Rear-VU Mirror: A Senior's Take

As another school year comes to an end, and as my time as an undergraduate approaches its conclusion, I would like to reflect upon my experience at Vanderbilt and share some thoughts about both its past and future.

As Vanderbilt students we have much to be proud of. Our university has consistently proven itself worthy of its national reputation. Many Vanderbilt programs and schools are among the strongest in the nation. Our alumni base is both prestigious and supportive. Our career opportunities are bright. Vanderbilt students participate heavily in extracurricular and service activities, and our social life is almost unmatched by schools of our caliber. Even our athletic teams have had moments in the spotlight.

All this and more can be said of Vanderbilt, yet there are other aspects of our university that are not described in its admissions brochure. Though difficult to pinpoint, these are the features that make our university great and that have made my experience at Vanderbilt overwhelmingly positive.

I can say, with all confidence, that Vanderbilt is truly unique among elite academic institutions. For a system that preaches intellectual freedom, a free flow of ideas is rarely found on college campuses anymore. Rather, our nation’s academic system, particularly at its most influential institutions, has become overrun by liberal politics and arrogant attitudes. Political correctness, multiculturalism, social and economic progressivism, and a general contempt for religious tradition and freedom now infect the minds of students across the country. While professors indoctrinate their pupils with personal biases, school administrators work diligently to suppress ideas, speech, and traditions that may be deemed “offensive.” Increasingly, these offensive ideas are those associated with political conservatism, organized religion, and perceived (though not always actual) prejudice.

Though far from ideal, Vanderbilt boasts an unmatched level of political and intellectual balance among its student body relative to the quality of its reputation. While the majority of our professors have their own biases, they rarely seem as pronounced as those reported at other schools. Furthermore, Vanderbilt administrators and professors have shown over the years to be generally respectful of our school’s heritage, traditions, and cultural and political diversity.

It was these features that, upon embarking on my college search four years ago, attracted me to Vanderbilt over other schools. It is also these features, however, that are most at risk as we continue to evolve and grow. It seems, from the actions and rhetoric of our administration, that Vanderbilt’s current reputation is not satisfactory. Rather, we have embarked on efforts to become more like our Ivy League counterparts—more elitist, more regulated, and more typical.

Clear examples include the Freshman Commons and residential housing system, an obvious imitation (though admittedly modified) of systems like those found at Ivy League institutions. It seems that the Vanderbilt administration no longer trusts its students with their independence. Instead, they have structured a system that will integrate yet overly regulate our student body. Not only does this place our long-standing Greek system in jeopardy, but it sets the foundation for a system that may one day indoctrinate students with the same liberal bias found in the Ivy League.

Such changes are no doubt spurred on by the power of the ever controversial but undoubtedly influential system of college rankings. College rankings have forced our university to focus its money and efforts in ways that will reflect more positively according to the ranking methodologies. Teetering on the edge of the Top 20 (according to U.S. News and World Report), we find ourselves in a seemingly constant battle to remain relevant.

Many students argue that Vanderbilt is the “Harvard of the South,” but I’ve always questioned that. Is it that wrong to simply be Vanderbilt? Our university has character not found in the Ivy League. We have a long history of Southern tradition, a beautiful campus set in a thriving and culturally unique city, and a diverse and socially active student body. We have a “work hard, play hard” reputation and an unabashed, yet endearing sense of exclusivity—none of which we should be ashamed of.

If Vanderbilt is to remain the unique institution it is, we must fight to maintain both our national reputation and our heritage. Perhaps it was the hiring of a blatantly racist former Duke professor, or the day a male student nearly became our Homecoming Queen, but I cannot help but feel that the intellectual radicalism that infests our nation’s colleges is knocking on our door. Be proud of your school. Be proud of its traditions and its diversity. But do not allow the guise of growth or progress to cloud your judgment and erase our school’s character. Be wary of these changes. Petition the administration and fight for our traditions. To truly appreciate our university, we must first stop trying to be what we are not. Vanderbilt’s greatness lies in itself, and this is the message we must spread.