TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2021
THE DARTMOUTH FRESHMAN ISSUE
PAGE 15
STAFF COLUMNIST THOMAS DE WOLFF ’24
The Spirit of This College
How you approach your time at Dartmouth will determine what you get out of it. At a commencement address in 1906, thenCollege President William Jewett Tucker introduced the concept of “the spirit of this College” that he believed would “be one of the stimulating and restraining influences” in the lives of the assembled freshmen. What exactly constitutes “the spirit of this College,” however, may be unfamiliar to the freshfaced members of the Class of 2025. In fact, even to those of us who have been introduced to Dartmouth already, what this spirit signifies may be unclear. As a member of the Class of 2024 myself, this is often the case with many aspects of pre-pandemic Dartmouth – a looming issue I have written about before. While all classes will be on campus in the fall, the Class of 2022 will be the only one to have experienced an entire normal year at Dartmouth. Once they graduate, many traditions are at risk of dying out if not passed down. However, this year represents an opportunity for all of us to (re)discover what the Dartmouth spirit truly means. By the time they graduate, every Dartmouth student will have their own interpretation of what the College’s spirit symbolizes. After all, there are innumerable factors that draw prospective students here, such as the excellent undergraduate teaching or the flexibility of the D-Plan. These are institutional qualities associated with Dartmouth, rather than its students. But there are also a few constant qualities found in this student body across the generations. As we look to the year ahead of us, we can draw upon these qualities to bring new meaning to “the spirit of the College.” College is a time for exploring, trying new things and discovering oneself through the process. Alumnus John Ledyard — after whom the Ledyard Canoe Club is named — is someone who embodied that idea throughout all he did. While at Dartmouth, he canoed the length of the Connecticut River on a whim in the spring of 1773. Ledyard later roamed the world, voyaging alongside Captain Cook in the Pacific and traveling to Egypt on a quest to find the source of the Nile. Ledyard’s maiden voyage is honored every
spring by the Canoe Club’s “Trip to the Sea,” which recreates his journey down the Connecticut River. Students today take up the spirit of Ledyard’s travels throughout their time at the College, honoring his legacy wherever their studies abroad or off-terms take them. For example, Sen. Rob Portman ’78, R-OH, kayaked the entire length of the Rio Grande while at Dartmouth. Each year, students of all ages travel the world through study abroad programs such as the History and Government FSPs in London or the Spanish LSA in Buenos Aires. Other students spend their off terms exploring destinations including Russia, Australia and Vietnam. But you don’t have to explore the farthest corners of the globe to be adventurous; you can do that without leaving Hanover. It’s oft-repeated advice, but freshmen should still take heed: Try clubs or classes that you may not see yourself as being a perfect fit for. This applies to older students too — it’s never too late to join clubs that you may have previously considered. Anecdotally, I came into Dartmouth thinking with absolute certainty that I was going to be a government major. During freshman fall, I took a history class because its course description piqued my curiosity. I enjoyed it so much that I kept taking history classes, and soon, I realized I wanted to major in history instead. In the same vein, I will add that I am not a particularly “outdoorsy” guy, but carefree canoeing with friends on warm spring afternoons are still some of my most cherished memories. Of course, there is much more to Dartmouth than simply being adventurous. Explore interesting classes and clubs to your heart’s content, but what you get up to outside of Dartmouth’s organized activities will define your time here just as much — if not more — than what you do in a class or club. And if there’s one thing Dartmouth students know how to do, it’s making memorable mischief. Former chemistry professor Edwin J. Bartlett, himself a member of the Class of 1872, detailed some of the more outrageous episodes of his time. Once, students fired “a gun so heavily loaded as
to break 320 panes of glass.” Other rogues were described as “tarring and feathering a bad man” and “turning the occupants out of a dilapidated building and razing it to the ground.” It almost goes without saying that the misdeeds listed above, while entertainingly scandalous, would thoroughly offend modern sensibilities if committed today. But the attitude displayed here over 100 years ago remains very much alive on campus. Examples include the pranks played by Greek houses on one another, where composites and barbecue grills vanish for brief periods, or the Ledyard challenge, a tradition where students swim nude across the Connecticut River then run back to campus while evading police. Sometimes, this spirit takes on a more serious form during periods of increased activism on campus. In May 1969, students objecting to the Vietnam War occupied Parkhurst Hall and barricaded themselves in as a protest against Dartmouth’s ROTC programs. More recently, a considerable amount of graffiti appeared around campus in the dead of night protesting the administration’s woefully incompetent handling of the mental health crisis last year. Debates surrounding these and other issues involve all classes of students, and while they can be heated, they also reflect the passionate and free-thinking spirit that animates this community. At times, the Dartmouth spirit pushes the envelope, and students clash with the administration. But absorbing the untamed nature of one’s surroundings is a side effect of being in the woods of New Hampshire — a state whose motto is “Live Free or Die,” after all — for so long. The Dartmouth spirit can be frenetic — manic, even — but this is far better than the stilted, overly intellectual and careerist alternative that is the norm at many of our peer schools today. While certain clubs or activities may be more professionally-minded than others, the wide range of interests pursued by students lend Dartmouth a lively air at all times. Students can hike The Fifty one weekend, present award-winning
research the next, and interview with a consulting group the weekend after that. This lifestyle is full of vitality, and embodies what the Dartmouth spirit is all about. Despite some of the acts listed above, vandalism is not necessarily part of the Dartmouth spirit, but having firm convictions and being unafraid to express them most definitely is. Whether that’s in the opinion section of The Dartmouth, as many students do, or in the Supreme Court, like Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, did and Neal Katyal ’91 still does, Dartmouth students should not be afraid to stand up for what they believe in. The muchtouted liberal arts education you will receive here is meant to teach you how to think — but more importantly, how to think for yourself. Maybe you think the Dartmouth spirit means something else; if so, you’re already proving me right. But your experience will define the rest of that meaning for you. Adventurous, mischievous, free-thinking — these are positive qualities we see in Dartmouth students throughout the ages. When taken to extremes, they can land students in trouble, but those who master them, just as Ledyard or Webster did, will make history. To the freshmen reading this: welcome home! At the moment, you have more pressing concerns than making history. I’ll leave you — and any students from other classes reading this — one final thought to consider: Ernest Martin Hopkins, President of the College from 1916 to 1945, warned against those who demand “softness and self-indulgence from life.” Instead, he argued that those who demand much of themselves are the world’s greatest hope. Those who seek adventure, have a sense of humor, and think critically all at the same time are thus much better equipped for life than those who cannot. I advise you to heed Hopkins’ opinion and demand much of yourself during your time at Dartmouth. In doing so, you will fully absorb the spirit of the College, and prepare yourself for the lifelong adventure afterwards as well.
STAFF COLUMNIST MAX TESZLER ’23
Change is in the Air
It’s the responsibility of every Dartmouth student to push the institutions around them to cut emissions. On Aug. 9, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest and long-awaited report on global climate change. The verdict? A “code red” for humanity, in the words of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The report described how a 1.1 degree Celsius increase in the global average temperature since the pre-industrial era has already contributed to more extreme weather — including intense heat waves and hurricanes — and warned that, barring aggressive efforts to immediately reduce global emissions, the consequences of warming will only become more severe. The policy implication is clear: If we want to avert existential disaster, we must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible, and Dartmouth and its students should play a part in that mission. Reducing the College’s carbon footprint should be a defining mission for every student over the course of their time here. That will involve taking a critical look at how Dartmouth as an institution can decarbonize — as well as pressuring the administration to achieve ambitious emission reductions. We are in an all-hands-on-deck moment when it comes to climate change, with less than a decade to hit the crucial benchmark of halving global emissions, according to a 2018 U.N. report. The newest IPCC report prompted dire headlines about a hotter, deadlier global climate — but the science is also clear that it is not yet too late to avoid the very worst outcomes. The IPCC’s summary of the full 2021 report described with “high confidence”
a “near-linear relationship” between cumulative CO2 emissions and total warming of the planet; that is, for every 1,000 gigatons of CO2 added to the atmosphere, the Earth’s surface warms by roughly 0.45 degrees Celsius, or 0.81 degrees Fahrenheit. Our current carbon emissions thus all steadily increase the global temperature as well as the frequency of storms, sea level rise and heat waves. But at the same time, every effort to reduce emissions can help halt these disturbing trends, preventing even worse outcomes. For instance, even at our current level of warming, 10-year droughts are 70% more frequent than the pre-industrial baseline — but such droughts will become four times more frequent if we let warming spiral to 4°C. Of course, there are steps we all can take at the individual level to reduce overall emissions, including the oft-mentioned reducing meat consumption. Replacing your devices less frequently is also helpful to the planet:With so much energy going into the production of phones and computers, simply holding onto them for a few more months or years is a worthwhile endeavor. But while individual efforts like these are important, they are not nearly sufficient; if we want to make any real headway in addressing the climate crisis, we need change at the institutional level. To the Dartmouth students reading this, you are part of a number of groups on campus which generate a significant amount of greenhouse gases — with fossil fuels currently underpinning so much of modern life, it’s almost impossible not to
MARLEIGH PETERS ’24: ADVICE FROM A ’24
be. For instance, I’m involved with the Dartmouth Outing Club. Arguably, the DOC’s most intense sources of carbon emissions is the First-Year Trips program — simply for its size — and our break trips, which travel to various locations around the country and sometimes internationally. FYT has already adopted an environmental focus, teaching students how to recycle and gifting Nalgenes. But as has become increasingly evident, air travel is an incredibly potent source of greenhouse gases, emitting carbon dioxide high into the atmosphere where it has an especially strong warming effect. We have taken steps like calculating the carbon footprint of our break trips and recognizing the impact of some particularly high-emissions trips. Given the latest evidence, however, recognition alone is not enough — it’s even more essential to take real steps to reduce emissions. The DOC can prioritize more local trips and institute a total carbon budget, while additionally supporting projects like reforestation to offset at least some portion of our travel-based emissions. Admittedly, some clubs have more ways than others to reduce their carbon footprint, but a complete analysis is still worthwhile. Some organizations might not have any single large source of carbon emissions, producing greenhouse gases in smaller and unavoidable ways like just using electricity. If you’re part of the Dartmouth Film Society, for instance, I can’t foresee any significant ways for you to change your emissions footprint. But there could be somewhere to start — even as simple as making sure snacks are low-carbon
intensity. That brings us to the most impactful organization of all — the College itself and its administration. The Sustainability Office, Sunrise and other groups have done tremendous work in ratcheting up pressure on Dartmouth to fulfill its own emissions goals. But we must make it clear that the College’s plans should go even further to decarbonize in light of the worsening scientific outlook. During Earth Week in April, Sunrise and other groups made strong and commendable efforts to hold Dartmouth accountable for its goals in the “Our Green Future” report, which outlines a path to reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. These goals aren’t terrible — they’re in line with prior targets to limit warming to two degrees Celsius or more — but Dartmouth can afford to go further. At even two degrees Celsius of warming, the consequences will be dire — when compared to the pre-warming baseline, the likelihood of 10-year floods is projected to increase more than twofold, heavy storms will become 1.7 times more likely and 50-year extreme temperature events a stunning 13.9 times more likely. The situation is dire enough, and the relationship between carbon emissions and global warming direct enough, to warrant every attempt to reduce the emissions of CO2 and other gases. In the words of the IPCC report, “every ton of CO2 emissions adds to global warming” — and so every institution must work as quickly as possible to reduce its emissions. Every fewer ton of carbon produced means less warming and less tragedy. At Dartmouth, the resources abound — for starters, our $6 billion endowment — to fully invest in rapidly decarbonizing the College. Some may criticize any decarbonization effort as futile and argue that the responsibility to solve climate change instead lies with national governments or the corporations that have polluted so much in the first place. I largely agree with this sentiment — given the sheer scope of global emissions, any effort we undertake is only part of the solution, a supplement to the sweeping changes required in national policy. But the need for federal changes does not obviate the need for changes on the local level, especially when there is a strong local source of emissions. As of 2018, the average U.S. citizen produces 15 metric tons of carbon emissions per year, according to the World Bank. The carbon emissions of just Dartmouth’s campus itself work out to 10 tons per student per year, not including travel or the rest of the emissions generated by Dartmouth students when elsewhere. Every institution — especially those responsible for a high intensity of emissions — must quickly examine its practices over the coming decade if we hope to limit the drastic effects of climate change. In tackling the impending climate crisis, Dartmouth has the opportunity to actually lead on an issue, rather than merely react. It’s high time for every student and group on this campus to embrace a campaign to reduce emissions — one endorsed and backed by an administration that finally takes a clear view on the science. Look around you, in the clubs and groups you’re part of, and think about how you can reduce emissions there. As a school, let’s set actual bold targets — carbon neutrality by 2035, the same year General Motors will stop making internal combustion engine cars, could be a good starting point. This will require an ambitious changeover. We will likely need to switch over college fleets to electric vehicles, change utilities to renewable sources and cut down on the tremendous amount of waste that this campus produces. But it is possible; we have the technology. The question is if we also have the willingness to do so. Max Teszler is the Vice President of the Dartmouth Outing Club.