After a forty-year career at Harvard University, history professor James Hankins has officially retired, citing profound shifts in the institution's academic focus, admissions practices, and campus culture as the primary reasons for his departure. His decision marks the end of an era for the long-tenured academic and highlights ongoing debates within higher education.
Hankins, who delivered his final lecture two weeks ago, will be joining the Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida. He pointed to a move away from teaching Western civilization as a key factor in what he describes as a growing "moral and intellectual disorientation" among students.
Key Takeaways
- Professor James Hankins retired from Harvard's history department after a 40-year tenure.
- He identified a curriculum shift from Western history to global history as a primary concern.
- Hankins raised concerns about what he perceived as changes in graduate admissions protocols following 2020.
- He is moving to a new role at the University of Florida's Hamilton School, which focuses on classical and civic education.
A Career Spanning Four Decades
Professor Hankins' decision to leave Harvard was not abrupt. His retirement was the culmination of a four-year contract he signed in the fall of 2021, a period during which he says his concerns about the university's direction solidified. His tenure provided him a unique perspective on the evolution of one of the world's most prestigious academic institutions.
He noted that his decision to no longer teach at Harvard was made in 2021, following nearly two years of the university's stringent COVID-19 policies. Hankins expressed that requirements such as lecturing in masks and conducting seminars over Zoom were inconsistent with his philosophy of liberal education.
Concerns Over Admissions and Campus Culture
A significant factor in his departure, Hankins explained, was a perceived shift in the university's culture and administrative priorities, particularly after the summer of 2020. He described changes in the graduate admissions process that he found troubling.
Admissions Protocol Changes
Hankins detailed an instance in the fall of 2020 when he reviewed an application from a candidate he considered an outstanding fit for the history program. He claims he was informally told by a member of the admissions committee that admitting a white male was "not happening this year." This signaled a departure from past evaluation criteria, in his view.
He also recounted the experience of a top undergraduate student he had tutored. Despite winning the prize for the graduating senior with the best overall academic record at Harvard, the student was rejected from every graduate program he applied to in 2021.
"I called around to friends at several universities to find out why on earth he had been rejected. Everywhere it was the same story: Graduate admissions committees around the country had been following the same unspoken protocol as ours," Hankins stated.
These experiences contributed to his sense that merit-based evaluation was being influenced by other factors. He also referenced the recent controversy surrounding former president Claudine Gay and the university's response to antisemitism on campus as further evidence of institutional challenges, though he noted that he believes Harvard is on a "better course" under its current president, Alan Garber.
The Curriculum Shift from West to Global
The core of Professor Hankins' academic critique is what he describes as the replacement of Western history with global history in the curriculum. He argues this pedagogical change has had serious consequences for the development of young Americans.
In his view, courses centered on Western civilization provide a foundational understanding of the principles, achievements, and failures that have shaped modern society. He believes that removing this focus leaves students without a coherent framework for understanding their own cultural and political heritage.
A Matter of Civility
Professor Hankins directly links the change in historical focus to societal behavior. "When you don’t teach the young what civilization is, it turns out, people become uncivilized," he remarked, suggesting that the curriculum has a direct impact on students' civic and social conduct.
This belief is central to his decision to move to a new institution. He feels his expertise and experience can be better utilized in an environment that explicitly values the study of Western thought and history.
A New Chapter at the University of Florida
Professor Hankins is not leaving academia entirely. He is transitioning to the Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida, an institution whose mission aligns with his pedagogical principles.
The Hamilton School is explicitly committed to teaching the history of Western civilization, offering Hankins an opportunity to continue his work in a setting he finds more intellectually hospitable. This move reflects a broader trend of academics seeking out institutions with specific ideological or educational commitments as mainstream universities continue to evolve.
His departure from Harvard represents more than a personal career change; it symbolizes a larger debate within higher education about the purpose of the humanities, the content of core curricula, and the values that should guide academic life in the 21st century.
