Dean's Column

In the far-off California of the 1960s, I once addressed a university audience on the critical issue of population growth and environmental degradation. The next speaker, a student, didn't like what I had to say and began his remarks with a warning: Beware of people who pass themselves off as experts – something he clearly was not. Although the student would have preferred otherwise, our complex society cannot function without a vast array of recognizable expertise.

One of the most telling markers of expertise is a professorship at a distinguished research university. Individuals in this category have demonstrated that they are familiar with a body of information and interpretation, and their own original truth claims have withstood the scrutiny of knowledgeable peers. One can achieve this rank in the School of Arts and Sciences only by a process that requires a minimum of nine letters from reputable experts outside the University and intensive investigations by one's department, by the SAS Personnel Committee, and by the provost and his advisors.

Many responsibilities come with the status of university professor. One is the responsibility of speaking cautiously. Inaccurate or unreliable statements not only call into question one's status as an expert but also compromise the credibility of the entire professoriate, which has attested to that status. Another responsibility is to use one's expertise in the public interest.

A large fraction of SAS faculty communicate research findings to the public through popular media. Others advise governmental bodies and provide expert testimony. Mary Berry of history is chair of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. Doug Massey of sociology was a principal speaker last year at the President's Initiative on Race Relations. Ian Lustick of political science has advised every administration since President Carter's on U.S. policy in the Middle East. His colleague, John DiIulio, has been a prominent advisor to Governor Bush and Vice President Gore on faith-based urban initiatives.

Science faculty are especially active advising the government on scientific issues. Most of the biology faculty, for instance, serve as advisors for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or the Department of Energy. Their guidance is not limited to this country. Dan Janzen advises Costa Rica's Ministry of the Environment and Energy on conservation issues.

Faculty also endeavor to impart to students what Franklin called "an inclination join'd with an ability to serve." Among the many service opportunities SAS provides, the Washington Semester Program offers first-hand learning and service experiences in the nation's capital. At home, the Fels Center, now the responsibility of the School of Arts and Sciences, provides outstanding training in public service under the dynamic new leadership of Larry Sherman.

By furnishing governments and other institutions with access to our faculty's expertise and training future leaders in the ethos of public service, the School fulfills its mission, embracing the heritage of our founder, Benjamin Franklin: to develop and disseminate knowledge, both theoretical and practical.