Head Cases
Dartmouth athletes are having their heads examined. Voluntarily, of course. Earlier this year Dr. Thomas McAllister ’75, DMS’78, undertook a study of the cognitive effects of head impacts on members of the football, hockey, track, crew and Nordic skiing teams by administering tests before and after their seasons. The results? Twenty-two percent of the athletes who play contact sports posted lower results in learning and memory skills after their seasons, compared to just 4 percent of the non-contact sport athletes. “This raises the question of whether there may be a subgroup of athletes whose recurring head impacts may have an affect on their memory and learning,” says McAllister, who played hockey briefly as an undergrad. “It’s a pretty nuanced set of results, and it’s unknown how long the effects of head impacts may last.” There were some correlations between test results and how often and how hard the athletes were hitting their heads, notes McAllister, referring to contact at practices and in actual games. Participating athletes also came from teams at Brown and Virginia Tech. For the next part of the study, McAllister will analyze MRI scans of the athletes’ brains.

Walkthroughs Begin
Dean of the College Charlotte Johnson announced the latest alcohol policies that went into effect in late September—including random walkthroughs by safety and security officers in campus residential facilities. Officers planned to meet with student leaders to determine the specifics of the new policy. “Interfraternity Council president Tim Brown ’13 told The D student involvement should lead to student buy-in. “The more feedback and thought, the better for formulating policy,” he said.

A New Home
Pam Misener, advisor to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, has expressed confidence that a LGBT affinity house could open within the next year or two on campus. In September the dean of the College indicated funding for such a house would come from the capital budget, but did not comment on a timeframe.

Arts Center Opens
More than 450 people gathered at the new Maffei Arts Plaza (named for Sharon and Greg Maffei ’82) on September 14 for a dedication doubleheader of new art and a new home for artists. The plaza, surrounded by the Hopkins Center, the Hood Museum and the new Black Family Visual Arts Center, is the nexus of the College’s new “arts district.” On the west side of the plaza, on the rear wall of the Hop, hang Ellsworth Kelly’s new Dartmouth Panels. The abstract artist was present as Hood director Michael Taylor explained the artistic significance of the five brightly painted aluminum rectangles. On the plaza’s east side stands the 105,000-square-foot arts center, named for the family of Leon Black ’73 (who donated $48 million and commissioned Panels). The modern building, featuring a Norwegian slate exterior, was designed by the architectural firm of Machado and Silvetti and is a refreshing addition to downtown Hanover. For students and faculty of the visual arts, film and digital humanities departments, the building is a godsend—for the first time they're all under one roof.

Career Service Gets Under Way
The office of alumni relations is rolling out a new initiative that offers career and life planning services for alums. The Dartmouth for Life program will focus on “career enhancement, connections and services,” says vice president of alumni relations Martha Beattie ’76. “Opportunities for career support and networking will be created through on-campus, industry-based symposia, regional gatherings and online contacts, all of which will recognize alumni achievement while asking alumni to share their expertise with the College. Establishing multiple types of connections will be critical to success.” For the long term, programs could expand to include “life development” topics ranging from financing a child’s education to caring for aging parents. Dan Parish ’89 has moved over from the admissions office to serve as director of the program, which opened for business in October. “I am excited that Dartmouth has created a program that will both serve alumni throughout their lives and leverage their expertise in service to other alumni and the College," he says.

Ballot Time
There’s another trustee election coming up—in February—and after that there’s a good chance alumni won’t vote again for four years. Peter Robinson ’79 retires from the board of trustees next June, and his replacement will be determined with the vote early next year. If all trustees serve their full terms, the next election will not take place until 2017. Alumni participation in the past seven elections has ranged from 32 percent (2010) to 14 percent (2012).

A Twist?
The announcements that Yale president Richard Levin and Princeton president Shirley Tilghman will step down next June could affect the Dartmouth presidential search. “Will candidates select one search or the other, or will the presence of multiple openings encourage some candidates to declare who otherwise might not have?” asks search committee chair and trustee Bill Helman ’80. “Lots of questions and iterations.”