Only one course, freshman composition, was required. Enrollment was declining. The university's trustees thought Adelphi had to do something radical to survive in the increasingly competitive world of small, regional liberal arts colleges. And so they hired Dr. Diamandopoulos, who argued that Adelphi could be saved only by raising its intellectual sights and discontinuing or cutting back lesser programs. He knew his proposal for change was ambitious and risky.
Colleges can spend years debating much smaller questions.
The trustees rewarded him with the kind of salary and benefits not even the presidents of Harvard, Yale or Stanford received. Among the trustees on a select three-member panel deciding his salary was Dr. Silber. Today, Adelphi has lifted its intellectual sights, refurbished buildings, balanced its budget and increased its endowment. But by many other standards, the university is in worse shape than when Dr. Diamandopoulos arrived. Its academic reputation has declined.