When I look in the future, I don't see signals that the balance [between teaching and research] will be maintained. And I think research will win out. This institution thinks that because in its past it has cared about teaching, it can take it for granted. And I don't think you can do that."
This is only one of the many comments that professors made regarding the academic direction of the College. As part of a report that the Student Assembly has been coordinating, 30 members of the faculty were interviewed anonymously to find out their thoughts regarding teaching, research, the college's commitment to both, the tenure process and a host of other issues. These academic considerations add up to nothing less than the soul of Dartmouth. They are fundamental to the quality of education that we receive.
What we discovered should be of concern to all students, alumni, administrators and faculty members. It should be of concern to anyone who treasures Dartmouth and the unique position it holds among small liberal arts colleges and elite research universities. It signals a change -- and in our opinion, a change for the worse.
There are two competing schools of thought. One places research in a battle against teaching. This view is talked about as "teaching vs. research" where a gain in one area means a loss in the other. The second way of thinking about this debate argues that teaching and research go hand in hand and that Dartmouth can strive for preeminence while maintaining a central commitment to teaching. However, both are misleading; both don't get below the surface.
There is nothing inherently wrong with research. In fact, we agree that research is essential in the learning process and can serve to enhance the education of all students. However, Dartmouth must strive to create a balance between a research university and a liberal arts college. Teaching must be supported institutionally just as research is supported. We can't just rely on a historical commitment to teaching or rhetoric about the importance of teaching.
In his inaugural address, College President James Wright declared that "Dartmouth is a research university in all but name." However, many members of the community would disagree. Dartmouth is and should be much more than that. Dartmouth is at its best when it values undergraduates and strikes a balance between college and university. This report is about bringing concerns and thoughts about the academic direction out into the open and starting a dialogue. This issue is too important to be passed over. Dartmouth cannot lose its identity.
We believe that undergraduates at Dartmouth care about the academic direction of the College. We believe that undergraduates chose Dartmouth precisely because it was a different kind of institution, in a category all by itself. And now we need to make our voices heard. The Student Assembly wants to hear about your experiences and your opinion of research and teaching at Dartmouth.
A full copy of the report will be available on the web. In fact, you probably already got an email from the Student Assembly about this project. Read the report. But more importantly, take the time to reflect on your academic experiences and to share your individual insight with us. Everything you write will be attached to the report and presented to the Board of Trustees and President Wright.
We don't claim to have all the answers or to present a report backed by perfect statistics. What it is backed by is real concern from students and professors. Junior faculty spoke about the pressure and the explicit and implicit messages they receive regarding teaching and research. Professors who have been at Dartmouth for years spoke about the shifting balance and their dismay over the direction of an institution they have given so much to. Others spoke about the consequences of specialization on the breadth of Dartmouth's curriculum. Their experiences cannot just be overlooked.
If you disagree with our conclusions and perspective, then challenge us -- because we're prepared to challenge you. In a community like Dartmouth, nothing less should be expected. With a new Dean of the Faculty appointed, a Provost search going on as you read this column, and a capital campaign about to be kicked-off, there's no better time to have this conversation, honestly and out in the open.
