To the Editor:
Jacob Baron '10 questioned why Dartmouth students are so antagonistic toward the administration when they have a vested interest in its policies ("Make Parkhurst Public," Jan. 30). Unbeknownst to him, Baron concisely answered his own question: Dartmouth students dislike the administration because it is poorly run and does little to justify the College's high price tag. It's the same logic that allows an audience to boo after they've paid for their tickets, but they're not required to enjoy the performance.
"Antagonism begins with ignorance," Baron asserts. Well, not exactly. Antagonism begins with experience and perspective. Many students arrive at Dartmouth in a honeymoon period where the administration can do no wrong, but this usually changes over time. The issues are varied over class enrollment, D-Plans, financial aid, etc. Many Dartmouth students have had experiences that make it easy to forget that the administration is supposed to be working for students.
Of course, I may be somewhat ignorant. Before reading Baron's piece, was I aware that Dartmouth boasted "well over 100" deans, directors, and managers? No, but I could have told you that there were too many. Why, at a college known for the excellence of its professors and the quality of its students, is it the administration that continues to grow while academic departments are strapped and scrapped?
