Dartmouth's Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies will not admit a new cohort of math Ph.D. students for the 2027-2028 academic year. This suspension occurs while the School of Arts and Sciences conducts a department review to evaluate how the college best invests in graduate education.
Reasoning for the Admissions Pause
Guarini Dean Carrie Colla stated that the pause allows for a comprehensive department review conducted in partnership with the School of Arts and Sciences. While the College has not specified a timeline for when, or if, the program will resume admissions, Colla expressed confidence that the approach will strengthen the experience for both graduate and undergraduate students.
The decision was communicated to math department faculty on November 6, 2026. Some faculty members, including math professor Peter Winkler, expressed opposition to the suspension during a general faculty meeting.
This image illustrates the faculty meeting where members, including Peter Winkler, expressed opposition to the admissions pause.
“As part of those regular reviews, we are pausing admissions to the math Ph.D. program for the 2027-2028 cycle while the School of Arts and Sciences conducts a department review,”
— Guarini will not admit math Ph.D. cohort this year
Impact on Current Students and Research Culture
Current math graduate students will see no changes to their status, stipends, or funding guarantees. However, the graduate student handbook now reflects increased teaching requirements: first- and second-year candidates must serve as teaching assistants for three terms a year, while third-year candidates must serve for one term after their third year.
Students have expressed concern that the lack of a new cohort will diminish the research culture and community. They also noted that a smaller graduate body could negatively affect the availability of graduate-level courses that undergraduates rely on for preparation for graduate school.
Institutional Spending and Budgetary Context
The suspension occurs alongside a broader initiative by College President Sian Leah Beilock to reduce spending by $50 million. These funds are intended to help increase faculty and staff salaries as inflation continues to rise.
As part of these budgetary adjustments, the College is also phasing out the Society of Fellows, an interdisciplinary research program established in 2014. The program will stop recruiting new fellows and conclude in the summer of 2028.
Uncertainties and Future Outlook
The specific criteria and goals of the ongoing department review remain undisclosed by the College. While the math department chair expressed hope for a constructive dialogue, the College has not provided a definitive date for the resumption of the Ph.D. program.
It remains unclear how the reduction in Ph.D. students will specifically impact the curriculum for undergraduate majors who currently utilize graduate-level math courses as a core part of their academic path.
Pull Quote
"As part of those regular reviews, we are pausing admissions to the math Ph.D. program for the 2027-2028 cycle while the School of Arts and Sciences conducts a department review,"
What Hacker News readers are saying
- Alternative: One commenter argued that graduate programs are often unresponsive to the job market and that reducing the number of PhDs produced might be a responsible move given the difficulty of finding employment. comment ↗
- Experience: Commenters noted that a Dartmouth alum suggested that the decision is a positive step toward avoiding growth for its own sake, noting that the prestige of a PhD has diminished and academic career paths are increasingly difficult. comment ↗
- Skeptical: One commenter expressed skepticism regarding the school's plan to offset inflation by cutting the math program while simultaneously aiming to increase staff salaries. comment ↗
Summarized opinions from the Hacker News thread, not verified facts. Read the full discussion ↗