A Professor’s Year Teaching in Saudi Arabia Was a Nightmare. Should an American College Have Stepped In?

When an American college puts down roots at a far-flung location with different standards on academic freedom or human rights, what happens when something goes wrong? Who is held responsible? The Babson experience stands as a stark reminder that consultant deals can bring serious complications. When things got heated in Saudi Arabia, it didn’t matter to the faculty on the front lines that they weren’t, technically speaking, Babson employees. They still expected the American college to help them.