It was with a profound level of disappointment that I read about

Dartmouth's decision to eliminate their swimming and diving teams - in

existence since 1921 - to save approximately $215 thousand as part of an

overall program to address budgetary shortfalls. While I am sure it was

a decision that was made with the best of intentions on your part, it is

difficult to accept once I consider the feelings of those student

athletes who have been impacted by actions beyond their control.

Certainly their college experience will be forever colored by this

action since these student athletes will have been denied an opportunity

that is only available to them during their undergraduate years.

 

I am a 1982 graduate of Princeton University where I was a member of the

varsity swim team. Since my graduation I have been very fortunate to

have had a successful career in business. As I look back at my

"learning" experiences - none rank higher than those as a student

athlete at an elite academic institution. Over the years I have met

other swimmers from elite academic universities - male and female - who

count the combination of their academic and athletic experiences as

having been singularly important to their personal development and to

their later success in life. Swimming is a unique sport that requires an

unusual level of commitment to compete at the NCAA Division I level.

There is a bond among those athletes who have participated in such

programs while pursuing their studies at elite academic institutions.

 

Given the history of excellence and tradition at Dartmouth in its

academic and athletic programs, I can only hope that you find yourself

in a position to reconsider your decision.

 

Robert A. Schriesheim

Princeton '82