Most students can readily identify more flaws and disappointments about Hopkins than excellence and successes. A student need only read the CUE report or walk among the freshman dorms to understand this.
Looking at the U.S. News and World Report college rankings, where Hopkins remains steadfast at number fourteen for the second consecutive year, one can imagine that the University neither fails nor succeeds. But if the University remains stuck between success and disappointment, and disappointment is all students hear about, where is the success?
When looking long and hard enough, one can indeed find plenty of positive progress and success.
Sodexho might actually give students a run for their money, for instance, with MegaBytes now staying open until midnight. Most non-freshman students will recall that during our Sodexho tenure campus food options were limited after 10 p.m. Even the humble Wolman Depot was reconfigured for student convenience.
This year's MSE Symposium is also drawing praise from students. After the disappointment of last semester's Foreign Affairs Symposium, new and big names speaking on campus are a welcome addition. These events not only harvest University prestige, but spawn a community-like setting among students and faculty in Shriver auditorium.
Above and beyond bigger names and more convenient student dining, the University continues to make strides deep within the institution. Attempting to fulfill CUE recommendation six, asking the administration to "fix student cynicism toward teaching," Hopkins revised its tenure policies for faculty, making it easier for faculty to move up the academic ranks.
It seems the hope is that increased opportunities for teaching recognition will translate into superior student-faculty interaction and experiences.
The new Engineering Dean named this summer, alumni Nicholas P. Jones, raised faculty and administration eyebrows. As reported in the Gazette, he strongly believes in "cross-discipline collaboration" and will look for "strengths to build on." When new administrative leaders talk about institutional collaboration and strength they inevitably breed positive expectations about the future, even among students.
Combined with changes to tenure requirements, new leadership in the academy will certainly fulfill student expectations of a more "undergraduate-friendly" academic environment.
Though not directly affecting students, the new Baltimore Scholars Program announced this summer gives students faith in the willingness of the University to challenge itself to positive changes for the future.
The Program grants any student from Baltimore City accepted to Hopkins a full four-year scholarship. Citing "Baltimore as JHU's home" in a speech this summer, President Brody directly related the future of Hopkins to the future of Baltimore. Any discussion of the future must be welcomed by students.
When asked about Hopkins' recent changes, one student brought up the new Africana Studies major initiated last spring.
For those concerned with CUE implementation, this should be taken as a good indicator of the University's future commitment to improving academic opportunities and student life in general. Five new courses were added this semester to Africana Studies -- not a trivial improvement considering the major is less than a year old.
Outside of institutional changes, as reported in the News-Letter, Hopkins remains committed to ensuring student safety on campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Though compelled by past mistakes, University efforts to "review and augment security" should work to combat student anxieties and insecurities about safety.
This directly impacts the quality of student life. Of all student expectations, Hopkins cannot compromise student security. Most want improvements to student life, including social and extracurricular opportunities. The destruction (and eventual construction) seen on St.Paul street shows the possibility of positive changes to come for student-life. Although many remain wary of the University's concern for students, they should be reminded that Vice Provost Paula Burger initiated the survey "which provided student input and assisted in planning for the Charles Village Project."
If we are to believe Paula Burger, then the University does actually listen to student survey responses and makes efforts to materialize those responses.
Because most students remain suspicious of the impact of surveys, however, the administration must continue to court positive perceptions of them.
The University appears on track not only to fulfill the specific CUE recommendations, but also the middle and longer term goals of broad growth. In contrast to most campus dialogue, where students might question the University's commitment to academic and social life, Hopkins today shows that it can and will amend its flaws and reflect on disappointments.
As long as the University remains committed to its current and future progress, student satisfaction should continue to rise. With that, so should our controversial college rankings.
----Michael Huerta is a junior Applied Mathematics and Political Science major.
