Hillary Clinton's “Decision Making” class was insightful, with the former secretary of state saying she was “basically just reading passages from a book” and morphed into a politician as the semester progressed. This was severely criticized by students at Columbia University.
“I was really hoping that she would bring more unique insights to the lecture rather than almost basically reciting passages from her book word for word,” said Larithia, who currently attends Columbia University.・Acharya said on TikTok in December.
Clinton co-taught the class “Inside the Situation Room” with Columbia University Dean Keren Yahi Milo during the fall 2023 semester.
First, students said that Mr. Clinton could not empathize with students and felt alienated from them.
“[There was a] Something like a gulf between students and professors…I was hoping that would happen during the semester [Clinton] It will start to loosen up a bit.I would like to know more about [Clinton] as [an] individual[l] And you can actually…not just a relationship, but a professor-student relationship. [her] Talk to us,” she said.
“However, this was not the case and it felt like a one-sided conversation for almost the entire semester. [Clinton and Yarhi-Milo] He was just talking to us,” she said. “And that was definitely frustrating, because a big part of why we were in this class was to understand more about decision-making, why people make the decisions that they do. is.”
The student said that as the semester continued, she felt less and less familiar with the 2016 Democratic presidential candidates.
“Usually, whenever you start knowing… [politicians] On a more personal note, you'll start to like them a little more because they become more human. But as the semester progresses, it feels like Hillary Clinton has become even more of a politician than she was in her final years. ”
The course description for “Inside the Situation Room” says it teaches students to “think carefully and analytically about how leaders…reach decisions.”
Columbia University did not respond to a request for comment.
“Students learn how to analyze and understand the complex interactions between individual psychology, domestic politics, public opinion, bureaucracy, the international environment, and other factors that influence foreign policy decisions.” The explanation continued.
But Acharya said Clinton offered no new insights to the students.
“Furthermore, Hillary Clinton did not bring up any examples, instances, or insights that she had not already mentioned in her books or published articles,” the student said.
“I think she brought more unique insights and…more vulnerability as to why she made those decisions, what her insights were, what her thoughts were. And I really, really hoped that it would bring some discussion.”
The student said he thought Mr. Clinton could have been “more honest” with the students.
“So I don't regret taking the class, but I think there were definitely parts of her that she could have been more honest with us about because she's not a secretary of state or a politician.” “I think she was there as a professor to teach, but I wish she had embraced that role a little more,” she said.
