The news that Dean of Arts & Sciences Robert Sternberg may leave his post after only three years on the Hill is sad indeed. In his short time here, Sternberg has not only effected valuable changes within the university but also made an effort to connect with the student body, making himself a known and approachable figure on the Hill.
Before he came to Tufts, as a psychologist at Yale University, Sternberg fought against traditional, limiting definitions of "intelligence" throughout his career. Finding standard methods of measuring intelligence, such as IQ tests and the SAT, to be ineffective, Sternberg designed the "Rainbow Project," which tested creative and practical skills - and was found through research to be twice as accurate as the SAT at predicting the college GPAs of freshmen.
He brought the implications of this research to Tufts with the Kaleidoscope Admissions project, adding a creative section to the Tufts application that has garnered much praise and serves as a forerunner in the nationwide trend of non-traditional college applications.
Along with his research, Sternberg also brought PACE (Center for the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies and Expertise) with him from Yale, as well as leading CELT, the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, a program which aims to improve teaching efficacy by bringing more leadership- and diversity-oriented educational initiatives to the university.
Sternberg has focused on improving scholarship on the Hill as well as teaching. He was responsible for an initiative beginning in 2006 that allows junior faculty to take two paid semesters of leave for research instead of only one. In his short time here, Sternberg has also started the Dean's Faculty Forum, which highlights faculty research. He worked to give the Arts & Sciences Web site a much-needed revamping and supported the addition of Portuguese language classes to Tufts' curriculum.
Sternberg's multiple improvements to education coincide with his effort to be a part of the Tufts community. As Dean of Arts & Sciences, Sternberg has been a visible figure who is in touch with students. He attends on-campus events such as student theater productions and last year's town meeting on race relations. Following the Primary Source's printing of a Christmas carol parody, "O Come All Ye Black Folk," Sternberg submitted a Viewpoint to the Daily detailing his research on the harmful effects of hateful speech. Rather than being an unknown figure in a Ballou office, Sternberg has become a member of the Tufts community.
It is clear that in three short years, Dean Sternberg has changed Tufts for the better. More time on the Hill could surely bring more improvements, and losing Sternberg now could halt the momentum of many of his newer projects. As a potential provost at the University of Iowa, however, Sternberg would surely bring his beneficial touch to the Hawkeyes' campus, and the Daily wishes him the best of luck in his future, wherever it may be.
