If the war of ideas is divided into factions, academia has chosen its camp. It should come as no surprise to anyone of this readership that university classrooms across the nation are dominated by leftward-leaning professors. Indeed, if a student on this campus were to reflect for one moment on the political convictions of her teachers, she would likely not think of a single conservative. This observation raises the typical cries of the need for political diversity on campus from the usual chorus of young conservatives. While the arguments these students raise are occasionally compelling, I submit that the wrong chorus is crying. Instead, it is those students with strong liberal convictions, and the larger group of political agnostics, that suffer the most from this academic monopoly.
By some of the more moderate estimates, liberal professors outnumber their conservative counterparts by nearly 9-to-1. In the November election, 95 percent of employees at the University of California at Los Angeles who donated money did so to the Kerry campaign. Furthermore, in a state where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 100,000 (and control the legislature, congressional delegation and governorship), professors at the University of Colorado are vastly more likely to vote Democrat. Before the 2000 election, The Wall Street Journal cited that of the 190 professors at CU affiliated with a political party, 184 were Democrats. These numbers are even more astounding in certain disciplines. In 13 social science and humanities departments at CU, Democrats outnumbered Republicans by a ratio of 31-to-1.
The fact that a high percentage of college professors voted for John Kerry in the November election does mean on its own that the quality of education on university campuses is inadequate. However, while many of the best professors are willing and able to separate their political persuasions from their in-class instruction, experience from the vast majority of our classes tells us differently.
The student body is divided into two groups that are equally affected by the lack of political diversity among their teachers – those that have formed their political convictions and those who have not. The strongest danger is among the latter. These young minds are trusting and receptive. Students generally respect and admire their professors, and before they are given an opportunity to form their own political dispositions, they are likely to mimic those whom they trust for intellectual guidance. For these students, exposure to only one set of political beliefs not only denies them the opportunity to explore different traditions, but it also may hinder the strength of their convictions once they do form their own political identity.
The second group - and those who should be most upset about political uniformity on campus - are liberal students. It has been my experience that young conservatives have been able to form more cogent political belief systems and arguments, while liberal students tend to fall more into the "make love, not war" crowd. The reason for this is simple: Conservatives have been forced to examine, rethink and sharpen their political beliefs because during their time at the university they are forced to defend those beliefs. Liberal students should be given the chance to expand their education by being exposed to conservative ideas in the same way as conservative students are already exposed to liberal ideas.
This does not mean that university administrations should hire more political conservatives, or that college professors should proclaim their support for certain politicians or political parties. What this does mean is that universities should encourage a wider range of political ideas on campus. When professors assign Karl Marx one week, Adam Smith should follow. When student organizations invite a liberal speaker to campus, an invitation should be mailed to a political conservative. When faculties meet to hire their colleagues, they should avoid overt partisans.
The best professor I ever had as an undergraduate provides an illuminating example. At the beginning of each semester, before teaching an introduction to international studies course to 30 sophomores, he would flip a coin with his teaching assistant to determine who would play the Republican and who would play the Democrat throughout the course. Happily, I could never determine that professor's own political persuasions.
Universities are supposed to be places where differing ideas thrive together. They are supposed to be factories for innovative thought and marketplaces of assorted opinions. Of course, college students can think for themselves. But that thought is obstructed when their guides stop searching for truth and start searching for self-validation. For now - no matter where we lie on the political spectrum - our collective education will suffer.
Jonathan Riches is a first-year law student. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.