In loco parentis

Editorial: Ivy day

Ivies is upon us. As this issue goes to print, many Bowdoin students are readying to head to Brunswick Quad for an afternoon of carefree carousing. Whittier Field is being prepared for tomorrow’s concert, when Phar\os, Hoodie Allen and Guster will take the stage, and the stacks of H-L have plenty of carrels to spare.
One of the reasons that Ivies is special is because it has a tendency to breed nostalgia, for both our personal memories of the College and its 219-year history. Beginning in 1865, Ivy Day celebrated the planting of an ivy by the side of the Chapel. The spring concert (and preceding parties) that exist today barely resemble this occasion.
Guster, this year’s headlining act, is no stranger to campus--the band performed at Bowdoin in 1997 and 2000. We are glad to see them return a third time, and tomorrow’s concert--with mostly sunny skies in the forecast--promises to be another memorable set.

Editorial: The old college try

You are on the brink of a host of new experiences: from watching the sun rise on the Quad as you slink home from an essay-writing marathon to dancing on tables in Ladd House. We know the academics and the extracurriculars at Bowdoin will challenge you and define much of your next four years here. But throughout all of this, you will be flanked by 498 other members of the Class of 2017. And, during any given year, you’ll be surrounded by 1300-odd students in different class years. We’re not sure if we believe the mythical statistic that 40 percent of Polar Bears marry another Polar Bear, but we have no doubt that many of the still-strange faces around you will become wonderful friends for years to come.
First Year Orientation is designed to ease the transition from life as you knew it to the brave new world of college. And these first few weeks require you to be just that: brave. Do not immediately cut yourself off from social opportunities by constantly Skyping, texting or Facebook messaging your friends from home. Some of you have not had to make new friends in a while and are loathe to put yourself out there—but isolating yourself on the internet is not going to help.
There is no way you will meet each and every one of your classmates during the five days that Orientation lasts. You will likely find comfort hanging out with your Orientation trip group, the people who live on your floor, and the teammates you meet right off the bat. But everyone comes to Bowdoin from different backgrounds and experiences and you will do yourself a disservice if you don’t branch out from those early clusters. You’ll be much happier moving through Bowdoin if you keep your mind open to new friends everywhere from your Econ 101 review session to the Thorne salad bar to the beer line at Helmreich House.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

May 3, 2013

The results of the latest installment of the Orient’s semi-annual approval ratings survey overwhelmingly suggest that Bowdoin students are disillusioned with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Many students responded to the Orient expressing discontent with the deans’ handling of recent hazing incidents, and were generally dissatisfied with the administration’s lack of transparency.

Dean Tim Foster’s recent email to students outlining staffing changes within the Office of Student Affairs is demonstrative of the ambiguity that often accompanies administration communiqués to the student body. A similar lack of clarity has defined the administration’s response to multiple hazing incidents this year, leading many students to regard the deans as foes rather than friends. Despite continued discontent with the current policy, exactly what constitutes hazing remains uncertain, and there is no sign the administration plans to change its procedure any time soon. Many students are unsure about what falls under the College’s expansive definition of hazing. It is understandable that the administration does not want to report the details of hazing incidents, but leaving the student body in the dark as to what actually constitutes hazing only hinders efforts to prevent future occurrences. There have been many programs geared toward educating club and sports team leaders on hazing over the past few years, and perhaps the situation would be improved if that information were made widely available to all students—not just those in charge of student organizations.

Student reactions to this year’s hazing incidents underline the fact that the deans’ judgments often seem like they come out of left field. Their decisions reflect a disregard for the norms of our campus, given that the broad definition of hazing encompasses activities that are considered both ordinary and safe. The dominant opinion among students is that the deans are far removed from student life. Periodic appeals to connect with students do not do enough to engender a sense that the deans are on our side. While some students will certainly get to know administrators, for most, the deans appear to be little more than talking heads who sign campus-wide emails.

Responses to the approval ratings survey indicated a growing frustration with the insistence of the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Safety and Security on treating Bowdoin students like children. Though almost every student enrolled at Bowdoin is a legal adult, the College’s procedure for determining what constitutes hazing undermines the ability of the students involved to choose whether or not to participate in group traditions. As college students, we should be capable of making smart choices, even in the presence of subtle pressure from our peers.

Solving these problems is easier said than done. Currently, deans hold office hours in order to provide students with the opportunity to voice their concerns. However, few students attend these sessions, and when they do, they may find it difficult to discuss contentious issues face-to-face for fear that the conversation may affect future disciplinary relationships. BSG is moving to address the ambiguities of the hazing policy, but whatever the assembly authorizes must ultimately be approved by the administration. The College is entitled to act in loco parentis in order to ensure student safety and well-being. But going forward, the administration must do so with a measure of transparency that allows students to understand its decisions.

The editorial represents the majority view of the Bowdoin Orient’s editorial board, which is composed of Nora Biette-Timmons, Garrett Casey, Linda Kinstler, Sam Miller, Sam Weyrauch and Kate Witteman.

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