The media has been on overload with reports of sexual assaults at colleges and universities all over the country. The government is now in the act with New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand ’88 and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill leading the way. Fifty-five colleges and universities are under investigation for possible violations of the federal anti-discrimination laws prohibiting gender discrimination at colleges and universities that receive federal funds. Dartmouth is one of the 55, along with Princeton, Harvard, Amherst, Swarthmore and many other distinguished schools.


President Hanlon is in the forefront of those trying to address the problem. He announced that in mid-July Dartmouth would host a summit on sexual assault “that will bring together higher education leaders and experts from around the country to strengthen prevention efforts and better promote the safety and well-being of our students,” as quoted in Time magazine. He added, prevention efforts are “critical if we are to rid our campuses of the extreme behaviors that harm our community and distract us from the passion of our pursuits.”


Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center has again been named in the annual list of the 100 best U.S hospitals and is listed as one of the top 20 in primary care. 


Some interesting statistics for the 2013-14 academic year: 4,276 undergraduates, 2,066 graduate students and 1,059 professors; $61,947 cost for the year; $76,288,734 in undergraduate financial aid. Operating cost is $835,273,000; the endowment is $3,733,596,000. Just announced: Undergraduate fee increases in the future will not exceed 1 percent of the rate of inflation.


We’ve all heard about the decrease in Dartmouth applications, but let’s also note that there’s been a surge in the number of those accepted who opted to come to Dartmouth. There has also been a 4 percent increase in alumni gifts ($65 million to $68 million). In a recent survey of those who, after showing initial interest, failed to apply to Dartmouth, “concerns about the social scene” ranked fifth in the reasons why they didn’t follow through. 


I regret to report the deaths of Peter F. Southwick, Raymond D. Reich, Richard M. Lansburgh, Charles M. Cahn Jr., George F. Tillson, Howard T. Bates and Ralph Howard Dushame. Our condolences to their families.


—John M. Jenkins, 80 Lyme Road, Apt. 304, Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 643-2757; mmjenkins@kahres.org