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>> Welcome back to Chatapalooza 2012.
This is the Black
and African-American community discussion.
My name is Clark Moore and I'm 13 at Dartmouth
which means I'm a junior and I'm majoring in history modified
with art history in theater.
And I'm from Atlanta, Georgia and on campus I'm a member
of the Dartmouth Aires, Sugarplum which is a dance group
and I work here in Ignitions.
>> Hi my name is Daniel Moore, I'm 15 here at Dartmouth College
which means I'm a freshman.
I'm from Los Angeles California [Noise] I'm planning on majoring
in Engineering with a minor in Anthropology.
And on campus I'm involved in club basketball,
a Leadership Diversity Program in Christian Union.
>> Hi I'm Aaron Colston,
I'm 14 which means I'm a sophomore at Dartmouth.
I'm studying English and Education and I'm involved
in Men of Color Alliance and the Afro-American Society
and that's about it.
I think that's everything.
>> Yeah that sounds great.
>> Cool, all right.
>> We're so happy to be here today.
We're so excited to see all these fresh faces who are
about to come to Dartmouth.
It's a very exciting time for us.
This is a chance for you to ask us questions so feel free
to post questions on the chat and I'll answer them.
I mean you can really ask us any thing.
This is the topic here is the Black
and African American community but you can ask us anything
from where to get your hair done or cut all the way
to what classes you might want to take in the AAAS department
or in the philosophy department, who knows.
So you were saying that you do Men
of Color Alliance, what is that?
>> Well it's just an organization that supports Men
of Color here on campus.
Part of it is really just to make the campus feel like home.
You know maybe more like a barber shop or you know more
like your uncle's house.
Barber shop intercity barber shop LA yeah.
What's up B?
What's up El John [phonetic] in case they have
to show is on YouTube.
And so that's really what it is.
We want this place to more signify the diverse or community
that it is and that's Men of Color Alliance does.
>> Sure, so what kind of things,
what kind of events do you guys do?
>> Well, we do part community service you know part academic
workshops and part of this also networking you know helping new
students, upperclassmen, really get to know professors
and faculty and staff.
Part of it is just hanging out you know, just getting
to know you're a several people of color and not just like men
of color are allowed to be part of the organization.
>> Sure.
>> Like you know it's got to be inclusive, right?
And so that's always open,
that's always you know something we welcome.
>> Good, so we have a question from Ai Fabrigal [phonetic].
What clubs and activities are available
for the African-American community?
>> That's really a great question.
We just heard a little bit about of Men of Color Alliance.
Do you want to talk in some?
>> Yeah I think I mean all the clubs and activities
on campus are available for the community.
But amongst ourselves we do have different groups like MoCA
and WOC which is the Women of Color Association.
>> Women of Color Collectives.
>> Color Collectives, excuse me.
>> Yeah, well.
>> And we also have different groups.
Every other Monday we have general body meetings
which is just the time for the community to come together
and talk about different topics varying from social media
to things going on, on campus,
and among those are the different groups
so there is community service board social groups
and things like that.
>> Sure. And I think that's a really great
when you talk about the community.
It's a really great point to make because for me when I chose
to come to Dartmouth, people always ask me
like how did you choose New Hampshire like in all places.
>> Yeah, same.
>> I came from Atlanta Georgia which is
like the blackest city in the country.
And like people are always asking,
"How did you find Dartmouth in New Hampshire?"
And I think for me I've had such a great time just
like in experiencing the diversity that really is here.
One of the reasons that I chose to come to Dartmouth was
because in my class, the class of 2013,
44 percent of the admitted students were nonwhite
which I thought was just absolutely astonishing specially
for a school like Dartmouth which has this reputation
at least within the Black Community in Atlanta
of being this more conservative more white school
and that's not necessarily a bad thing,
but it's not what I found, you know?
When I came here I found that it's much mover diverse.
So I think that point
about people really having opportunities
to do all different types of things.
You know, there are cultural specific groups,
performance groups or like groups that are kind
of surpass the African American affinity house.
And then there are also just every other group
that anyone can be a part of, such a really great question.
There's a link to the AM website which you guys should check out.
It gives all the information
like what the African-American society at Dartmouth does.
And we have a question from Ozie [phonetic].
How dynamic and outspoken is the African-American community?
This is a good question.
>> That's a really good question.
>> What you guys have to say?
>> Trust me in, in light of recent events,
we are quite dynamic and outspoken.
So you know we're--
>> Trayvon Martin case.
>> Right exactly the Trayvon Martin case.
We organized a little, not little but,
you know visual protest, you know,
because of our dissatisfaction
with the way the Trayvon Martin case is being handled.
And I think that was really a great opportunity
to sort of gather together.
So many people came to talk about Trayvon
and you need to do the--
>> You have to do the hoodie picture.
>> Right the hoodie protest picture.
So I you know I'm really glad to see that sort of a dynamism
and outspoken of this in the community.
>> Sure.
>> And there's another-- there's another project
for Trayvon Martin that's currently in production.
So keep them look out for those 'cause it going to be--
it's supposed to come out next week so it's really exciting.
>> Oh yeah.
>> There's another question from Mar94 [phonetic].
Hi, my family is from West Africa and I'd
like to know how big the African population is at Dartmouth?
It's a really good question.
>> Yeah, that is a good question.
I don't know the exact numbers on that
but I mean the African population is pretty large here.
And I think a lot of people are involved
in the international community when it comes to that as well
as the African-American society.
>> Sure, sure.
That was one of the things that I realized when I came
to Dartmouth was the difference between--
>> Between the two.
>> The African community and the African-American community just
as a general concept.
And I think that I was also really surprised at the number
of African students, students from African countries here,
I mean the international population
at Dartmouth is very high in general.
>> Exactly.
>> So that's a really good question.
International Student Association and Students
for Africa is a student group
which just won the 2012 Social Justice Awards
at Dartmouth this winter.
So that's a really cool thing about that.
And they do a lot of work with West African students
so that's really exciting.
>> Yeah.
>> If you guys have anymore questions?
These are really great questions keep them coming.
>> Yeah.
>> So what made you guys choose Dartmouth?
>> Okay, well I'm always from--
I'm from Los Angeles California again.
I've always wanted to go
to a small college town community on the East Coast.
And so when I came to visit here, the campus was
so welcoming and I just felt
like I could see myself being here.
There're tons of resources and opportunities.
>> Yeah, sure.
What kind of opportunities have you tried to take advantage of?
>> Well actually, next winter I'm going to be going
to New Zealand for the Anthropology Foreign
Study Program.
So that's just one of the many that have come my way so far.
I'm really looking forward to that.
>> Yeah, I'm sure you guys have heard
if you've been watching other Chatapalooza events today
about Foreign Study Programs, we have 43 Study Abroad Programs.
We have the most in the Ivy League
which is simply we need to be proud of.
And we-- I did a couple and every student kind of tries
to figure out how to fit study abroad into it.
It's really great that you're taking advantage
of that opportunity.
And we have another question from Ai Fabrigal,
where can a sister get her hair done and Hanover, New Hampshire?
>> I'm going to say I love that question.
>> Alright, girl.
I knew it was coming.
I knew it was coming.
Do you want to answer this one?
>> Yeah, I'll answer this, okay.
I believe most people actually get their hair done on campus.
There are like upperclassmen who do hair on campus.
I personally get my twist done at home before coming
but if I need to get them touched up,
I know who I can contact.
And if you don't know, you can just ask somebody
and they will let you know what's happening.
You need to get a press, twist, braids, anything,
somebody will hook you up.
So.
>> Yeah, this wasn't a thing that I like really cared
about until like I grew my hair out and started doing this
in present, girl, but yeah, I also get my hair done
at home become I come.
And then when I get here it's more just like maintenance.
>> Yeah.
>> You know and it's really not, really not that hard
if you need a trim, someone can hook you out.
And then also the M [phonetic] brings
up a barber's end, hairstylist.
>> Yeah and I like to reiterate that, you know,
if you really need your haircut
like there are guys who cut you know,
>> Chop shop.
>> Right, yeah, there's a Chop Shop you know.
There's couple of football players who do it.
It might not be like home, you know, but it's actually--
they do some pretty good work.
I got to admit this is-- I like this cut
>> Yes, that's sounds fresh.
>> Thank you, ma'am.
>> Yeah, but you'll figure that out
and all the upperclassmen will help you out.
And so you have a question from Kevin G. Hi, I was reading
about a lot of racism at Dartmouth in the D,
does that happen and what do students do to respond?
So first of all the D for those of you who don't know,
that stands for the Dartmouth which is our student newspaper.
It's the oldest college newspaper
in America founded in 1799.
But yeah that's a really great-- it's a really great question.
It was an Op Ed that was written about this winter or written
about this in the winter.
Do you guys want to talk to this?
>> Well I-- I mean, you know, if we're going to be honest
about racism it's a nationwide,
maybe even global phenomenon and, you know, when it appears
in the D, you know on your own college campus.
Yeah it's kind of rough, but I assure you like, yeah,
we respond, like in the second, you know, Op Ed that,
that's like clearly racist or might seem racist,
>> There's a discussion.
>> There is always a discussion happening.
So I would always want to encourage you to like think
about like racism as, you know,
something that gets engaged within discussion.
You know, nobody likes it and no one want to tolerate it
and so we, we talked about it, you know, and we--
>> And the society really is a great support system like just
if you need to talk about it and let out feelings
when you may not think somebody else
by understand there is somebody.
>> Yeah. I think that's something that's really
important about Dartmouth in general is that, there are a lot
of problems with Dartmouth.
There are a lot of problems with any school
for organization or community.
And I think what's unique about Dartmouth with those problems,
is that we recognized that they exist and we don't
like sweep them under the rag and just kind of like pretend
like it's this perfects school where nothing goes wrong.
>> Right, yeah
>> We have an active dialogue around that.
There's an educational growth that we take these
as opportunities to have an academic dialogue from this.
Such a really question.
So that's really a great question.
So yeah, do you want to talk about anything else
that you like about Dartmouth?
>> Okay. I'm involved in club basketball
and that something I really enjoy.
I played basketball since I was a little kid and coming here.
Club basketball is basically an organization under varsity level
and we meet about 2 to 3 times a week practicing
and we play teams-- other club teams from other schools--
>> Oh Yeah.
>> And this next weekend we're actually going
to Princeton for a tournament--
>> Oh wow.
>> And we posted our own tournament here as well.
So it's just nice to be able to have a team if you had something
like that in high school
and you're not par level for a varsity here.
>> Yeah. Did you play in high school?
>> Yes, basketball.
>> That's nice, very nice
>> Wow, cool.
>> And so you have a question from Christiana [phonetic].
Do any of you have work-study jobs?
If so, how was it, how easy was it to obtain these jobs
and how do you balance time between classes, studying,
extracurricular and work?
That's really good question Christiana [phonetic].
Do either of you want to get?
>> All right.
I don't have a work-study job but I do have an internship
which is very I guess similar I get paid for it.
So it's a part of the women and science project--
>> Yeah.
>>And I-- I mean it's not too hard to balance.
I work about 8 to 10 hours a week and I mean you're not
in class really that much.
Last term I only had class three times a week
so I've worked Tuesdays and Thursdays and then afternoon
and nights that's when homework time would come
and you calendar-- you have to calendar.
I never calendared in high school but here, it's important
to plan when all of your meetings are in everything
so with that it's not too hard, I think.
>> Yeah. I am-- I have a job here.
I'm an intern here.
Again, I don't do work study either.
I think work-study is a very broad term that people used
but I think most people that you meet here would probably say
that they have an internship on campus or a job,
paid internship or doing research.
I worked here in the office, I worked in the admission's office
so I'm excited to play on dimensions for all of you
who are going to be coming off, it's very exciting.
>> Come, it's so much fun.
>> It's the best weekend ever it's what help me decide
about Dartmouth.
So I worked here and I've also done research
in the past with professors.
So I think the thing about Dartmouth is
that the opportunities are there, you just have
to seek them out, it's kind of the same
within a college is that, you know, you--
no one's going to come to your door
and say like, here's a job like--
>> Yeah, definitely.
>> Here's some money come work for me but if you want
to find those opportunities they're definitely there
to be had-- I actually got my job here.
I started working
in the admissions before I reticulated [phonetic]
to Dartmouth, I emailed my admissions officer that I met,
the admissions prep, they came
down to Atlanta and it was so funny.
I sent her a head shot and I was like I'm really nice
and I can work with the front desk
and I'm really pretty, here's my face.
And she gave me job in the front desk which was very nice
and ever since then I'd been working here.
Now, I work my way up the ladder
and now I'm an intern, it's cute.
>> Right, I mean, but-- in all, I mean but, if you are looking
for like work-study opportunities, I can tell you
like there's plenty of resources you can use.
One of my close friends actually does have you know work-study
job like, you know, at Novak and it's just as inspiring
to see just like how you know he's awesome with class,
he's awesome with work and, you know, so I assure you
like you will find an opportunity to work and study
and balance those two.
>> Yeah. Novak is the cafe in the library, down at the bottom.
>> Right yeah.
[Inaudible Remark]
>> Yeah.
>> Right.
>> But that's actually a really good point.
Both of you make a really good point
that everyone who's deciding on college wherever you decide
to go, you balance, you know, it's just kind of the name
of the game, Freshmen fall for me was a difficult--
>> It was difficult, yeah.
>> Time, yeah.
>> And the thing for me that I found was the hardest was not
like going to class, not doing work.
It was finding out time, like finding time to do my laundry
like I'm all day, you know.
>> Exactly, I went three weeks
without doing my laundry one time--
>> Yeah.
>> And my friends finally got on me about it.
>> Right.
>> I was wearing some interesting clothing,
yeah [laugh].
>> Well, because you think like I could be
like reading right now or like I could be going
to this meeting or you know like.
>> Yeah, yeah.
>> But you just have to start figuring out ways
to like calendar your life and make it just make it a schedule
that you adhere to and then everything becomes much easier
as you go with it.
>> Right, just wherever you go to college,
do your laundry, please.
[Laughter]
>> That's important.
>> You know.
>> Stephanie77 [phonetic] asked is there an African-American
Christian Community at Dartmouth.
That's really a good question.
Didn't you say you were involved with?
>> Yes, well, here is Morning Glory
which happens every Sunday.
It's a church service and there are four different preachers
that volunteered to come up every week.
And they bring their families with them.
It's a fairly small community.
But it is enjoyable.
That's something you're looking for.
And there's also bible study every Friday nights
and there's also a women's prayer group
on Saturday nights as well.
>> Very nice.
>> There are also I go to Saint Thomas Episcopal Church.
>> Okay.
>> In between yeah over on that side of campus.
>> Right, yeah.
>> And yes if you're involved with if you want to get involved
with the race-specific community
or Christian community we have that.
And then we also have other Christian communities.
>> Right.
>> There's Christian Impact.
>> Christian Union.
>> A Group Christian Union.
>> Or Aquinas House.
>> The Aquinas House which is affiliated
with the Catholic Church.
And then I go to the Episcopal Church.
I mean and there's also, there's a church that meets
down at the Hanover High School.
So there are definitely--
>> There're tons of churches.
>> Lots of worship opportunities if you're interested in any kind
of worship experience, there's definitely that we had here.
That's a really good question.
So Aaron what kind
of opportunities have you taken advantage over Dartmouth?
>> Well one of my favorite things well favorite things
to do, I mean academically speaking it's like getting
to know my professors because that's something I'd love
to do someday in the future, right.
You know I had my Cornel West hair going
on something like that.
So you know emulation, right?
And its just a get to know sort of the deep questions
that they ask is really inspiring.
But also you know let's see, you know, I mean I didn't personally
like apply to FSPs but I know that's like that was
like a huge part of campus life.
Other parts, you know, just getting involved you know
with Collis Governing Board or you know it's just, you know,
I like to keep my sort of activities low to be honest.
>> That's important, you know.
>> You know, I guess it's about balance.
>> Yeah.
>> But yeah I definitely like, you know, like there's,
you know, plenty of things you can do on campus.
But just always keep in mind, balance.
>> Yeah.
>> You know, and you want to be healthy about that.
>> That's very important.
>> So, okay.
>> Camille asked what aspects
of Dartmouth's curriculum do you like the most?
I think they want to know about the AAAS Department.
>> Yeah, yeah.
>> That's a really great question.
>> Well right now I'm actually taking a class
in the AAAS Department crossed over with anthropology
so it's contemporary Africa.
I'm just looking forward to that class.
It's been very interesting.
We've only been in class three days so far.
But I don't know that much about Africa's current situation now
and so I'm just looking for it to learning
about the different social and economic aspects.
>> Yeah. Is that your first AAAS [inaudible]?
>> Yes, it's my first AAAS.
>> I took one last spring with Professor Reena Goldthree
who oddly enough just happened to be from the same,
from Saint Louis which is where my mother grew up,
where my grandparents lived and went to the same church.
>> Oh wow.
>> That my grandfather played the organ at like
when she was growing up.
>> Wow.
>> So like my grand mother knew her and she
like knew my grandmother.
There was this weird Dartmouth connection.
But she taught this wonderful course last spring called
"Slavery and Emancipation in Latin America in the Caribbean"
which was so interesting for me because I feel like it was kind
of a different take on history of slavery.
Because I feel like especially here we always kind of focus
on our internal history of slavery.
But the most of the slaves that came over from Africa
or that were taken from Africa didn't come here.
Like I think only like 2 percent or something
of all the slaves came to America which is what
and I'm on this class.
And so we were focusing on the Latin American countries
that had dealt with slavery so that was a really cool class.
That's a really great, a really great department,
the AAAS Department.
>> Yeah.
>> -- which is African and African-American Studies.
>> Right.
>> And then what did you guys say your majors are?
>> Engineering with a minor in anthropology.
>> Okay.
>> And English with a minor in education.
>> Okay.
>> You know and just one thing the comment on this
about like the breadth of the curriculum here sort of just
so many course offerings, you know, like geography.
You can learn how like humans map space and sort of how
that provides, you know, identity right.
You know, or just basic like literature classes.
You know, I've taken like African American Literature
in the AAAS Department and that's,
that's been like phenomenal experience for me.
But, you know, it's just even within sort
of your normal topics like economics.
You can learn about development economics.
And it's just-- so I would really
like encourage once you get it
to really explore the course offerings and get
to know what you're interested in.
>> Sure.
>> And things like that.
>> Okay so.
>> Yeah, definitely.
>> 'Cause I'm in the linguistics class right now
and I've never heard like really know what linguistics is
until now so.
>> Yeah.
>> Just putting yourself out there to branch out.
>> Yeah, that's great.
And you were talking about the women in the science program.
Are you doing engineering sciences through that as well
or are you doing that?
>> Or the okay the women in science program
which is we call it WISP here.
All of the women in science kind of get involved in it
but people apply for internships.
So during fall term they come out with the list of internships
in all the different departments in math and science
and even psychology as well.
And you apply, you setup interviews with those sponsors
and then you'll get matched with somebody.
>> Yeah, so you want to tell us a little bit about your project?
>> Okay, so my project I actually work for CRREL
which is Cold Regions Research Engineering Lab.
And it's actually a branch of the army
so it's actually seven minutes like off-campus.
I take the bus there.
And I'm working with Snow Melt and Runoff.
And right now I'm doing a lot of data gathering and seeing how
that will eventually affect like flood levels and so forth.
>> Very nice so I feel like the reason I asked was just
because I think it's important
to understand how these experiences affect--
your academic experience can affect your extra curricular
or it can be like co-curricular.
So how was your experience as a woman in engineering been
and what type of engineering are you concentrating in?
>> Okay, well, since I'm only a freshmen,
I'm not exactly sure yet.
>> Sure yeah.
>> Right now I'm just talking pre reqs
so I've been taking Math 3, Math 8,
Math 13 which is just Calculus.
But people come in with all different types
of levels of experience.
So some people are already taking upper level
engineering classes.
But right now I'm thinking of going into chemical engineering.
>> Okay very nice, very nice.
Have you felt support from the Department
in the Engineering Sciences Department
in terms of professors?
>> Definitely you can easily go up and talk to somebody.
And my adviser that was given to me by the school is actually
in the engineering department.
>> I'm laboring-- the laboring, the engineering department
for both of you who are not interested only just
because engineering sciences department at Dartmouth is one
of the strongest arguably departments that we have here.
And I think part of that is because it's paired
up with Thayer School of Engineering which is one
of our three graduate schools.
We don't have many we only have three, Thayer, and Tuck School
of Business and the Dartmouth Med School
and then there are other graduate programs.
But Thayer has this wonderful opportunity whereas an
undergraduate you can major in engineering sciences
and advocate a bachelor, a bachelor's degree in engineering
or a Bachelor of Arts degree.
>> [inaudible] Engineering sciences
or Bachelors of Engineering.
>> Right. And the Bachelors
of Engineering program can be either 4 a 5 year program.
>> 5 year program.
>> So that's a really great opportunity that a lot
of other schools don't offer.
A lot of other schools you have
to be a graduate student to use the resources.
And the other thing is that the engineering sciences department
is so well funded.
>> Right.
>> There is just like so many great research tools
and so many wonderful professors who are really at the forefront
of their field doing who need that kind of research support
from undergraduate students.
>> Definitely.
I have about 4 or 5 friends who work in the labs over there.
>> Oh yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> It's a great way to spend to get work-study or to do
like co-curricular or extra curricular stuff.
I took I'm not in any way science
or math, luckily I didn't.
But we fortunately we have this distributive requirements
that make you kind of go out of your comfort zone.
And so last term I took integrated architecture
and design with Vicky May and in the engineering
and sciences department.
And Jack Wilson in the studio art department
that was actually co-taught.
>> Okay.
>> And Vicky May is like the goddess.
In the engineering science department, everyone loves her
because she's so nice and she's so sweet and she's so smart.
You know she is just like is really good
at taking these very, very difficult concepts
and making them so easy to understand and then just
because so like I have the access to the buildings
so I was there, I could study there
or I could use the print resources.
Yeah, I got them free coffee.
[Laughter] You know they have all these wonderful,
wonderful like free resources down there because it's
so well funded so that's a really good thing to look into.
So one thing I want to talk about make sure we talk
about in this chat is the advising resources here
at Dartmouth.
>> Yeah.
>> 'Cause there are definitely a lot I think that's one
of the things that has made the transition easier
for me was that, all of the deans
and the you know even all the way down to the UGAs.
>> Yeah.
>> The DASH [phonetic],
the community directors all those people,
you know there's so many safety nets.
So it's almost impossible to fall through the cracks,
you know, of the big system unless you're
like really trying hard to fly off under the radar.
So let's go ahead and kind of break that down.
Let's break down those, those UGAs, DASK all those letters
that I just mentioned.
Do you want to either, do you want to talk
about your experiences with advising?
>> Right, I mean would you I mean.
>> Okay, well, since I'm a Freshman,
I could talk a little about that.
So UGA is your Under Graduate Adviser who lives with you
on your freshmen floor.
And on fall term you have weekly meetings and they just try
to get you to adjust to the Dartmouth culture
and provide you with different resources about what's going on,
on campus and what you should look forward to.
And there are also resource, a personal resource
if you ever need to talk to somebody about personal problems
or you're having trouble with a roommate
or floor mate and so forth.
>> Yeah, that's very nice.
The first year residential experience is part
of what makes Dartmouth unique.
You kind of have to have these weekly floor meetings
which really bring you close together with the people
that you're living with.
And a lot of people actually will say
that their freshman year floor mates are their best friends
throughout Dartmouth.
I'm leaving in and off campus house next year with a bunch
of people who lived on my freshmen floor.
>> All right.
>> With one exception.
He's the lone wolf.
But you know it is what it is.
But we yes so I think the freshmen year experience is
really important.
So do you want to talk about your experience with advising?
>> Right I had-- I was fortunate to have a professor
in the English Department advised me in terms
of like academic planning and what not.
And to have someone who knew the department and knew the topic
and sort of like you know tease
out what your interest really were and stuff, I really,
I really you know enjoyed that,
and so that the advising here is comprehensive
and wholistic, right?
It's not just about the person or residential but also
about the academic and things and I really enjoyed that.
>> Yeah.
>> You know.
>> That's a really good point I think for me my,
my favorite thing about the advising here is that it's
like you said it is wholistic
and they really want to help you.
>> Right.
>> You know like if you email your dean
or if you email the dean of students even, they are going
to respond promptly and they're going to try to see do as much
as they can to help you out with your situation you know.
And the deans even have-- the deans even have office hours
so you can just drop by and talk to them you know.
And deans are really busy people so that's really great.
We also have OPAL which the Office of Pluralism
and Leadership and then we have an advisers for the specifically
for African-American students.
There are also advisers for the Latino student, Asian-American,
LGBT and they do individual advising as well.
If people are having issues with kind of coming
to this new community and you know living life
at Dartmouth compared to like where they coming from before.
>> Right.
>> And so it's great.
We have one more question
from Kevin G. Can the students discuss their experiences
or ideas about fraternities, hazing and the social scene?
And he says I just want to get an idea
for what these students personally feel.
That's a great question.
I think just speaking about the Greek Life at Dartmouth,
it's kind of one of those things
where like you can either be a part of it or not.
We have a great system where you don't rush
until your sophomore year if you're going to rush
which I think gives students the opportunity
to really create their community.
>> Right.
>> I mean they have to.
You're not going to live for an entire year without friends
or like talking to people.
>> Exactly.
>> Yeah.
>> So you create your communities.
You become friends with your friends with and then
if you decided to rush then it becomes--
often times it becomes a secondary commitment
to like your research or to the things that you're doing outside
of class or you know your extra curricular opportunities.
But do you guys want to speak to your personal experiences?
>> Okay, well, I'm a freshman so I can't reassure anything yet
and I don't know if I'm going to.
I probably won't.
But as far as the frat scene goes,
it's either something you could be a part of,
like it or not like it.
Typically I only go to the frats
for dance parties, that's basically it.
But I mean there're some people who go to chill there
and that's something they like to do all the time.
But it's just a personal thing and you have to figure
that out once you get here what's right for you.
>> Yeah.
>> I mean as a sophomore I did have the opportunity to rush.
You know I went to a couple of meetings and they seem
like a great group of people.
And you know I just sort of thought about it and again,
it's not my scene and that they were open to that and, you know,
they were cool with that.
I really appreciate it.
And so just to emphasize that, it can,
it's just the way you can live, the way you can't--
that you could decide not to live.
But you know it's I don't know it's all your choice
and I definitely found that myself.
>> Yeah, it's really is your own thing.
I am affiliated and I've just kind of, you know,
I hang out with people in my house and other houses
and I think in regards to the experiences with hazing
and Greek life at Dartmouth, fortunately,
I never had that experience and I think that it's one
of those things where if it does happen there's a dialogue.
Again there's a dialogue about what's going on on this campus
that we can try to make it a healthier community.
So thanks all of you for your questions.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
We'll be back in a few minutes for our next chat.
And feel free to continue posting questions on the chat
and we'll be back in just shortly.
Take care.