Recent campus events have brought to light many community concerns—issues that have been voiced in many struggles throughout Wesleyan’s history, and demands for which many faculty members, parents and alumni have also expressed support. While the demands are many, they are united by a common source: a lack of administrative accountability to students.
President Bennet has attempted to pacify students by assuring them that the Administration always “listens” to their concerns, even if its decisions ultimately do not reflect their wishes. However, we cannot be satisfied with the knowledge that the Administration “listens” when students do not have voting power in most of the decisions that affect our lives. The Administration has counseled protesting students to address their grievances by speaking to their representatives in the Wesleyan Student Assembly. But even they can and have often been overruled by the whims of administrators. If the Administration truly wishes to encourage students to be responsible citizens and use our education to fight for the causes we believe in, it cannot simultaneously prohibit students from participating in decision-making processes here at the university.
With this in mind, we propose a step some may view as radical: binding student voting power in the selection of the next Dean of the College. This dean will have influence over major policy decisions like the hiring of a Dean of Multicultural Affairs, the adoption of a gender-neutral housing option for first-years, the implementation of widespread diversity training for faculty and much, much more. All of these issues directly relate to student life here on campus, and demand the hiring of a dean who genuinely represents student interests. According to the official homepage of Wesleyan University, “the Office of the Dean of the College is committed to challenging and supporting student development… so that students may successfully participate in a complex and changing world as educated and involved citizens.” We can think of no better way for students to be “involved citizens” than through a campus-wide vote in the selection of the new dean.
Administrators will likely argue that students lack sufficient knowledge to make an intelligent choice between the two candidates for Dean of the College. However, a search committee of administrators, faculty, staff and students has already done the hard work of narrowing the pool down to two candidates, both of whom are – at least from an administrative standpoint – qualified. The Administration has issued brief profiles about each of the candidates to the entire student body, and, if it so chose, could disseminate further information it might deem relevant. Interested students will also have the opportunity to hear from both candidates in open meetings the administration has scheduled with each. Letting students choose between the two candidates would ensure the selection of a dean that represents the interests of students, set a positive precedent of student involvement in important administrative decisions and would be a major step toward greater cooperation between students and administrators.
Although a campus-wide vote would not be easy, it is doable. Such a vote could be conducted in conjunction with online registration (April 12-15) – a system that would guarantee near-100% response from returning students.
President Bennet, we know you are planning on making this decision alone. Don’t leave us out in the cold.
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