2008 Association of Alumni Candidates

Douglas H. Keare '56, '57Th, '57Tu
Candidate for Second Vice President

Biography
Doug recently retired from a career in international development, consisting mainly of a quarter century as a manager in the World Bank. At Dartmouth he was a member of the freshman football team, Sphinx, Kappa Sigma (now Chi Gam), of which he is now Corporation President, and Phi Beta Kappa. Following Tuck/Thayer, he obtained his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton. He has remained consistently active in Class affairs, establishing a class scholarship, initially for foreign scholars, in the early 1960s; as Class president from 1976 through 87; and most recently as “whip” on his 50th reunion committee, engineering a record turnout.

Statement
I adopt the statement of John Mathias and urge the election of our entire slate.

I am the only person on our slate who is a founding member of Dartmouth Undying (www.dartmouthundying.org). I adopt its platform as well.

I was a founding member and officer of Dartmouth Alumni for Open Governance (DAOG). I have a long history of pushing for a more open and participatory style of College governance, particularly by the Board of Trustees.

Although much of this history has been frustrating, several years ago things began to improve. People started paying attention and listening. Within the past few years the system has become sufficiently open to actually welcome advice, however critical, from alumni who have Dartmouth’s best interests at heart.

It is therefore troubling that during this same few years a new cast of characters with a very different agenda has taken opportunistic advantage of the improved situation created by DAOG and has succeeded in electing last year a petition slate of candidates achieving a bare majority on the Association of Alumni’s Executive Committee. With this newly gained power, the petition slate members filed a totally unnecessary and very divisive lawsuit against the College.

This has happened at a time when Dartmouth is exceptionally strong. Its Trustees are eager-- not just willing-- to engage in any reasoned argument. Jim Wright, following a few early stumbles, has a record of solid achievement. With his stepping down in June 2009, alumni have an opportunity to collaborate in finding a truly superlative leader to take Dartmouth well into the 21st century.

Our slate will work with the Trustee committees on governance and alumni relations (newly created) to reestablish a strong, mutually respectful governance partnership for the betterment of Dartmouth.

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