Re: Beilock says “reflection does not mean capitulation”
College President Sian Leah Beilock’s reflections on higher education’s current challenges are vital and timely. True reflection, rooted in honesty and courage, can illuminate the right path forward. Yet reflection must lead to principled action — especially when federal actions threaten freedom of inquiry and the diversity that strengthens our institutions and academic endeavors.
Dartmouth’s core values and legacy call us to protect free expression and the rights of students, scholars, and our institution — and to defend the pursuit of knowledge without fear, favor or obeisance.
When students and scholars fear retribution for expressing their views, the mission of education itself stands at risk. Institutional restraint, though well-intentioned, must never become institutional silence. It risks being seen not as neutrality but as obedience in advance, as Timothy Snyder wrote about in “On Tyranny,” and it unintentionally fosters fear within our community.
History reminds us that leadership demands more. President Lincoln said in his 1862 annual message to Congress: “The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion … We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country. Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.”
Reflection is only the beginning. We must courageously uphold our principles, values and freedoms in this defining historical moment. We should not stand aside and observe their erosion.
Open letters are tools for change; they show that clear, public communication can reframe narratives and rally public understanding. As with the U.S. Declaration of Independence or the Magna Carta, these documents are more than words; they are declarations of principle.
Our actions will shape our Dartmouth legacy. They can also preserve our integrity and significantly shape the future of American education.
Andrés Lorente Rodriguez GR ’10
Ph.D. Biochemistry
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Andrés Lorente Rodriguez a member of the Class of 2010. Letters to the Editor represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
