunnel” — currently on display at the Hood Museum of Art.
of Kahl and Italia about the reopening of the Hood. She said she is particularly looking forward to exploring, in person, the Arabic art collections that she has been researching remotely. “I’ve been involved with the Hood in the sense that I spent a lot of time sitting in on meetings about the museum’s reopening,” Zeser said. “There was a lot of work put into the exhibits and events; the public will all be able to see now. It was really cool to understand how the process worked from designing the exhibits to making sure they’re accessible to all, while also programming virtual events and opportunities for community engagement.” Zeser, who worked as a translator for Arabic art in the Hood’s collection, said that having this art be accessible to the public at any time is a huge privilege. She encouraged students to take advantage of the Hood’s reopening
and engage with the art through the Hood’s variety of programming opportunities. L i k e Z e s e r, K a h l h i g h l y recommended that the Dartmouth community explore the new additions to the Hood’s collection, which contains a range of contemporary artists. Some of the art collections that are currently on view include “Drawing Lines,” “My Life As A Tunnel” and “Process, Product And Black Practice,” an art exhibition curated by Turiya Adkins ’20 during her senior internship. While the Hood will remain open to the public and experiment with a hybrid programming model for the remainder of the summer, Italia noted that they plan to do almost exclusively in-person programming in the fall. In addition to the Hood Highlights Tours and lectures that will continue to be held in the upcoming months, the Hood is planning a grand opening reception on Sept. 18.
“It will be like a big open house with refreshments and live music, just a fun, celebratory reopening event,” Italia said of the reception. “And then we will have the Hood After 5 event and continue to have our gallery talks and other student collaborative events that we work on with campus centers or student groups.” While the pandemic brought several changes, Kahl said she believes that it had some positive effects. She hopes that the reopening of the Hood and the new hybrid programming model will continue to keep the Hood connected to campus and the larger Dartmouth community. “We’re really hoping that people have an opportunity to interact with the museum in a range of ways,” Kahl said. “We hope that people hear from a range of voices and share their own voice and really just come back to experiencing works of art in person again.”
Review: ‘The Green Knight,’ a Strange Tale That Proves Worthy BY JIMMY CRONIN
The Dartmouth Staff
“The Green Knight” by David Lowery has been one of my most anticipated films of this year ever since I first saw the trailer for it in February of 2020 — a lifetime ago, in other words. I was excited to see it for a few reasons, and not just because of the fact that I’m a film minor and, as such, I’m contractually obligated to fawn over any and all A24 movies. I was excited because of my love for fantasy, my love for dark takes on well-trodden genres and because I greatly enjoyed Lowery’s last film, “The Old Man and the Gun.” I finally saw it this past Monday, by myself and in a mostly empty theater, and as I finished shaking off the hypnosis Lowery had put me under for the past two hours, I found myself conflicted. I knew what I had seen was a good movie — the cinematography, the performances and the costume design all came together in an absolutely spellbinding fashion that resonates with me now even days later — but I was unsure if what I had seen was a great movie. I couldn’t tell if the parts that had left me confused had done so because I didn’t understand the logical, narrative reasons for why they were there, or if it was because of an annoying trend I’ve found as of late, especially with A24 films, where the movie intentionally makes itself and its meaning nebulous for no other reason than to confuse viewers in a bid to make them think that the movie is smarter than it is. Looking at you, “The Lighthouse,” love you as I might. Now, however, days later and having done a bit of research, I see that what may have initially gone over my head was not the result of shoddy filmmaking nor my own stupidity, but rather the result of a skilled director expertly and deliberately utilizing symbolism that, once you start to grasp it, greatly elevates the film and makes it one of — if not the best — movies to come out this year. “The Green Knight” is a retelling of the 14th century chivalric romance “Ser Gawain and the Green Knight.” In the poem, a mysterious knight with green hair and green skin rides into the court of King Arthur on Christmas Day and challenges the
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court to a bizarre game. Gawain is set off on a quest in which he must face trials, tribulations and temptations as he slowly learns the true nature of chivalry. The film is Lowery’s take on the ancient poem — he wrote the screenplay and directed the film — and introduces mortality as another key theme of the tale. Understanding the text is a key part to understanding the film, and many of the things that I didn’t understand would have been much clearer if I had engaged with the text prior to watching. Almost every artistic and technical aspect of “The Green Knight” is done superbly, but it’s the combination of performances and cinematography that really carry the movie. Dev Patel as Ser Gawain is magnificent and critical to this movie’s success, as it is with Gawain that we spend nearly every minute of the film. His dynamic performance is what makes the classic hero’s journey so captivating. I also enjoyed Sean Harris’s performance as King Arthur. His portrayal is
regal and maintains a quiet depth, perfectly tailored for a character of such legendary status. Ralph Ineson, caked in makeup and prosthetics and looking like half-Ent, half-man, also must be commended for his portrayal of the titular antagonist. Even though he is visually unrecognizable, there’s no mistaking his signature gravelly voice, which truly sells the Green Knight as an ominous and ancient force. The visuals in this film are both magnificent and enchanting, yet grounded with a firm sense that this world could really have existed at one point. Whether it was Camelot disappearing in the distance as Gawain sets off on his journey, giants slowly crossing a plain and fading into the white haze of the horizon or even something as simple as Gawain standing in the doorway of an ancient grove — all of the visuals in the film are a delight to watch and make you feel as if you’re peering into the past at a place that time has long since
forgotten. Many of the shots are long, and when they linger on a landscape or character, they often produce an ethereal, almost psychedelic effect on the viewer. Some of these are less intoxicating than others and left me eager to advance to the next chapter in Gawain’s quest, which brings me to my biggest gripe about the movie on a first watch — the length. “The Green Knight” is a slow burn, which it needs to be in order to allow its themes to marinate in your psyche, but at 130 minutes, there were times when I found myself bored and even checked my phone to see how much longer was left in the movie. This seems silly to me now, but that was my genuine reaction on my blind watch. This aspect of the film, combined with my lack of confidence as to whether I had been hoodwinked by vapid nonsense or seen a genuine piece of art, is why I thought it merely mid-tier at first. Its performances and visuals alone made it enjoyable
to watch, but I wanted to know if it really said anything. It was only after I had gone home, watched a video or two breaking down the movie and read some articles about the original legend that I realized how masterfully Lowery had sewn so many aspects of the text into the film. This gave me an entirely new appreciation for it that forces me to forgive it for taking its time at some points. All this is to say that “The Green Knight” is merely a good movie on a blind, first watch, but if you choose to engage with the film on a deeper level, you will find that it is, in fact, a great movie that lends itself well to multiple viewings. If you, like me, are not a scholar of medieval literature or have simply never read “Ser Gawain and the Green Knight” in an English class before, this movie is still for you. How much you enjoy it, however, is entirely up to how much work you feel like putting in. Rating:
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Midsummer Musings: Fireworks of NBA Offseason Set Stage BY WILL ENNIS
The Dartmouth Staff
Last week, I took a break from talking about my favorite subject, professional basketball, for almost the first time since starting this column. However, as they say, the NBA is a year-round spectacle, and the league’s second season, the offseason, began this week at a frenetic pace. Hence, now seems as good a time as any to dive into the numerous trades, signings and contract extensions that were completed across the league in recent days. The first conclusion that jumps out to me is that there’s never been a better time to be old in the NBA. Phoenix’s surprising run to the NBA Finals this past season was built on the back of internal development of young players and smart role player signings. However, the final piece of the puzzle — the player that made everything click — was Chris Paul, who, at 36, is certainly one of the league’s elder statesmen. With Paul also serving as the head of the NBA Players’ Association, it may be unsurprising to learn that he capitalized on his outstanding season in free agency this summer, returning to the Suns on a fouryear contract that could total $120 million. This deal will keep him secure with the Suns through his age-40 season. This contract looks like an absolute windfall for Paul, given that it provides an unprecedented amount of financial security for a player his age. Prior to Paul’s signing, the largest contract ever given to a point guard of at least his age was the three-year, $28 million dollar pact handed to Steve Nash by the Lakers in 2012. Paul’s deal blows that record out of the water. Paul’s contract, however, is part of what seems to be a larger trend: teams on the brink of contention following Phoenix’s model and trying to secure their final pieces — veteran hands, particularly at the point guard position. In a similar vein, Miami acquired longtime Toronto stalwart Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal that brings him to South Beach for three years and $90 million. Utah chose to re-up with their starting point guard Mike Conley for three years and $72.5 million. Lowry and Conley are 35 and 33 years old, respectively, making these two more contracts that in most years would have been considered surprising, given their recipients’ age. What these deals show are teams’ desires to aggressively capitalize
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on their championship windows. Both Utah — last year’s number one team by record in the entire league — and Miami — only one season removed from a Finals appearance — feel that they are firmly within their ideal window to contend for a championship. In a summer market with limited options, they chose to follow Phoenix’s example, sacrificing longterm financial flexibility to secure a steady hand at the lead guard spot, hoping that their chosen veterans can accomplish what Paul did with Phoenix this past season. As this year’s unexpected Finals matchup showed, it only takes a few lucky breaks for the advantageouslypositioned team to capitalize and overpower the other team. In the long run, though, these sorts of moves appear misguided. They create a clear championship window of somewhere from one to three years, a near future that it seems will put some juggernauts in the path of a Finals hopeful, but they also may ultimately have negative consequences further down the line. The Bucks will return most of their championship core, most notably Giannis, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, and will certainly
be threats to defend their title. In Brooklyn, a clean bill of health for all of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving is the first priority and would spell danger for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Combine that with the retention of Bruce Brown, a key playoff contributor from 2020, and the signing of Patty Mills, a spark plug guard from San Antonio, and Brooklyn will be in position to avenge their relative disappointment of a season with a run to the Finals. Some of the most drastic deals, though, went down on the West Coast, most notably in the offices of the Los Angeles Lakers. L.A. completed the first blockbuster of the offseason when they traded their 2021 first-round pick and several contributors off the bench for the Wizards’ Russell Westbrook. Questionable on-court fit aside, the combination of Westbrook, Anthony Davis and LeBron James will put absurd amounts of pressure on the opposing defenses, provided all three are able to stay healthy this year. Since the trade, L.A. has bolstered the roster with the signings of *takes breath* Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Wayne Ellington, Malik
Monk and Kendrick Nunn, all of whom project to bring strong wing shooting to the team primarily built around their more interior-focused superstars. Now, one year removed from their 2020 title and following a season that flamed out in the playoffs largely due to injury, the Lakers, with their shiny new toy in Westbrook and entirely reloaded roster, will attempt to make the most of what must be the twilight of LeBron’s career and win another title while one of the league’s alltime great players is still on the roster. There are, of course, other subplots that will create intrigue around the league this year. When will Kawhi Leonard play again, and how will the Clippers perform in what might be the final year of his partnership with Paul George? How will Denver fare with Nikola Jokic coming off an MVP season and the return of his wingman Jamal Murray? What about Chicago, in the weaker Eastern Conference and a lineup bolstered by the additions of Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, not to mention last season’s trade deadline addition Nikola Vucevic in his first full year with the team?
Will Trae Young and Luka Doncic, both highly paid young superstars, make deep runs with their teams? Can Kemba Walker find his All-Star form again at home in Madison Square Garden, and will the Knicks finally achieve some sustained success? As of now, though, following a tumultuous start to free agency, it appears that the Bucks, Nets and Lakers still stand above the pack. This begs the question of whether it is wise — with these juggernauts and other strong contending teams positioned to dominate the title race in the coming few years — to invest heavily in a team built to win right now, or whether it would be smarter to maintain financial flexibility, collect draft assets and build for the future. Although the best front offices attempt to strike a balance between the two courses of action, there seem to be more and more teams this summer leaning in the direction of the former. While we’re still a ways away from the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, the beginning of the offseason has set up what looks to be another highly competitive and extremely entertaining year. Only time will tell.
Q&A: rowing coach Wyatt Allen on Olympics, coaching BY Vikram Strander The Dartmouth Staff
With the end of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics nearing, the Big Green is celebrating its community of worldclass athletes. Men’s heavyweight rowing head coach Wyatt Allen is no stranger to the Games. Having competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics and taking home the gold medal and world record for men’s rowing in 2004, Allen has a plethora of experience succeeding at the highest level of competitive rowing. The Dartmouth spoke with Allen about his involvement, training and life while at the Olympics, as well as Allen’s continued passion for rowing within his current position as a collegiate coach. The interview has been ordered section focuses on the Olympics, The second section talks about Allen’s choice for coaching and why he chose Dartmouth. The Olympics What was it like training and competing at the Olympics? training? WA: When you’re training as an elite athlete after you graduate from college, certainly, both the volume and the intensity is raised. And that’s because you have more time to train and you have more time to recover.
I mean, our Dartmouth guys train anywhere from two to three and a half hours a day. When they’re not training, they’re typically either in the classroom or doing schoolwork or eating — their days are packed full. We’re just not able to train them quite as much, and they’re not able to recover as much as they would need to, or devote as much time and energy to recovery as they would need to in order to train at that level. That’s the
in Athens — while also setting a world record? WA: It was obviously awesome. We hadn’t done that regatta. It was a fairly untested combination since we hadn’t raced together internationally, but we knew we were fast from the times we were pulling in practice back in New Jersey. We hadn’t tested ourselves against actual competition. It was almost surreal. I almost didn’t process it until a few days or even a How did you maintain your WA: I think the important piece was that Olympic rowers had good living and training situations for those eight years in preparation for the games. I was able to live in Princeton and Europe. Six out of those eight years, I had a full-time job, so I was able to support myself and do so while being able to train at a high level. So in that regard, I felt really fortunate. The big thing that made training at that level
sustainable was I loved doing what I was doing. I was passionate about the sport and trying to compete at the highest level for the entire time I was doing it. And then I was surrounded by awesome teammates, and that just made it fun to go to the boathouse every day.
WA: I came to Dartmouth because I saw an opportunity to rebuild a program in a place that had everything we needed to be successful, and that’s everything from a great boathouse to a great body of water. And we just did the renovation of the boathouse to add the indoor training space with the moving water tank, so it really is one of the best training centers in the country. between competing in Athens vs. We’ve got an incredible education Beijing? and academic WA: To me, the reputation to locations of the I came here because re c r u i t w i t h . two Olympics I wanted to build this And then we didn’t really have an athletic impact things. I program at Dartmouth administration think the approach and a group of was very similar that are powerhouse, and we’ve alums between the two fully behind the Olympic Games. come a long way. ... this program. I came I was going with here because I the same coach; wanted to build we were based think we showed what this prog ram out of Princeton we’re capable of on a at Dartmouth — that’s where into a national the training center yearly basis. powerhouse, and was located — we’ve come a and we spent the long way. We still winters in Chula Vista, so the training haven’t reached the full potential was very similar. You know, the big of this place, but we’ve had a great couple of years, and this past year, in of guys in 2004 than in 2008. That particular, I think we showed what sort of changes the complexion and we’re capable of on a yearly basis. personalities involved, but in terms But I think as far as our rowing of the way we prepared, it was very programs, our goal is to perform on similar. the race course for Dartmouth, but we also want to be a program that Coaching at Dartmouth produces national team rowers and Olympians. We want our guys to leave What made you want to coach our program with the boat-moving skills and the erg scores and hopefully
the competitive resume to make them candidates for the national team in the Olympics. And I think another important piece of that is leaving the Dartmouth rowing programs with a passion for the sport and a desire to do it at the next level. What has it been like coaching the Dartmouth team with little competition due to COVID-19? WA: We were really fortunate to have a big group of guys on campus in the fall. And then we had a big group of guys on campus in the spring, and I thought that our sports medicine department and athletic administration did a lot of great things to help us get back out on the water and resume training — and then when the opportunity arose, to get out there and compete. Looking back over the year, there were a lot of challenges, but overall, I think our team was both fortunate to be able to compete and train at a high level. I give the group of guys in the program a lot of credit for how they adapted and made the most of the situation, for them at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association races. What are you most looking WA: The thing I’m looking forward to most is having the entire team back in the boathouse training together. It’s really been a year and a half since we’ve been able to do that. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
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THE DARTMOUTH NEWS
Lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in Title IX case dismissed BY Julia Robitaille The Dartmouth Staff
a former Dartmouth student accused of sexual assault has been dismissed, according to a Thursday emailed statement from College spokesperson Diana Lawrence. The reason behind the dismissal was not immediately clear. The plaintiff, a former varsity Dartmouth football player referred to in court documents as John Doe, was suspended in September of 2020 for panel found him guilty of violating sexual assault provisions in Dartmouth’s sexual and gender-based misconduct policy. Court of New Hampshire accusing the College of racial discrimination and negligence in the handling of his Title IX investigation of the sexual assault allegation against him. The lawsuit sought to reverse his guilty verdict, lift the two-year suspension and force the amount in damages. alleged that Dartmouth violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act that the College “breached the studentcollege contract; breached the covenant of good faith and fair dealing; engaged in racial discrimination that violated his entitlement to equal rights under the law, 42 U.S.C. § 1981; and injured him through negligent acts or omissions.” The College moved to dismiss the claim — eventually succeeding, as of this week — though Doe objected to the motion. Four weeks ago, federal judge Joseph DiClerico ruled that the case could move forward into the discovery stage, during which each side gathers evidence and submits it into the case record. The dismissal will overrule that. regarding the lawsuit was slated to be released July 22, but was never published.
OLIVER DE JONGHE/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Vice president for communications Justin Anderson wrote in an emailed statement that the College’s lawyers because the lawyers had asked for and received an extension from the court. Lawrence wrote on Aug. 5 that “the lawsuit has been dismissed” but could According to University of New Hampshire law professor John Greabe, it is not possible to know why the case was dismissed. Once the dismissal order is released to the public, the reasons for the dismissal will become more clear. “If the case has been dismissed, that’s it — the case is over,” he said. “It could have been dismissed because a settlement agreement was reached, or it could have been dismissed because the court reconsidered its earlier order and
its investigations of sexual assault, enough for the case to go forward,” Greabe later wrote in an emailed simply decided to drop the case.” According to Greabe, in order to claim racial discrimination, Doe would cases where action was not taken against a white student in a similar situation or evidence that would suggest racial animus played a role in decision-making. that heard his case was made up of all-white members that “conducted a the investigator’s bias and exhibited implicit bias of its own.” The case also cited recent pressure on the College — including increased scrutiny following the 2018 sexual misconduct scandal in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences — to tighten up
complainant accounts over those of the accused. Doe also claimed in the lawsuit that in the years since 2005, the College has taken disciplinary action against “at least eight other Black football players following Title IX proceedings,” whereas no Title IX investigations were brought against white players. The College’s investigation into the sexual assault allegations against John Doe began in the winter of 2019, after According to the lawsuit, Doe was accused of sexually assaulting a woman, referred to in the lawsuit as “Sally Smith,” during Winter Carnival weekend in February 2020. According to the lawsuit, Doe, who was sober, walked Smith back to her room on the night of the incident after
of alcohol.” The two “began kissing and progressed to further sexual contact,” including “attempt[ing] intercourse” Doe’s proposition, but “no penetration occurred.” The next day, the lawsuit continues, Smith told Doe that she had not wanted to have sex with him that night and that she had not been sober enough to give consent. Within days, Smith reported the incident to the College and the Hanover Police Department, though she decided not to pursue a police investigation against Doe. The Title IX investigation conducted by the College, according to the lawsuit, found that while Smith was not incapacitated, Doe had sexual intercourse with Smith without her “valid consent,” violating sexual assault provisions in Dartmouth’s policies on sexual and gender-based misconduct.
Students delighted by return of Lodge dinners at Moosilauke BY SABRINA EAGER The Dartmouth Staff
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge has opened its doors to Dartmouth students for Lodge dinners. While the Lodge is still closed to the general public, students are able to go for a free multi-course meal. Every week, Wednesday through While the Dartmouth Outing Club has been able to provide shuttles on some days, students with personal vehicles are also welcome to drive up on their own. Anya Hirschfeld ’23 was able to make it up to the Lodge early in the term. She said she went in a friend’s car, but added that it was not an easy trip. “It is a full hour of driving…You lose service for a bit, and it’s pretty twisty and windy,” Hirschfeld said. “But then the reward is intense.” Despite dining there several weeks ago, Hirschfeld said the meal left a very lasting impression on her. Some of the courses included a tomato bisque with focaccia, a salad with coconut shreds and a squash lasagna with roasted beets, radishes and sweet potatoes, she said. apple crisp with a single scoop of vanilla ice cream and a mint leaf on top,” she said. “They treated us well.” Sam LeLacheur ’23 has been to the Lodge four times this term alone, three times for dinner and once for a hike up Mount Moosilauke on the evening of July 4. LeLacheur is a transfer student, so this term was his “This is only my fourth term at Dartmouth,” he said. “I matriculated sophomore fall, and I missed out on a lot of the First-Year Trips experience at the Lodge and anything like that, so it was a completely new experience going up through the summer. And it was really like, wow, I cannot believe Dartmouth has this. It’s so amazing.” LeLacheur added that he really appreciates the Lodge’s accessibility. “You could just decide on a Wednesday, let’s get Lodge dinner
on Thursday, give them a call and show up, and they’ll serve you a meal with these amazing views of the mountains, this wooden panelling aesthetic with the snowshoes on the walls,” he said. “It’s just a really cool experience to be able to have just at
On the topic of food, “there’s a lot of variety,” LeLacheur said. “For every dish, there’s a surprise in the way it’s constructed and in what you’re getting. It’s always something refreshing, unexpected and very bread every time. There’s always Behind the rave food reviews and the variability in cuisine are the crew members. This summer, Will Maresco ’19 is the Lodge manager and Chachi Riesco ’17 is the assistant manager. Joseph Bravo ’24 is one of the crew members at the Lodge this summer. Like LeLacheur, this Lodge. He and other crew members rotate through all the necessary tasks. “Everyone does everything,” Bravo said. “We have someone who’s at the desk during the day, someone at the desk late afternoon. When we have dinner service, there’s a dishwasher, usually a couple servers, a head server or the host. And then, of course, there’s the cook, sometimes a sous [chef].” Prior to this term, Bravo hadn’t had much experience in the kitchen. “I have some cooking experience,” he said. “Just cooking for myself and maybe my family back home, but never before had I cooked for 50 people.” Bravo also said that when he is in the kitchen, “the recipes are a good place for inspiration. A lot of them are detailed to how things work at the Lodge. There are details of whether it’s good for a large party, what’s the some favorites and successes that we’ve had in the past.” However, even with the availability of the recipe book, Bravo said he still has some creative liberty with what he decides to cook.
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want to cook whatever I want to eat,” he said. “I have been going along the Asian route. I’m Filipino-American, so, for example, I’ve made pandesal. It was really nice to make Filipino bread.” Aside from dinners, the Lodge has also begun hosting special programming on Thursdays. On July 29, biology professor Craig Layne led an ecology nature walk before dinner, and this week, Sarah Smith of the library’s Book Arts Workshop led a program in which students were able to make nature journals at the Lodge before their meal. According to Bravo, Lodge managers are the ones responsible for coordinating these programming activities. He said that Riesco was the one primarily spearheading the programs, but that the crew members’ interests are taken into account during planning. Even while working, Bravo is able to attend the programming. He was one of the attendants of the nature
walk last week. “It’s just nice to walk onto the trail and stop everywhere, because there was just so much to see that you don’t usually notice,” he said. “[Layne] was pointing things out left and right. That was really nice.” Other Lodge programming this term included a punk-themed prom on the night of July 31. After dinner, festivities included a punk dance party, an overnight in the cabins on the premises and a home-cooked breakfast the following morning. Kira Householder ’23 was one of the attendees at the prom. “It was really nice to be around a lot of people,” she said. “Obviously, dancing in a big group of people is still kind of a new thing.” She also talked about the food at the Lodge, particularly the breakfast. Householder is vegan and said that the Lodge was very accommodating to her dietary restriction. “If something was not vegan, they brought out a separate thing for me with almost each course,” she said. Instead of scrambled eggs, for
example, she was served a smoothie. Householder said that other dietary restrictions were also taken into account by a poster on the wall with all the allergens present in the dishes. LeLacheur also went to Lodge prom and described it as “pretty surreal.” “You’re just out in the middle of the woods without cell service for 12 or 13 hours, having a giant dance and then sleeping in a very luxurious cabin for the night,” he said. The Lodge will continue to host dinners throughout the rest of the term and is now also accepting reservations for overnight stays, which include breakfast. Some upcoming events include a dinner at the O-Farm co-hosted by the Farm Club and the Lodge on Aug. 6 and a nature walk and sketch hosted by Riesco next Thursday. Overall, the consensus seems to be truly positive. “Go,” Hirshfeld said. “You won’t regret it.”