Engaging the President of Bowdoin

Reader comment on: Bias at Bowdoin

Submitted by Robert Jackson (United States), Apr 7, 2013 19:25

It seems to me that Barry Mills is at the cusp of the problem and is even asking for help in moving toward the goal of a college that better reflects America. So why not engage him in the very points that were made in the article rather than attacking him for his positions and even for his attacks. The blindspots that he reflected - such as the Summers' affair - need to be engaged in respectful discussions, rather than making points. He seems to be an ideal person for breaking the ice and it is likely that other college presidents would follow. The approach would have to be incremental, as in one suggestion in the Klingenstein report - to bring in a course on American History. The effort cannot be seen as a we-they competition, but as a joint effort to bring real diversity. The radicals will scream, but I suspect enough faculty and alumni will support Mills.

On a semantic matter, I am against the use of the word "liberal" for what are clearly leftist opinions, since liberal implies people who are willing to freely think about issues and analyze them.

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