Origins | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000–09 | 2010–2019 | 2020-2029
1990: The Council inaugurated the first Alumni Council Forum, held in New York, to which all alumni were invited to express their views on the recommendations of the Committee on Board Organization. At the May '90 meeting, the Council adopted a series of Constitutional amendments as recommended by the ad hoc Study Committee including:
- creation of a College Relations Group as part of the Executive Committee to serve as an 'ombudsman' for communicating alumni concerns to the Board and the administration, and for communicating the response of the Board back to the alumni;
- creating greater Council representation to major population centers through redistricting of the regional districts, increasing the total number of regional districts from 23 to 28.
- adding representation on the Council by the three youngest alumni classes, beginning with the Class of 1990, bringing the total number of Councilors to 101.
The Council also passed Constitutional amendments relating to the recommendations of the Committee on Board Organization:
- establishing multiple-slate and alumni-wide balloting for each Alumni Trustee position;
- allowing the chairman of the Board's Nominating Committee to sit as an ex-officio member of the Council's Nominating Committee when discussing Alumni Trustee candidates, with a reciprocal arrangement for the Council's Nominating Committee chairman to sit on the Board's Nominating Committee as ex-officio.
The Council also approved the CBO recommendation that the Board determine whether a sitting Alumni Trustee should sit on the Board for a second five-year term, approved the increase of signatures required for a petition candidate from 250 to 500, and recommended that the Board extend the term of an Alumni Trustee beyond 10 years only after consultation with the Council.
1991: The Council amended its constitution to add representation from Arts & Sciences Graduate alumni and from the Mini-Reunion Chairs Association. The Council debated the trustee's decision to discontinue ROTC and in a poll found that half of the members agreed with the decision and half disagreed. The Council nominated a slate of three trustee candidates, from which William Haven King '63 was elected to the Board.
1992: The Council formed an ad hoc committee to study the class reunion system, focusing on clustered reunions, mid-week reunions and the impact on reunion giving. The Communications Committee raised the idea of the College conducting the first attitudinal survey of alumni. The first woman was elected president of the Alumni Council: Emily P. Bakemeier '82. The Council nominated a slate of three trustee candidates, from which Stephen Bosworth '61 was elected to the Board.
1993: The Council amended its constitution as follows: 1) required a slate of six (rather than nine) candidates for three positions on the Nominating Committee, 2) removed the College Relations Group from the Executive Committee and set it up as a stand-alone committee chaired by the immediate past Council president, and 3) added a Council representative for the post-55th reunion classes. The Council also approved the ad hoc Reunion Study Committee's recommendations that de-clustered post-25th reunions and gave mid-week reunion classes the option of using Reunion Weekend. The Council voted down a recommendation to de-cluster pre-25th year reunions. Constitutional amendments were adopted to establish gender neutrality in the language of the constitution, provide voting rights to all committee chairs (even if their Council terms had expired) and lastly, modified the nominating procedure for alumni trustees so that three would be nominated for a single vacancy and at least two per slot would be nominated where more than one vacancy existed. The Council nominated a slate of three trustee candidates, from which Susan Dentzer '77 was elected to the Board.
1994: The Council established a task force to develop a Council-sponsored Career Day for students. An ad hoc committee was created and charged with evaluating the Council's structure and operation in the context of its mission. The first benchmark survey of alumni was completed by the College and the Council discussed specific issues relating to alumni concerns. The Council urged the College to develop electronic mail service for alumni. The Council nominated a slate of three trustee candidates, from which Peter Fahey '68 was elected to the Board.
1995: The ad hoc Committee on Alumni Council Structure and Organization presented its final report and the Council voted to adopt a new organizational framework, decreasing its size slightly and adding a new 'pan-alumni' committee called the Committee on Alumni Organizations. Four committees were disbanded: Class Organization, Regional Organization, Alumni Fund and Bequests and Trusts. The Council nominated a slate of three trustee candidates, from which Jonathan Newcomb '68 was elected to the Board.
1996: A lawsuit contesting how alumni trustee elections are run was dismissed by the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The Council continued its restructuring work, adopting constitutional amendments that established the new Committee on Alumni Organizations, strengthened the role of the Executive Committee in studying the Council's role and effectiveness, and changed the timing and structure of class representation. The Council also voted to modify its purpose, as stated in the constitution adopted on May 19, 1996:
The purposes of the Alumni Council shall be:
To serve as a representative organization of Dartmouth alumni acting in the best interest of Dartmouth College ;
To serve as the primary forum for the discussion of issues and concerns relative to the alumni body and Dartmouth College
To carry out the responsibility assigned to it under the Constitution of the Association of Alumni of Dartmouth College with respect to the nomination of Alumni Trustees for positions on the Board of Trustees of the College.
To act as a clearing house for, and principal spokesperson of, alumni sentiment to the administration and as an avenue of approach by which the administration may have access to the alumni collectively.
To act as a resource for alumni providing service and talents to Dartmouth College.
To encourage and maintain a relationship with the Board of Trustees of the College, providing regular expression of alumni concerns and assisting the Board in evaluating and assessing programs and policies.
To communicate effectively information about the College and the Council to the alumni body.
To initiate projects and carry on such other undertakings as are reasonably within the province of alumni activity, or to provide for their being pursued.
1997: Among the Council's new initiatives was the Committee on Alumni Organizations (CAO), which should improve communications and reduce bureaucracy and paperwork. The Council learned that the Alumni Relations Office will offer an all-alumni e-mail forwarding service late in the fall. A survey subcommittee headed by Bob Fanger '55 began a study of the use of the last Alumni Survey. The Council nominated a slate of three trustee candidates, from which Nancy Kepes Jeton '76 was elected to the Board.
1998: The Council passed a resolution in support of the College''s ongoing effort to expand career services to the alumni and to further consider forming an ad hoc committee to help establish a network of alumni employers. The Council passed a resolution on alcohol abuse on campus which resolved:
that the Council lend its moral authority on behalf of the student body by supporting the trustees and the College in their efforts to combat alcohol abuse and binge drinking in particular.
that the Student Life Committee pursue ways to assist the College in this effort such as identifying and facilitating volunteer efforts by alumni having expertise in abuse counseling, AA membership, etc.
The council discussed and tabled a third resolution dealing with the fraternity/sorority system. The Communications Committee passed a resolution strongly recommending that a second institutionalized alumni survey be conducted no later than 1999. The Council voted to amend the constitution to allow for the election of a vice chair for a one-year term to succeed to the position of chair of the Committee on Alumni Organization. The Council began considering the idea of a Dartmouth community service week in June of 1999 and held a gala banquet in honor of all the recipients of the Alumni Award and the Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award. The Council passed a resolution that the Student Life Committee pursue ways to assist the College in identifying and facilitating volunteer efforts by alumni working within fraternities/sororities to create a positive social environment or more generally to strengthen social opportunities on campus.
1999: Since voter participation in trustee elections dipped to below the 25% level, the Council and Board began a process of reviewing the current method for nominating and selecting trustees. The Council encouraged alumni throughout the country to participate in the first annual Dartmouth National Community Service week. The Council passed a resolution to support President James Wright in his commitment to promoting diversity and affirmative action at Dartmouth and to expand and improve financial aid. The Council discussed the Student Life Initiative, articulated alumni sentiment on the measure, and learned about the timetable for the Committee on the Student Life Initiative. The Council presented its first alumni award for service to Alumni Continuing Education to Professor Donald Pease. A review of the CAO's mission statement resulted in the addition of new representatives from the Native American and Gay & Lesbian Alumni Organizations in 1999 and from the Asian American and African American Alumni Organizations in 2000.