Steeped in tradition, Dartmouth College is now struggling with change.
The small, Ivy League liberal arts school in Hanover, New Hampshire was founded in 1769, and one of its hallmarks has always been a high level of alumni involvement.
That involvement has been at the center of a recent storm of controversy about the make-up of the college’s board of trustees. The Board decided last weekend to expand its membership from 18 to 26, without adding any alumni seats to its current field of eight.
That upsets a long-held balance of 8 trustees selected by alumni and 8 selected by the board. In the new system, 16 trustees will be chosen by the board.
John Gregg is a reporter for the Valley News and has been covering the change in the board’s governance.
He spoke with VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb and says former Dartmouth graduates upset about the expanded board see it as a move to reduce the influence of alumni.