As of July 1, Dartmouth plans to make redundant one of the most well-known and well-respected professors on campus. Professor Ronald Edsforth of the history department will not be returning to Dartmouth to teach Fall term after 11 years of dedication to the education -- both in and out of the classroom -- of his students. Upon being informed he would no longer be invited to teach his ever-popular War and Peace Studies class by the College, Edsforth learned that the history department would no also longer be offering him the opportunity to teach.
Although the rationale behind these decisions is debatable, it is certain that in no way, shape, or form were student opinions and evaluations considered in the college's ultimate decision. Ironically, I cannot think of one student I know who has taken a class with Edsforth who would concur with Dartmouth's ultimate decision not to renew his contract. In the classroom, he is a passionate and interesting speaker who is truly invested in what he teaches. He is committed to after-class hours, and has been responsible for bringing a number of renowned guest speakers and lecturers from all over the world to campus. Always available both during and outside of office hours, Edsforth is truly dedicated to each and every student in the classes he teaches.
Having taken my first history class with Edsforth, I can undoubtedly claim his American business history class was the single most important factor in my decision to become a history major. His extraordinary pedagogy transcended the specific curriculum; he taught us to embrace history as discipline in and of itself. Although a year or more has passed since I was last in his class, whether I meet him on campus or in Carson Hall, Professor Edsforth still greets me with a s much warmth and energy as he did when I was his student.
One can speculate endlessly regarding the issues that led to the termination of one of the College's best and most dedicated professors. The process leading to Edsforth's departure, reeking of purely administrative interests, belies Dartmouth's claim of a commitment to giving students a voice in college affairs and runs counter to the popular opinion of the student body. If we accept this unfortunate decision without expressing our dissent, we may risk losing more professors of high quality in a similar fashion, but even more importantly, we will forfeit our expectation that the voice of the student body will be heard, particularly in matters that affect us as directly as classroom instruction.
Sadly, Edsforth has been unable to find a job elsewhere given such short notice. However, all hope is not yet lost; I would like to believe the students will have the last say in this matter. Dartmouth would be foolish to let such a valuable resource go, and it is our responsibility to ensure the continued excellence of education here. Our legitimate voice in such matters is being eroded by a myopic and exclusive process. I strongly urge each and every student that has taken a class with Edsforth and recognizes his extraordinary value to the Dartmouth community to express their support for Edsforth to the Dean of the Faculty and contact me if you would be interested in organizing an effort to help retain one of the most prized faculty members Dartmouth has and to set a precedent for student influence in the future.
