<p>What do you guys think about the new Dean of Admissions? How will it affect things?</p>
<p>This is going to be the first class for Maria Laskaris in her new role of Dean of Admissions. As you know she is a Dartmouth alum and has been a part of the university (as a student or employee) all of her adult life. She's also seen a lot of classes formed and probably has her own opinions as to shapping the new class and will try them to align them with the overall institutional mission.</p>
<p>It is really going to be tricky, because I am sure that she will want to set her own mark however, she has a lot of Dartmouth tradition behind her.</p>
<p>Sybbie,</p>
<p>What does it mean tangibly to put "her mark on a class"? What could be the ways this would happen? Are these examples?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Emphasizing all helmet sports so that they are strongly competitive in the Ivy conference within 3 years.</p></li>
<li><p>Strengthening the incoming class with more (better) dancers. She herself is a dancer.</p></li>
<li><p>Balancing the number of students interested in the arts, more broadly with the number of students interested in the sciences.</p></li>
<li><p>Increasing diversity in underrepresented segments (e.g. geographic, racial, socio-economic).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Just curious about the what and how. I am also curious as to where she gets her direction. Is there a senior administrative committee that sets admission policy?</p>
<p>Im sure all those are possibilities, but as sybbie was implying, only time will tell!</p>
<p>^ What about getting more students for the engineering school?</p>
<p>pamplemoose is correct, you will have to wait until April. when the full class is selected and May, when the school knows who is going to take them off on their offer. </p>
<p>I am quite sure that they have looked at admissions trends at Dartmouth over the past few years and Dean Laskaris probably have a plan for what they would like to see for the class of 2012 and has probably been given some directive from the administration (after all, nothing tops the institutional mission which varies some from year to year).</p>
<p>Based on the press release that Dartmouth put out about Dean Laskaris, she states"</p>
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I look forward to working closely with the staff of both offices, faculty, administrative colleagues, students, and alumni to think critically and innovatively about the role admissions and financial aid play in shaping the future of Dartmouth and advancing important College priorities
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Her duties include analyzing and interpreting data to help inform strategic planning for recruitment and matriculation efforts. She has also overseen the international recruitment and selection process
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She is also a well-recognized leader in the admissions field and serves on a number of national committees including the Common Application's Board of Directors and as a Dartmouth representative to the College Board's Diversity and Access Collaborative.</p>
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<p>With the exception of increasing the number of international applicants, already seen in the 2012 ED figures, I think it may be a few years before we can divine the shaping hand of Dean Laskaris. My guess is that Dean Laskaris will move more in sync with the current D administration than did Furstenberg, who was appointed under James O. Freedman. </p>
<p>Here is a piece on Furstenberg citing his accomplishments. Important to try to tease out what Furstenberg did versus what was simply a rising tide carrying all boats:</p>
<p>Dartmouth</a> News - Dartmouth Admissions Dean announces retirement - 09/25/06</p>
<p>Also read this piece from a former Dartmouth professor, conservative Jeffrey Hart, on former D President Freeman:</p>
<p>Jeffrey</a> Hart on James O. Freedman & Dartmouth on National Review Online</p>
<p>In an amazingly self-revealing personal letter by Furstenberg to Swarthmore's president in 2000 on S's decision to do away with football, The Valley News, a local NH newspaper, printed excerpts from the letter which details his support of S president's decision to cut the football program at his school.</p>
<p>You are exactly right in asserting that football programs represent a sacrifice to the academic quality and diversity of entering first-year classes, wrote Furstenberg. "This is particularly true at highly selective institutions that aspire to academic excellence. My experience at both Wesleyan and Dartmouth is consistent with what you have observed at Swarthmore." </p>
<p>I wish this were not true but sadly football, and the culture that surrounds it, is antithetical to the academic mission of colleges such as ours. This is really a national problem and it is a good thing that you are taking leadership on the issue. A close examination of intercollegiate athletics within the Ivy League would point to other sports in which the same phenomenon is apparent. </p>
<p>This article from the Dartmouth Review links Freedman and Furstenberg on academics and athletics at D.</p>
<p>The</a> Dartmouth Review: The Fortunes of Dartmouth Football: Furstenberg's Faux Pas</p>
<p>One area that Dean Laskaris might address, in working with the incoming Dean of Students, concerns making Dartmouth more "female friendly." Beer pong behavior in the basement of the frats has gone a little over the edge of late. What other areas might she shape??</p>
<p>another thing to note is that several of the Regional Reps are new, as well, and not all are alums, so the the admissions team changed as well as the Dean. How that plays out remains to be seen....</p>
<p>For an interesting read on the old character of D versus Harvard, see this. It appears to have elements of truth today, as we discuss the "soul of Dartmouth."</p>
<p>BalletGirl, beer pong exists in the basements of the sororities as well. And they take it just as seriously.</p>
<p>Dartmon,</p>
<p>No doubt they do. </p>
<p>Perhaps I should have been clearer. Peer pong, in and of itself, is fine. I played my first game last summer on a weekend visit.</p>
<p>What is problematic, and of concern to several female students I spoke with at D, is the sometimes really loutish behavior that comes from too much drinking. See below. </p>
<p>TheDartmouth.com</a> | Adding emotion to sexual assault coverage</p>