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Dartmouth in Focus: Policy Shifts, Campus Activism, and a New Year of Big Ideas

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Dartmouth

Dartmouth updates include SAT/ACT policy, new Montgomery Fellows, labor news, and outreach programs—what’s new and how it affects students.

Why Dartmouth’s Headlines Matter Right Now

“Dartmouth” isn’t just shorthand for an Ivy League campus tucked into the Upper Valley; it’s a bellwether for trends in U.S. higher education—from admissions policy to student labor movements and athletic safety leadership. Over the last 18 months, Dartmouth has been at the center of national conversations: reintroducing standardized testing in admissions, navigating campus labor actions, and shaping athlete welfare while expanding access to Dartmouth learning far beyond Hanover.

Below is a concise, SEO-friendly roundup of the most consequential developments to know right now, plus how they impact applicants, students, alumni, and stakeholders.

Admissions: SAT/ACT Are Back—Here’s What It Means

Dartmouth reactivated the SAT/ACT requirement for undergraduate admissions beginning with applicants to the Class of 2029, citing internal research that test scores—used correctly—can improve equity by surfacing high-achieving students from under-resourced schools. The decision was communicated by the president’s office and the admissions site, which also explains multiple ways students educated outside the U.S. can satisfy the requirement.

This shift arrives amid a national debate. Some outlets argue test reinstatement could exacerbate disparities, while others contend scores add signal when paired with GPA and context—especially post–affirmative action. Dartmouth’s stance places it with institutions like MIT in resetting expectations for selective admissions.

Takeaway for applicants: If you’re aiming at Dartmouth, plan to test—and lean on the school’s resources on interpreting results. International applicants, in particular, should review the listed pathways to fulfill the requirement.

Campus & Labor: From Unionization Flashpoints to Ongoing Bargaining

Dartmouth’s campus has been a hub of labor activity. Earlier this year, the men’s basketball team withdrew its federal union petition, a notable twist after a groundbreaking vote in U.S. college sports. The political landscape around the National Labor Relations Board—and concerns about changes under a new administration—loomed large in that decision, according to campus reporting and national labor analysis.

Student-worker organizing also intensified: the student worker union staged a strike in May 2025 following months of negotiations. Meanwhile, the college’s labor relations pages show ongoing bargaining with the library workers union, reflecting the broader campus labor conversation.

Why it matters: Whether you’re a student employee, researcher, or athlete, the outcomes of these negotiations shape wages, scheduling, benefits, and the lived campus experience.

Academic & Cultural Life: Big Names, Big Conversations

Dartmouth announced a 2025–26 class of Montgomery Fellows, including figures such as Yo-Yo Ma and Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed—an injection of arts, scholarship, and public dialogue into the new academic year. These fellowships historically bring world-class practitioners into sustained conversation with students and faculty.

The university has also expanded access to Dartmouth coursework through a partnership with the National Education Equity Lab, allowing high school students nationwide—often in underserved districts—to earn Dartmouth credit and experience college-level rigor.

Impact: Expect a campus calendar packed with marquee lectures, workshops, and performances—and an ever-widening funnel introducing first-generation and low-income students to Dartmouth academics.

 

Athletics & Legacy: Honoring Buddy Teevens and Pushing Safety Forward

Dartmouth’s late football coach Eugene F. “Buddy” Teevens ’79 left an indelible mark on player safety and innovation. Recent updates underscore how that legacy is being institutionalized:

  • The Kirsten and Eugene F. “Buddy” Teevens ’79 Center for Peak Performance opened to support athletes’ physical and mental development and drive sports performance research.
  • The Teevens family directed an NCAA award to the Concussion Legacy Foundation, continuing his advocacy on CTE prevention.

These steps build on broader tributes to Teevens’ leadership in safety and inclusion across football. For alumni and fans, this signals sustained investment in athlete welfare and evidence-based practice.

Conduct & Campus Climate: Protests, Discipline, and Due Process

The student paper recently reported the upholding of suspensions related to the Parkhurst Hall occupation, a story that continues Dartmouth’s complex dialogue around protest, policy enforcement, and restorative pathways (including anticipated returns to classes for some students).

Context: Like many campuses, Dartmouth is balancing robust student expression with safety and operational continuity. For prospective families, it’s useful to understand how the college communicates, adjudicates, and supports students through such episodes.

 

The National Lens: Why Dartmouth’s Moves Ripple Outward

Dartmouth’s testing policy and labor flashpoints have outsized influence in higher ed:

  • Admissions: Selective schools watch peers; as Dartmouth re-embraces testing with an equity rationale, others may refine their own mixed models of test-required, test-flexible, or test-optional policies.
  • Labor: The basketball unionization saga—vote, recognition fight, and withdrawal—will shape strategy for athlete and student-worker organizing nationally, especially given shifting federal agency dynamics.

How This Affects You (By Audience)

Prospective students & families

  • Plan standardized testing alongside contextual strengths (course rigor, essays, recommendations). Review the admissions testing guidance and international options carefully.

Current students & campus workers

  • Monitor official labor-relations updates and student reporting to understand compensation proposals and contract progress.

Alumni & donors

  • Track new initiatives (Montgomery Fellows, Equity Lab partnership) and legacy-driven projects like the Teevens Center that may align with your philanthropic interests.

Athletics community

  • Expect continued emphasis on injury prevention, performance science, and athlete mental health embedded within the Teevens Center’s mission.

 

Frequently Searched, Quick Answers

  • Is Dartmouth test-required again? Yes. Starting with the Class of 2029, SAT/ACT scores are required; Dartmouth details several international alternatives.
  • What happened with the basketball union? The team withdrew its NLRB petition in January 2025, pausing a landmark organizing push and reflecting a shifting federal landscape.
  • What new academic/cultural programming is coming? A robust Montgomery Fellows slate and an Equity Lab partnership expanding access to Dartmouth courses.
  • What’s new in athletics? The Buddy Teevens Center for Peak Performance and a directed NCAA award to concussion research.
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