August 10, 2020 Update

Update from Dean Lively

Dear Students,

Hello! As always, I hope this email finds you and those closest to you well and in good health. There is still a lot going on, and it's likely to feel like things are happening faster and faster as we barrel our way towards fall.

Case in point, a lot has happened in the last week. My team and I are watching -- in real time -- as many of you are beginning to exercise your ability to make the right decisions for you and your families. Many of you who are continuing are electing fall courses. Those of you approved for fall on-campus enrollment have completed the housing form. Many are finalizing plans to remain at home with your families for the time being, or live with friends throughout the country, while others are pursuing internship and "gap" opportunities. Wherever you may find yourself starting the fall, we trust that each of you is making the right decision - for you and your own unique academic journey, your health, and your goals. In many ways, that's all any of us can do given the circumstances we've been dealt, and you have our full support - whatever you choose.

Rather than take the opportunity to underscore the importance of learning to live with uncertainty or the value of surfing, I think I'll share a story with you instead and leave you with a question. A few years ago, I was at a meditation retreat. It was supposed to be a silent meditation retreat, and I had been looking forward to it for a long time. One of the other participants was continuously disruptive. My own attempts to encourage her silence were unsuccessful. I was angry and annoyed, and told the retreat host that she was ruining my experience. He nodded, the way wise people often do and walked me back to my mat. "Kathryn," he said, "she is your experience."

In the moment, as you might imagine, my frustration escalated. I also had no idea what he was talking about. I plopped back down on the mat and considered what I was going to take away from this. And the lesson, in retrospect, was exactly what he said: "She is your experience." I wasn't getting the experience I wanted -- which was to sit in silence. The experience I got, however, was learning to make peace with unmet expectations and to take the lesson that it's always up to me.

I understand that this year is not shaping up to be the year any of us envisioned. And your Dartmouth experience -- at least this year -- will be unlike that of any other class before you. But it will be your Dartmouth experience. So, I offer you a question: What will be the lesson here for you? What learning will you take away from this that will serve you inside and outside of the classroom? What new realization will arise that may -- and likely will -- change your life well beyond the time and space of your Dartmouth career?

All that aside, let's return to a little detail. We'll be sharing a lot of information later next week -- important information that will help you to continue to make the most informed decisions possible. As mentioned in an earlier Monday message, you will be asked - no matter what your current plans are - to complete the 20-21 enrollment agreement now, as we know plans may change. This way we can get it done for the year in one round, keep it on file, and move on. We'll also have more details - though not all - in response to your "What will it be like?",  "What can I do if I'm on campus?" and "How can I stay connected if I'm not there?" questions, along with your room assignments, assigned arrival dates, and pre- and post-arrival testing information. If you haven't had a chance to view this past week's Community Conversations broadcast, I'd encourage you to do so - Provost Helble, Task Force Chair Dr. Lisa Adams, and Dr. Marty Cetron '81, covered a lot of ground.

You can watch it at https://news.dartmouth.edu/news/2020/08/community-conversations-strategy-testing-and-prevention

For now, the one update we can provide this week is that information about the fall dining plan has posted athttps://dining.dartmouth.edu/dining-plans/fall-2020-undergraduate-dining. We're sharing what we can now - how the plan will work, and that service will be a combination of delivery, pick-up and limited seating depending on conditions when you arrive and throughout the term. This will be another one of those areas where details will evolve with conditions on the ground.

For those of you who are taking classes this summer, good luck as you head into week eight. For the rest of you, I hope you are able to enjoy these weeks of your break, whatever that means or what that looks like for you. As always, I'd simply just like to end by reminding you that we're all in this together and those of us who are here in the Upper Valley working for a successful re-opening can't wait to welcome you back to campus, whenever and however that may be.

All my best,

Dean Lively