Dartmouth College                                                                                                         

Office of the President

207 Parkhurst Hall

Hanover, NH 03755

 

Dear President Wright:

            I am stunned. On November 25^th, I read with disbelief an impassioned and indignant email sent by one of my best friends from Dartmouth, a former Big Green Swimmer, which informed me of Dartmouth's decision to discontinue its Women's and Men's Swimming and Diving Programs.  I thought for a moment, it was a misplaced article from the daily Dartmouth's joke issue.  After all, my alma mater is the proudly proclaimed "jock of the Ivy League," isn't it?  But, when I clicked on the link to the press release at Dartmouth's website, I found the news an unwelcome reality.

            It all still seems rather incongruous to me.  I have seen you and your wife at countless Dartmouth sporting events, avidly routing for the Big Green, and Director Harper has been involved in promoting athletics for her entire life.  So, the beneficial qualities learned through participation in collegiate athletics, among them self-esteem, self-discipline, dedication, and work ethic are undoubtedly not lost on you or her.  Nor do I think I need to proclaim the merits of the athletic field, the pool, the track, the rink, or the gymnasium, as unique and effective classrooms, where immeasurable growth of the students who participate in these activities is enthusiastically achieved.

            I chose Dartmouth because it was different.  It was an environment where both my intellect and athletic prowess would be valued and appreciated. It was a place to thrive both academically and athletically.  A safe haven from the media-hyped, revenue-driven nonsense that mainstream Division I collegiate athletics has become.  A place where the love of the game still meant something, and competition for the sake of competition still lived.  As a Dartmouth student and as a member of Dartmouth's women's basketball team from 1992-1996, I got to live that wonderful dream.  That is why I remain in utter disbelief that for the lack of $260,000 you chose to quash the opportunity of hundreds of future Dartmouth swimmers and divers to live that dream.

            This decision just seems so egregiously short-sighted.  I am shocked, irate, and embarrassed about the manner in which this decision was made and handed down to the people most affected.  During my time at Dartmouth, I felt a strong sense of community.  I was instilled with a sense that the opinions and sentiments of each member of the Dartmouth community were valued.  I believe that Dartmouth's success in fostering community is what gives rise to the diehard loyalty of her alumni.  I have a deep and sustained love for my alma mater.  I have praised and defended her ardently through thick and thin. But today, I find myself feeling betrayed, alienated, excluded, and questioning whether my beloved institution for which I have kept my "old undying faith," is now really deserving of the trust I have placed in her.  I am left defenseless to inquiries and attacks about this event.  For the first time in my life, I am shaking my head in frustration and disgust at Dartmouth. 

            Since graduating from Dartmouth, I have consistently contributed money to the Dartmouth College Fund and to Dartmouth's athletic program in the hope that my small contribution might in some way help another Dartmouth kid live his or her dream.  Now, I find myself wondering if my hard earned money is being well spent, and if I might not just as soon keep it until my "faith" can be restored.  I urge you to begin to restore the faith of your loyal alumni by reinstating the Dartmouth Women's and Men's Swimming and Diving Programs.

Sincerely,

Kira T. Lawrence '96