Security Bill Setbacks
The House approved Wednesday a revised version of the Homeland Security Bill reducing worker protection provisions despite Democratic opposition. The bill is expected to pass in the Senate as well.
Competence and efficacy within the Department of Homeland Security are essential for safety on U.S. soil. To this end, some Civil Service rules should be revised as they apply to the department, to ensure that employees do not become complacent and that the best people are able to respond to situations effectively.
However, Republican pressure for the removal of the Civil Service rules goes too far. Improved personnel and functioning in the department should not come at the expense of union protection or all Civil Service rules, such as those regulating pay raises or seniority structure. A total loss of these protections in one department could set a precedent for others, endangering the attraction of federal employment. A sense of job security will strengthen the fledgling department, allowing employees to question the actions of their superiors and associates.
We urge the Senate to pursue a compromise to balance Civil Service rules with effectiveness within the Department of Homeland Security.
Citation Confusion
Dartmouth's "Organization, Regulations and Courses" explains that professors award citations in order to recognize their students' "unusual talents, dependability, initiative, resourcefulness, or other meritorious characteristics that are not indicated adequately by academic grades."
But this definition is too nebulous to be meaningful. Some professors confer four to five citations per class while other faculty members flatly refuse to award citations at all. One professor may require that students earn an A in order to merit a possible citation while others may give citations to students who have earned C's -- on the basis of exemplary effort.
The faculty needs to reach a consensus on the purpose of a citation in order to eliminate disparities both within and between departments. It is impossible to create an immutable standard, but Dartmouth professors should share a common philosophy before handing out one of the College's highest academic honors.