In the months leading up to the Board of Trustees' approval of the College's "Budget-Reconciliation Plan" ("College announces budget-reconciliation plan," Feb. 9), every sector of the Dartmouth community was forced to assess its priorities. Debate flared up across campus as students and staff alike discussed which of the College's programs were essential, and which were possibly dispensable.
The nearly unanimous consensus that resulted from this debate was that Dartmouth, as an institution of higher learning, should do everything in its power to preserve the quality of the educational experience it offers.
The administration, during the formulation of its budget plan, gave every indication that academics would remain Dartmouth's top priority. Yet now that the long-awaited budget cuts have been outlined ("Details of budget plan emerge," Feb. 11), it has become clear that academic departments will not make it through the economic crisis altogether unscathed.
While some cuts to academic deparments may well have been inevitable, we feel it is imperative that these cuts are made judiciously and efficiently.
So far, Dartmouth appears to be off to a good start. The College has said it will discontinue courses normally taught by professors on sabbatical (as opposed to handing them off to faculty who may be less familiar, or less comfortable, with the material), and leave untouched those courses required for graduation, as well as those which consistently maintain high enrollment. This is an undeniably cost-effective approach.
The College, however, ought to balance the goal of financial efficiency with the priority of providing the best academic opportunities to its students. We worry that, in choosing this cost-effective method, the College may cut courses which -- while perhaps small or esoteric -- add color to the Dartmouth experience.
Academic cuts, to the extent they are necessary, must be made with a level of deliberation and care perhaps undeserved by other campus institutions. Dartmouth should streamline its class offerings by cutting those courses that consistently receive poor student evaluations, rather than just trimming around the edges.
At a college committed to outstanding academics, both excellency and efficiency should g`uide every decision we make. An economic crisis is no reason to abandon the principles that have made the College one of America's most enduring institutions.
