Dartblog

From Joseph Asch ‘79, Independent Candidate For Trustee

Dear Mort and John,

Over the past few years, campaigns for the Dartmouth Board of Trustees have become needlessly elaborate and expensive. Now that you’ve both been nominated by the Alumni Council — and now that hundreds of our fellow alumni have signed my petition, enabling me to become a candidate myself — I’d like to offer you a proposal. Let’s simplify the coming campaign, and maybe even raise some funds for the College.

So far, each of us has engaged in only limited campaigning. All of us have set up websites and reserved advertising space in the “D” and the Alumni Magazine. I sent out a mailing to gather the signatures I needed to place my name on the ballot. And each of you has permitted the College to announce your candidacy with a postcard mass-mailing, an e-mail to the entire alumni body, a prominent posting on the Dartmouth website, and mentions in Dartmouth in the News.

So where do we go from here? If you’re planning to follow the pattern of recent elections, right now each of you is preparing to mail a letter to alumni, and I’m preparing to send a similar mailing myself.

Those mailings will cost each of us about $30,000. Here’s my idea: Why don’t we join forces? Why don’t we ask the College to distribute a single mailing from the three of us? In one envelope, each of us would include two sheets, enough space to describe our qualifications and explain why we’re running. And the College could schedule the mailing to reach alumni just before voting begins.

Think of it. Our fellow alums would receive just a single, timely mailing — a mailing that would enable them to compare all three of us, making informed, considered decisions about which of us they intend to support.

What about the cost? By my estimate, this single mailing would cost only about half as much as three separate mailings. Why don’t we share the expense and contribute the savings to the Dartmouth College Fund?

Less hassle for the alums. A significant contribution to the College. And an example of restrained, reasoned campaigning that could help set a new standard for Trustee races to come.

Will you join me?

And if not, will you tell alumni why?

Here’s my email address: JoeForDartmouth@Gmail.com.

Sincerely,