Dartblog

The word is out that the Minary Center will be sold as part of the College’s effort to save money. You might ask why Dartmouth is selling such a well regarded piece of real estate in a down market. After all, the Center was the subject of a laudatory profile in The D only five months ago. And as one faculty member wrote to me, “This is a crown jewel of Dartmouth. It has served for years as a center for innovative thinking and change.”

Better still, you could ask why such a decision is being made without consulting the faculty — appreciative users of the facility. The College seems to concert with the SEIU labor union when the time comes to lay off dishwashers and sundry staff; I guess that the faculty does not inspire the same trepidation at Parkhurst that our $40k/year janitors evoke from the tremulous powers that be.

The prevailing ethos around here seems to be that everyone must share the burden of the current financial crisis — that sinew and bone need to be cut in equal measure with fat. Such poor thinking.

Dear …

For 40 years Dartmouth has operated the Minary Center on Squam Lake, providing a venue for meetings and conferences. We are grateful to you and your department for your business at the Minary Center.

As you know, the current economic environment has required Dartmouth, like its peers, to carefully review operations to reconcile a budget deficit. During this process, we’ve had to make sure that resources are focused in areas critical to the College’s mission. I am writing to let you know that one result of this review is a decision by Dartmouth’s Board of Trustees to sell Minary at the end of the 2010 season.

The decision to sell Minary was difficult. The property is beautiful and has hosted many successful conferences and meetings since it was received as a gift in 1970. Many of Minary’s guests have come to know Drew and Laura Hinman, Minary’s caretakers, personally. We are particularly appreciative of their service to Dartmouth, commitment to Minary, and the hospitality they extended to guests during their tenure as managers for the past 24 years.

Minary will remain open through the end of this calendar year. Drew and Laura will continue to live and work at Minary through this time, and all existing guest reservations will be honored. While the property will be listed for sale in the near future, this will not have an impact on any existing reservations.

We are grateful to you and your department for your business at the Minary Center.

With gratitude,

Steve Kadish
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer