New Hampshire Gubernatorial Candidate Wants Dartmouth to Reinstate ‘Animal House' Frat

A New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate vows he will work to restore the status of a Dartmouth College fraternity that loosely inspired the 1978 comedy film "Animal House."

The Boston Globe reports (http://bit.ly/2aN9sVH ) the Alpha Delta fraternity was booted from the Ivy League school's Hanover campus in April 2015 after officials learned members branded pledges on their backsides.

Mark Connolly, a Democrat running in New Hampshire's primary for governor, was a member of Alpha Delta when he graduated from Dartmouth in 1979.

The former New Hampshire securities bureau chief says he wants his former fraternity reinstated once members prove they are upstanding members of the community.

In a statement to necn, his campaign said, "Dartmouth College played an incredibly important role in Mark's life and it's an institution that he cares deeply about. He's been proud to remain involved in the Dartmouth community during his four decades as an alumnus. Mark's interest is to work with other alumni, current students, and the Dartmouth community to ensure that the group can once again be a productive part of the college community for future generations of students, but they won't be getting any special treatment."

New Hampshire's governor automatically becomes an ex-officio member of the college's board of trustees.

Dartmouth officials say de-recognition is permanent.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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