Dartmouth President Highlights Trust Issues in Higher Education

Dartmouth College’s President, Sian Beilock, voiced a concern in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, acknowledging that American higher education faces a trust deficit.

She pointed out, “Assuming that most Americans value our mission is a recipe for feelings of worthlessness and decline. We must show our students, families, and the broader public that we listen to their criticism and intend to address it.”

Beilock proposed five reasonable changes to enhance American universities. First on her list is making college more affordable. She believes that if people don’t see it as a sound investment, it’s a significant problem. Lowering costs could be the first step to resolving that.

“Second, the return on investment is crucial. Affordability alone isn’t enough… Institutions should be accountable for student outcomes. Are graduates employed, engaged in meaningful work, and giving back to their communities?” she added, highlighting a vital aspect of educational accountability.

For her third point, Beilock suggested the need to focus on learning rather than political agendas. She criticized the ideological biases present in higher education and advocated for “institutional neutrality on issues that do not directly impact our mission or core functions.”

In her fourth argument, she emphasized fostering equality of opportunity instead of equality of outcomes. She noted that inflating grades is eroding trust and that both students and employers are aware of this issue. While the Ivy League still holds prestige, its value isn’t limitless; there’s a critical need to graduate many exceptional students.

Beilock concluded with the necessity of standardized testing. She sees it as a way to manage grade inflation by ensuring that students are capable of handling challenging coursework. “Standardized tests can be a useful gauge of intelligence,” she said.

A recent observation by Jacob Savage pointed out what he believes to be discrimination at Dartmouth, claiming that the institution has not prioritized hiring white American men. He noted that since Beilock’s presidency began in 2023, only a small fraction of new hires has fit that demographic.

Specifically, he mentioned that among 51 newly hired assistant professors, just four are white American men. Savage has critiqued this trend, relating it to broader issues of representation in academia and professional spheres.

Dartmouth’s current recruitment, especially in the Department of Art History and Classics, emphasizes specific areas that some may view as narrow in scope, such as queer studies and cross-cultural approaches.

Interestingly, not all voices at Dartmouth mirror Beilock’s priorities. Shortly after her inauguration, the university publicly acknowledged its commitments to diversity initiatives, highlighting the contributions of its Senior Vice President and Senior Diversity Officer during community events.

Yet, at the same time, Dartmouth announced the naming of a building after a prominent alumna, which suggests an awareness of public sentiment regarding these issues.

This attention to reform might indicate that the growing public dissatisfaction with higher education is, at last, being acknowledged by those at the top. Perhaps, at least, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon.