VOL. CLXXII NO. 114
MOSTLY SUNNY HIGH 69 LOW 43
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Endowment sees 8.3 percent return, a 10.9 decrease
Grade inflation proposals stall
By laura weiss
The Dartmouth Senior Staff
MIRROR
A RING BY THE SPRING PAGE M4
TTLG: STUMBLE WITH GRACE OPINION
VERBUM: POORLY EXECUTED POLICY PAGE 4
SPORTS
FOOTBALL PREPARES FOR SACRED HEART PAGE 8
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The ad hoc committee on grade inflation cited concerns over amount of time spent on academics.
B y KATIE RAFTER The Dartmouth Staff
Little progress has been made since the initial spring term release of recommendations made by the ad hoc committee on grading practices and grade inflation. The committee, emphasizing the concern of grade inflation at the College, had recommended harsher grading practices and the elimination of the non-recording option, among
other suggestions in its 16-page report. Committee chair and biological sciences professor Mark McPeek said the College has not informed him about any ongoing plans related to the committee’s recommendations. Susan Ackerman, religion professor and committee member, said the group presented its recommendations to the Committee on Instruction, and any future action is in its hands.
Thayer will offer mini-courses
B y BRANDON APOO The Dartmouth Staff
Baker-Berry Library will be silent. Few people will be heard chatting in the halls of Fahey-McLane residential hall. But the machine shop at the Thayer School of Engineering will be whirring between Dec. 7 through 10, as engineering students learn to engrave with state-of-the-art laser cutters. Some students will spend
time in Hanover during winter break learning new skills at the Thayer School of Engineering, which will offer several free, skills-based courses during the first few weeks of December to both undergraduate and graduate engineering students. The four courses range in length from a few hours to four days. Thayer students hoping to knock off a few requirements out-of-term will be disapSEE THAYER PAGE 3
Meredith Braz, College registrar and Committee on Instruction member, said in an email that the Committee on Instruction did not meet over the summer to discuss the recommendations. McPeek said he hopes the College is working on the issue, saying that the College should always be considering the level at which the faculty is teaching students. SEE GRADE INFLATION PAGE 5
The College saw an 8.3 percent return on its endowment for the 2015 fiscal year, the College announced yesterday. The endowment saw a recent growth high of 19.2 percent growth for the 2014 fiscal year, 12.1 percent for 2013, 5.8 percent in 2012 and 18.4 percent in 2011. When the fiscal year ended at the end of June, Dartmouth’s endowment was $4.7 billion, $196 million higher than at the end of the previous fiscal year. Chief Investment Officer Pamela Peedin said in the College announcement that this year’s endowment return rate is consistent with the College’s long term goal. The annual investment return rate has been 8.8 percent for the decade before the end of the 2015 fiscal year. Harvard University reported an endowment return of 5.8 percent, while Yale University saw an 11.5 percent return. Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania have not yet released their endowment returns for the fiscal year ending on June 30 as of press time. Based on 2014 endowments, Dartmouth ranked eighth in the Ivy League. In terms of endowment per student, however, the College ranks fourth, behind Princeton, Yale and Harvard.
Alum nominated Army Secretary B y RACHEL FAVORS The Dartmouth
Eric Fanning ’90 was nominated to be the secretary of the Army, which, if confirmed by Congress, would make him the first openly gay secretary of a military branch. President Barack Obama nominated Fanning on Sept. 18 to replace outgoing secretary John McHugh.In this position, Fanning will be responsible for all matters relating to the Army, including personnel, manpower, finan-
cial management, communications and weapon systems. In terms of his ability to lead a military branch, Fanning’s outstanding leadership matters more than his sexuality, East Tennessee State University’s Roan Scholars Leadership Program director and Fanning’s freshman roommate at Dartmouth Scott Jeffress ’90 said. Fanning’s leadership and impeccable character enabled him to navigate some of the Army’s most challenging and complex issues, he said.
Fanning currently serves as the acting under secretary of the Army and chief management officer. Fanning previously served as the special assistant to the secretary and deputy secretary of Defense. His career in the Department of Defense extends across other military branches where he gained experience through his roles as acting secretary of the Air Force, under secretary of the Air Force and deputy secretary of the Navy. Fanning SEE FANNING PAGE 2