Thursday, May 27, 2021

Students battle for Hillsdale’s soul

'On a brisk morning in April, 1965, about 20 Hillsdale College students gathered on the steps of Central Hall with posters reading “Yes, Liberal Education,” and “Where Have All Our Teachers Gone?"'

Elizabeth Bachmann at Hillsdale College's The Collegian.

"An April 1965 issue of The Collegian reports the administration admitted, after student inquiry, that the salary scale for professors was significantly below the national average due to financial difficulties.

"This brought to light another alarming development: many faculty members could not live with these low salaries and were forced to leave the college after a year or two. From the 1964 – 1965 school year to the 1965 – 1966 school year, 14 out of 63 faculty members left and were replaced. That is a turnover of 22% of the total faculty.

"Students responded with compassion not only for their professors, but for the life of their institution. They worried that Hillsdale would not attract high quality, liberally-trained faculty members with such low salaries."

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