I am worried about the apparent smackdown of open and honest debate within some colleges and universities. With my oldest - who is a Jr. - he is at Arizona State and has embraced an open dialog. Very good experience.
My second child, however, is heading east to a more “liberal” environment where I have read of protests that shut down speakers etc. Nothing more I can do for him other than to encourage and participate in civil discussion.
I did just hear for the Heterodox Academy, an organization of more than 2,500 professors who believe that viewpoint diversity and freedom of inquiry are essential components of a good academic culture who published a list of 10 schools where open debate is encouraged and welcomed.
Anyone have thoughts to share?
https://reason.com/2019/05/02/10-colleges-where-you-wont-have-to-walk-on-eggshells/
Both my kids went to “those kind of schools” that have been in the news in recent years. While it may sometimes be annoying, I think the typical experience for the “average kid” at those schools is rather different than what is portrayed in the news. I wouldn’t be overly concerned that it will in any way ruin the college experience, or that he or she will find him or herself unable to “be themselves” unless they are overtly anti gay or otherwise intolerant.
I concur with the University of Chicago making the cut.
When my D was applying a few years ago, her initial #1 choice was Columbia University because it is an elite college in her favorite city (she loves big cities). But that was the year of Mattress Girl, a student who accused a male student of sexual assault, but whose complaint was found unworthy by both police and Columbia university. She then tried to ruin his life by naming him and walking around with a mattress all day to represent the assault. Bad enough, but far worse was that she had the backing of many Columbia faculty.
That is how Columbia went from #1 to basically being off the list. At around the same time, UChicago came out with its
strong support of free expression. That became her #1, she applied, was accepted, and has been very happy there.
My son is a first year at Hamilton College in NY state. About three years ago, Hamilton started a program called Common Ground. The premise of the program is that hearing (and listening) to different points of view and engaging in civil discussion should be encouraged and that even though you might not agree on many points, you aim to find common ground in a respectful manner. In the Spring, they invite two speakers (a Republican and a Democrat) to come to campus for a moderated discussion with a Q&A afterwards. The first year they had David Axelrod and Karl Rove. Last year Condoleezza Rice and Susan Rice shared the same stage. This year the invitees were Jim Messina and Reince Priebus. So far, the Common Ground program has been very successful. The invitees even visit classes and have met in small groups with students. It is my understanding that Common Ground was initiated in response to the controversies happening on campuses as of late.
Chicago is a good pick.
Anecdotally, John Kelly (Trump’s former chief of staff) received a very cordial reception at Duke recently.
So sort of the reverse, but a few years back there was a conservative group that tried to put professors at various schools on a “blacklist” - they called it the “Professor Watchlist” - because they deemed them too liberal, not open to other views, etc. I could not have been more thrilled with the response from Notre Dame’s professors at a school whom some deem conservative:
https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/education/notre-dame-faculty-response-to-website-documenting-leftists-add-us/article_312d62a3-fb20-5dc8-8c63-6963e6e0bc8c.html
You aren’t the only parent researching this issue and putting your children and your money where your thoughts are. It doesn’t matter where people sit on an issue, in order for this country to remain strong, we all need to support civil debate. I’ve noticed application numbers soaring at schools that are legally just in this regard. Good luck on your continued research!
Not surprised to see Purdue on this list. From day 1 at orientation Mitch Daniels shares the need for civil debate and exposure to different world views.
I’m kind of surprised that CMC is on there—wasn’t there an incident with a dean? Idk much about it, someone else can jump in.
^https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-claremont-marches-20151112-story.html
One of the reasons I hesitate to get involved in these discussions is because it only takes a few posts before they begin to conflate several different issues (e.g., The First Amendment, student activism, intellectual diversity, and “the free flow of ideas”) with an over arching desire to not be judged, not feel uncomfortable, or outnumbered by the “other side”. It is the confluence of two separate and related realities as they relate to elite campuses: 1) the desire to reach out and diversify their campuses intellectually and socio-economically and, 2) the necessity to balance their budgets through high sticker prices that only the wealthiest 2% can pay comfortably. Somewhere, there’s bound to be a clash of cultures. Maybe, organizations like the Heterodox Society, or even perhaps, the Alexander Hamilton Society can help (go to the Middlebury College CC forum for more information on the latter), but, my feeling is that they won’t solve the underlying tension, at least not entirely.
It may have more to do with both the school entities and student groups inviting speakers who are looking for vigorous civil debate, rather than those who want to insult and incite, which tends to lead to bad outcomes no matter how you look at it. Of course, sometimes the latter may show up uninvited.
Students will always be a mixed group and should be as an ideal. The problem is when the professorial ranks are so one sided and administration that has no courage.
I hear you, @1966Parent.
A lot of the time there are a few very vocal activists, but a lot of other students for whom the debates that are occurring do not affect their daily experience.
When the issue is one about which your child is passionate:
There may be times your son chooses to stay quiet and away from the drama and proceed with his life, and you will want to reinforce for him that that is okay, and that he does not always need to be the one to take a stand.
There may be times he agrees with a protest and joins it.
There may be times he speaks quietly for or against a protest within his friend group, or quietly supports a friend who is coming under fire for being more vocal.
And there may be times he speaks out bravely, as a voice standing up against the crowd for a less popular view that he thinks is right, and you will be fiercely proud.
@circuitrider wrote: “my feeling is that they won’t resolve the underlying tension, at least not entirely”.
I agree with the statement, but not with the sentiment as I view this discomfort as a positive sign of intellectual growth & maturity.
From my viewpoint, listening is an essential part of learning & of being an effective advocate.
I would suggest trying not to worry or micromanage this. Regardless of university policy, academia has always been a hotbed for political intolerance. Political bias has long been known to affect how a teacher grades papers, for example. At some point, even if through frustration and lack of civil debate, kids will find their own persuasion.
Further, adults can’t even have civil debate, so I wouldn’t get hopes up for campuses to buck the trend.
St Olaf had a “common ground” type program, with fellows and programs.
@writingpumpkin03 You are thinking of the incident with CMC Dean Spellman in Fall 2015. That certainly involved protests but wasn’t about political discourse but rather her interactions as an administrator. https://tsl.news/news5274/ On the other hand there was the blockade of Heather MacDonald when she came to speak on the CMC campus in April 2017. CMC is one of the few schools that has actually disciplined students for preventing others from listening to a speaker. https://tsl.news/news6799/
@Corinthian Thank you for the article! I personally don’t think there was any need for her resignation, although as an outsider I’m admittedly not privy to the details.
CMC has seen a declining number of applications so I incorrectly assumed that it was a result of some turmoil on campus, but after some research, it’s actually had less controversies than its more liberal peers–many of which have seen increasing application numbers. I guess the school might have some unrelated issues that I don’t know about.
^CMC saw its applications rise dramatically as families sought business and accounting safe harbors from the 2008-2009 Great Recession. It’s possible that with the economy reaching 3.8% that CMC’s applications are receding to its historic levels.
CMC has not published this year’s figures yet as far as I know. But last year, despite a drop in the number of applications the CMC acceptance rate dropped from 10.4% to 8.9%. https://tsl.news/news7540/. So even while experiencing a drop in numbers of applications they must have anticipated an increase in yield.