The New York Sun toasts Dartmouth Review

Gary Shapiro at The New York Sun has written the definitive account of last Friday's twenty-fifth anniversary gala. From today's paper:

'Dartmouth Review Celebrates 25 Years'

By GARY SHAPIRO

April 28, 2006

The peal of the old Dartmouth Indian war cry "Wah-hoo-wah" resounded as the Dartmouth Review, the insouciantly conservative student publication, celebrated its 25th birthday at a dinner in Manhattan last week. For a quarter century, its jaunty pages have enlivened the idyllic campus in Hanover, N.H., challenging liberal presuppositions - sometimes raucously - while earning recognition as a model for conservative newspapers nationwide. Distributed door to door to every student and mailed to subscribers across the country, the Review has been at the center of stormy cultural and political debates since its inception.

Here is the direct link to the article.

If it ain't broke... Well, it is broke. Let's start over.

While TDR typically does its best to keep out of Student Assembly affairs (my personal detest for the institution is well known), a candidate like this only comes along once in a while. There has been a slew of candidates this year who have tried to get on the ballot as write-ins, so what's one more. Below is the candidate statement of Tyler McIntyre '08, who I at least personally will support as Student Assembly President (i.e. this is NOT an endorsement by The Dartmouth Review). I urge you to do the same, if only for the sake of your student activities fee.

The emphasis is mine, to highlight the key points

Dartmouth College student body:

I am writing this open letter to the Dartmouth College student body to announce my running for the SA student body president. While I realize that I am late to announce my running for office, I know I am qualified to fulfill the position.
My announcement has been carefully considered; hours have been spent deliberating this announcement. The answer is a resounding “YES”. My plans for my presidency are simple. If elected I plan to dismantle the Student Assembly. The assets of the Student Assembly will be sold and the treasury emptied; cash returns will be given to students. The disassembling of the Assembly enhances Dartmouth College. No more law school applicants will claim to be my student body president, except for me. Although some may say I am not as qualified as my opponents, my honesty is undeniable. The Assembly’s greatest accomplishment is enhancement of an out-dated communication system: the cell phone will overcome. My qualifications differ from most characters who seek the position. A ruthless campaigning strategy asking for your vote through email will not exist in my voting head quarters. I can assure the student body 3rd party members will not ask for you to vote for me. My platform is simple “Disassemble student assembly.” Its purpose at an institution, as strong as Dartmouth College, is a hoax. For students to believe the Student Assembly is in anyway involved in channeling Trustee and Administration goals is discrediting the intelligence of its students. Although voting in this election will give creditability to the Assembly, your vote for me is not a support of the system. A vote for me is a vote for an end to the Student Assembly.
With its dismantling, email can be used at Dartmouth College. The dismantling of the assembly raises questions. Where will the lines of communication between student and administration exist? We need to take advantage of Dartmouth’s small student body. I suggest a pure direct democracy. The size of the College allows for equality between students, and it should allow for better communication between students and administration. A direct referendum can exist for important matters.
The inefficiencies of the student assembly are undeniable. Students’ ideas and concerns can not be limited to new blitz terminals. Or Guster. Or Dashboard Confessional. We do not need a new face for the Student Assembly to turn things around; we need no face.
I am asking for your vote today. I come with one promise. The dismantling of the SA. The removal of the unnecessary middleman between the administration and the student body will undoubtedly enhance Dartmouth College. One of Dartmouth’s greatest qualities, its small student body, will conquer its biggest inefficiency. A more active student body will emerge. Issues with the college will be discussed more than once a year. Your vote for me in this election will no longer be a vote of silence.

Vote for me…first, 2nd, or at least last.

To that effect, it bears pointing out that Student Assembly did not exist in any form until about ten years ago, and the College and student body both functioned just fine without it.

Anniversary Wishes from the Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal congratulates The Dartmouth Review on its 25th anniversary:

As the Review tonight celebrates its 25th anniversary with a black-tie gala in Manhattan, we'd like to raise a glass to conservative student papers across the country. What was once a lonely voice challenging campus orthodoxy is now a boisterous chorus.

Rob Portman '78 new Director of OMB

New Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget has served as U.S. Trade Representative for the past year and was formerly an Ohio Congressman. He and his family is very generous with time and money in their work with the Rockefeller Center on campus.

President Bush's announcement here.

Powerline and Volokh hype gala

Powerline and Volokh join Peter Robinson and Mark Steyn in hyping THE conservative event of the season--Friday's Dartmouth Review gala in NYC. Tickets on sale through Wednesday!

Trustee in the News

Dartmouth Alumni Trustee T.J. Rodgers made the front page of the New York Times business section today. The Times profiled Rodgers and SunPower, a firm owned by his company, Cypress Semiconductor, that produces solar cells.

The Form of a Question...

The Washington Post reported on a John Murtha (D-Pa) town hall meeting where a veteran took him to task on his claim that American troops are demoralized. Interesting little piece to take a look at.

Mark Steyn and Peter Robinson want YOU...

...to join them April 21 in celebrating twenty-five years of The Dartmouth Review.
Remember, you can still reserve your tickets instantly here--but do so asap. The event is filling up!

Mark Steyn, the "one man global content provider" who will deliver the keynote address for the evening, writes on his website steynonline.com (scroll down at right):

I'm very much looking forward to this event, celebrating a quarter-century of one of the least insane college publications in the western world. If you're going to be in New York on April 21st, maybe I'll see you there - along with William F Buckley, Laura Ingraham and many others.

Yesterday, Review alum and Dartmouth trustee Peter Robinson had this to say on NRO:

YOU'RE NUTS IF YOU MISS THIS

On April 21, and open to all, the twenty-fifth anniversary gala of the first conservative college newspaper in America, the uproarious, defiant, hilarious, and outrageous Dartmouth Review.

Place: The island of Manhattan’s historic and magnificent Union League Club. Attire: Black tie, natch.

Luminaries in attendance: the unofficial chaplain of this happy Corner, the Rev. George Rutler; radio and television personality Laura Ingraham; and the father of us all, William F. Buckley, Jr. Keynote speaker: Mark Steyn, and I’m delighted to be able to tell you that he’s even more brilliant, prescient, and hilarious in person than in print.

Big band music, to which, celebrating a quarter of a century of glorious provocation, we shall all dance with unmatched abandon: Alex Donner and his Orchestra.

The event of the spring, and to get your ticket you need only click here.

A party like this won't come around again anytime soon. Get your tickets now!

New Issue Online

The latest issue of The Dartmouth Review is now available online.

Inside this issue:

--James O. Freedman, In Memoriam
--In-depth coverage of the Alumni Constitution controversy
--Weston Sager review Harvey C. Mansfield's Manliness.
--Plus The Week in Review, Barrett's Mixology, and The Last Word.

Oullette Honored as All-American

Men's Hockey Captain Mike Oullette '06 has been honored as Second Team All-American. Oullette is the Indians' third All-American in as many years, as Lee Stempniak '05 won the honor twice.

In addition to his All-American recognition, Oullette was honored as Ivy League Player of the Year, First Team All-ECACHL, Best Defensive Forward in the ECACHL, First Team All New England, and was selected to participate in the NCAA Skills Competition at the Frozen Four, this weekend in Milwaukee.