2008 Woodie Awards
PoliSci Dept. appraises inertia
Rich Saunders
Issue date: 3/30/06 Section: Focus
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In an environment like Middlebury's it is easy to ignore the world. The school prides itself on the awareness and involvement of its students, but many feel that the student body is not as politically active as it might like to think.
Students within the Political Science department feel that the campus is less informed and less involved than it should be. Lee Ware '06 commented on a lack of awareness about "the issues actually being debated in Washington." "It seems tragic to me that so many 'political' students have a cursory knowledge of something like global warming but know nothing about topics like campaign finance reform," she said.
Those who are concerned about politics are equally worried about the level of student apathy at Middlebury.
Concerns about student awareness are nothing new, however. In reference to the charge that students are not as involved as they should be, Murray Dry, Charles A. Dana professor of political science, commented, "That statement has been made for years." He said that it has been a common lament throughout his 38 years teaching at Middlebury, with the exception of the Vietnam era.
It has been argued that political activism is not a part of the purely academic college experience.
Dry noted a decline in enrollment in some courses with heavier workloads in his department, which he believes is an unfortunate result of cautious students not wanting to overload their schedules and preclude involvement outside the classroom. "Ten years later they'll regret it," he commented.
A leftward tilt is often visible within the student body. Neil D'Astolfo '07.5 recalled his first-year seminar in the Political Science department, noting that of 15 students, only two identified themselves as moderate or conservative.
Doug Campbell '06 said, "I think that a majority of the campus believes it is liberal," but wondered how well most students would defend their positions if confronted. He also stated that many "students on campus do not investigate issues outside of our bubble."
Students within the Political Science department feel that the campus is less informed and less involved than it should be. Lee Ware '06 commented on a lack of awareness about "the issues actually being debated in Washington." "It seems tragic to me that so many 'political' students have a cursory knowledge of something like global warming but know nothing about topics like campaign finance reform," she said.
Those who are concerned about politics are equally worried about the level of student apathy at Middlebury.
Concerns about student awareness are nothing new, however. In reference to the charge that students are not as involved as they should be, Murray Dry, Charles A. Dana professor of political science, commented, "That statement has been made for years." He said that it has been a common lament throughout his 38 years teaching at Middlebury, with the exception of the Vietnam era.
It has been argued that political activism is not a part of the purely academic college experience.
Dry noted a decline in enrollment in some courses with heavier workloads in his department, which he believes is an unfortunate result of cautious students not wanting to overload their schedules and preclude involvement outside the classroom. "Ten years later they'll regret it," he commented.
A leftward tilt is often visible within the student body. Neil D'Astolfo '07.5 recalled his first-year seminar in the Political Science department, noting that of 15 students, only two identified themselves as moderate or conservative.
Doug Campbell '06 said, "I think that a majority of the campus believes it is liberal," but wondered how well most students would defend their positions if confronted. He also stated that many "students on campus do not investigate issues outside of our bubble."