CONCORD, N.H. ― Frustrated by a lack of response from Dartmouth College, a state lawmaker hopes the Legislature will force the Ivy League school to explain how it has repaid New Hampshire for its generosity more than a century ago.
In 1807, the state gave the then-cash-strapped college 42 square miles of land in far northern New Hampshire, with the provision that all income produced from it be used to educate students from poor New Hampshire families. Seventy-six years later, the Legislature gave the private college $10,000 on the condition it be invested in a perpetual fund for poor students from New Hampshire.
The 1883 law also required college trustees to make annual reports to the Legislature, but Rep. Renny Cushing said he has been unable to locate anyone in New Hampshire state government with any memory of such reports. He has also asked legislative leaders going back to the 1970s about whether Dartmouth ever consulted the state about managing the land, but none could remember hearing anything about it.
“The complete lack of transparency is pretty bothersome,” said Cushing, a Democrat from Hampton who was researching possible legislation aimed at making college education more affordable when he began wondering about the land, which is used for timber harvesting and recreation. “I feel like they don’t respect the state. … They took the money, put it in their pocket and walked away.”
Asked about the land deal in early July, Dartmouth officials pointed out that subsequent lawmakers in 1919 lifted the requirement about how the income was to be used. When Cushing followed up a few weeks later with questions about the $10,000 gift, officials said they would research the issue, but more than two months later have yet to respond.
A college spokeswoman said last week officials would not comment on Cushing’s proposed bills because he has not shared them with the college.
“Dartmouth appreciates all of the support it has received from the state of New Hampshire and is confident that it has honored all of its commitments,” Diana Lawrence said.
