The Dartmouth Fracas - Alumni trustees can reconnect the university with American life.

The Wall Street Journal ^ | October 18, 2006 | Peter Robinson

[Zakeet]

Ho-hum about the clash of civilizations? Blasé about the struggle for Congress? Then turn your attention to Hanover, N.H., home of Dartmouth College, where the fighting is really intense.

The story begins with T.J. Rodgers, the entrepreneur who founded and runs Cypress Semiconductor. In 2004 Mr. Rodgers, class of '70, decided his alma mater could use him on its board of trustees (half of whose members are elected by alumni). He circulated a letter in which he insisted on a reassertion of high academic standards, the importance of freedom of speech on campus, and the need for Dartmouth to strive to remain the best undergraduate institution in the country. Employing a seldom-used petition mechanism to get his name on the ballot, Mr. Rodgers required 500 signatures. He received thousands. Then he defeated the three official candidates in a walk.

The following year Mr. Rodgers persuaded two more alumni to mount petition candidacies: Todd Zywicki, class of '88, who teaches law at George Mason, and me, class of '79. We addressed the same issues Mr. Rodgers had addressed, and, like Mr. Rodgers, we won.

The response in Hanover? Remarkably uniform. Everyone became hysterical.

[Zakeet]

This is an outstanding read for everyone who cares about the sorry state of higher education.

[EternalHope]

Good article.

There ARE bright spots hidden in the wasteland of academia.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Read this in the WSJ today - very, very well written piece. Worth reading the whole article for anyone who hasn't yet seen it.

[FlipWilson]

Brilliant and right on the money. I track the goings on at my college in real time. The President is trying to get rid of the engineering school and go purely liberal arts. Thanks to the internet and the real time information it provides, the idea could barely get out of the box when bamo, we alums were on him like white on rice.