Race to the Fourth

The fourth class—traditionally the choice of an ambitious few, willing to sacrifice nights on Webster for those in the Stacks and the skeptical, wondering whether CS 1 is really right for them. However, as a consequence of online classes, quarantine, and, most importantly, mandatory pass/fail grading, the fourth class is seemingly no longer a choice made by a minority but the new normal. The allure of getting one’s LIT credit out of the way or completing a challenging major requirement has proved too strong to resist for most. While students were ready for this moment—copy/past skills honed to instantly input course registration numbers—the add/drop period has never been so chaotic. The race was ready to begin, but the starter pistol jammed. 

The College’s technicians were not prepared for the influx of thousands of students refreshing their screens in order to be the first to add their fourth course. The server gave in, and so did students who waited for hours to no avail so that they could finally elect another course. By the early morning, when the website was finally functional, classes quickly filled up. Recognizing the coming chaos, professors rushed to place restrictions on the barrage of students attempting to take their courses—with “Instructor Permission” now required. Instead of the timetable getting spammed, professors’ emails were. Those classes without an enrollment limit were particularly hard hit. ANTH 20 “Primate Evolution and Ecology” now found itself with 329 students, many seeking one of the two required SCI credits. Dartmouth classes are now packed to record levels. 

While it’s quite possible that some students are treating the grading system this term as an opportunity to explore certain subjects, it seems equally likely that hundreds of students signed up for classes they otherwise would not have taken. There are no statistics on motivation—only speculation— but what does this race say about the students? Is it reflective of our passion to learn without as much risk? Or are we simply playing and manipulating the game? These are questions we must constantly ask ourselves, and there are no definitive answers that can be prescribed. It’s a diverse college, after all. 

Despite many complaints made to the Dartmouth administration prior to the term regarding the unprecedented nature of the situation causing strain on a large portion of the student body—including very legitimate concerns about finances, housing insecurity, health restrictions, and familial obligations to name a few—it’s interesting that many have chosen to elect this option that will increase the workload. Varying obligations have divided those who can compete in the race and those who simply don’t have the time or resources to do so. 

With the race over and the victors crowned, it is important to not forget about who lost: the liberal arts and belief in the passionate pursuit of interdisciplinary education for its own sake. The immense number of students taking a fourth class raises questions about the value of distributive requirements when they seem to be more of a burden that students seek to lift rather than something explorative—and thus defeating their purpose. Especially in times like these, we can not lose sight of what makes the College unique, and we must work to preserve it. Now is the perfect opportunity to gain greater insight into a beloved liberal arts truism—we will never “win” without acknowledging why we lost.