Saturday, February 25, 1984. The front page of a special edition Student states in large bold letters, “Fraternities Closed: Campus Center Promised.” This headline highlights the last real major issue with Amherst College’s social system, when the trustees decided to close the eight actively running fraternities on campus. This caused a huge uproar that invited protest to the Administration, including a Converse sit-in, which actually has a history of being a common ground for student demonstration. Along with the daylong sit-in, a group of 12 students went on a hunger strike to further show the sensitivity of this issue. Although the fraternities have been “underground” and out of sight on campus since that year, the administration promised the students changes to the social system that would help to alleviate the gap in the College’s social scene after the frats were shut down. Was that promised fully upheld in 1984, and if so, is it still actually being upheld today?

Along with Keefe Campus Center, four other promises were fulfilled. According to Student writers Francis B. Barker and Anne-Marie McGowan, the promises to follow the closing of the frats were: “(1) There is a need for the college to establish and administer new standards for social behaviors on campus; (2) Fraternities pose an obstacle to the achievement of such standards so they are being disbanded; (3) There is a recognized need to plan and create more and better space for social and residential activities; (4) There is a commitment to make Amherst a truly residential College for all students; and (5) The college will undertake immediately the planning and construction of a campus center.” Other than the campus center being built, the promises were slightly ambiguous because no action was made other than the admittance that something ought to be done by the administration.

So, is the administration happy with the Amherst College social system today? A recent meeting held on Monday, September 14th in the newly-renovated Hitchcock Dormitory between Dean Moore, Assistant Dean of Students & Director of Residential Life, Chief John Carter, members of the facilities department and the residents seems to answer that question in the negative. Dean Moore and others stood in front of what seemed like a disgruntled group of mostly seniors to speak to them about the recent spike in the amount of times the Amherst College police have had to visit the dorm. Supposedly, the main reasons for the police arrivals were calls of “noise complaints” from town residents behind the building. The dean also wanted to relay the message that many were worried about dorm damage students may cause throughout the year as a result of parties held in Hitchcock.

The students were very vocal, making arguments ranging from, “We don’t have any real social space to socialize in numbers,” to, “It’s not our fault that the designers decided to put in hardwood floors and add more rooms to generate a total of 75 students in one large building.” These students’ points left the administration in a difficult situation. In the end, a compromise was reached: the residents would help the custodian clean after every party they held. However, overall, the common theme before and after the meeting might well be described by the phrase, “Get off our backs!”

Is there a possibility for further reform of the Amherst social system? A demonstration might not be the answer at this time, but there haven’t been any protests recently at the College. This leads to the speculation that students have had all of their requests answered and are in compliance with all of the policies the administration has set for our community.