In a recent editorial ("The Failure of Higher Education," The Dartmouth, Feb. 20), Scott Brown made many excellent points regarding our society's failure to provide opportunities in higher education for our nation's poorest students. He cited the decline in public funding for higher education and argued that unequal access to public universities contributes to the increasing disparity between rich and poor in the United States.
However, we should also consider the ways that private institutions like Dartmouth contribute to the disparity between rich and poor. While it is true that Dartmouth has maintained a commitment to need-blind admissions and generous financial aid, these limited programs do not go far enough to address many of the underlying problems of social justice in the United States.
Is it possible that despite our need-blind admissions policy, we and other elite institutions are doing little to correct social injustice and are contributing to the problem?
Some would argue this is the case. During his visit to Dartmouth in the fall, Montgomery fellow and former Yale Chaplain William Sloan Coffin was critical of our lack commitment to the world's problems. He stated bluntly: "There's not much passion in these universities. The humanities don't humanize. They're cultural icing on an economic cake."
Indeed, statistics from Career Services suggest he is at least partially correct. The number of students entering consulting and investment banking doubled between 1991 and 1996, while the number entering education dropped by half.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with consulting and investment banking, these fields do not provide direct exposure to many real world problems such as poverty, environmental degradation and social injustice. After four years in the relatively comfortable Dartmouth environment, it's a shame that so few Dartmouth students consider public service alternatives like teaching and social work -- if only for a few years before entering a professional field. In the long run, these experiences provide a greater perspective on the world and make us more effective and compassionate leaders in whatever field we choose.
So why aren't more students interested in working for social change upon leaving Dartmouth?
There are many reasons for our lack of interest in public service, but two important factors are the financial and cultural pressures of attending an elite and expensive insitution like Dartmouth. In spite of need-blind admissions and need-based financial aid, many Dartmouth students face real or perceived financial pressure while attending college -- either in the form of student loan debt or in the form of an obligation to parents footing the bill.
While there are many ways to repay student loans, it is understandable many students opt for higher-paying professional jobs after Dartmouth. These provide the greatest security and often are the most acceptable to parents who have expectations of what constitutes a good use of an expensive education.
But in addition to the financial pressures of attending Dartmouth, there are cultural elements that factor into our decision-making. Too often, the student culture seems to say that once you've gained access to this elite institution, you are "entitled" to earn lots of money and avoid dealing with real world problems. You (or someone else) are paying lots of money and consequently deserve privileges -- or so the logic goes.
Of course, not all Dartmouth students have this attitude, and there are signs that it is becoming less prevalent, but the sense of entitlement is still a part of Dartmouth's history and student culture.
There are many things Dartmouth as an institution can do to address these problems and promote a broader social consciousness among students. First, we might consider following Princeton and Yale's lead in eliminating loans to students whose families earn under $40,000 per year. We might also consider waiving loans for students who take low-paying public service jobs upon graduation. This would provide students with a wider range of options, attract socially-committed students to Dartmouth and foster a more compassionate intellectual environment.
However, to change the culture of elitism and entitlement, Dartmouth needs to go beyond the realm of student finances and aggressively commit itself to social justice. For each Berry Library we build in Hanover, why can't we build two or three libraries in an inner city or an Upper Valley community? These satellite libraries could be staffed by Dartmouth students who would gain real-world perspective to supplement their academic experience.
For real social change to occur, every Dartmouth student needs to leave with a sense of obligation to improve our society and the world.
