In June, the Trump administration barred foreign students from attending the institution. However, on June 20, the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts indefinitely blocked the Trump administration’s order. While the decision does secure the status of Harvard’s international students for the time being, the fact that this decision does not come from the Supreme Court leaves them hanging by a thread. In the unfortunate yet plausible event that the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Trump administration, other Ivy League institutions should come forward and admit these students. Dartmouth should lead the charge.
In her campus-wide email last spring term, College President Sian Leah Beilock emphasized Dartmouth’s “responsibility for each other and for the broader world.” In this light, it is important for the College to host the international students from Harvard and stand up to a vile attack on an institution of higher education.
While we might have the responsibility of helping a fellow institution of higher education, Dartmouth has an even greater responsibility to uphold the values and principles of higher education, scholarship and academic integrity and freedom. Furthermore, it is also our moral duty to stand up against the tyranny, bigotry, demagogy and complete lack of integrity of the current administration.
To be clear: I am not asking Dartmouth to take in all 10,000 or so international students across Harvard’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Nor am I asking Dartmouth to accept every international student in Harvard’s incoming undergraduate class. All I am suggesting is that we host a feasible but impactful number of Harvard’s returning international student body. The feasible number of students can be determined based on the amount of on-campus housing, classroom space and other resources available for the upcoming academic year. The gesture will be significant, even if it is largely symbolic, thus making any number of students an impactful one.
Indeed, Dartmouth may already be falling behind in recruiting students. Recently, the Harvard Kennedy School made arrangements with the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto to allow returning international students to continue their education in Toronto and still graduate with a Harvard degree. A similar arrangement should also be made between Harvard and Dartmouth, where we allow a certain number of Harvard students to continue their education at our College.
I am well aware of the ongoing housing crisis on campus, which may prevent us from accepting additional students. However, the current Dartmouth administration has made housing a priority, with the renovation of the Fayerweather Hall dorms and construction of the Russo Hall dorms on West Wheelock street soon increasing the amount of on-campus housing space. This would make it feasible for Dartmouth to accommodate a small but impactful number of Harvard students.
I acknowledge the fact that the set of actions I am proposing is unprecedented. Additionally, I acknowledge that we live in an increasingly turbulent era, but today’s circumstances demand bold change.
When Daniel Webster, a Dartmouth alumnus and one of the great American statesmen of the 19th century, argued in front of the Supreme Court during Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, he was not only arguing about constitutional and corporate law but also defending his beloved institution from being controlled by the state legislature. Therefore, my argument is completely in line with the spirit of the College on the Hill as we have a history of defending higher education from the attacks of the government. In a world where education and scholarship are threatened like never before, Dartmouth can take a crucial step that will help set the tone for other institutions of higher learning.
Hrishik Roy is a member of the Class of 2027 and formerly wrote for the news section of The Dartmouth. Guest articles represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
