Abandoning Their Mission

Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 55, No. 10, p. A50, October 2008

UNC Legal Studies Research Paper No. 1300509

3 Pages Posted: 14 Nov 2008

See all articles by Gene R. Nichol

Gene R. Nichol

University of North Carolina School of Law

Abstract

This brief essay explores Christopher Newfield's strong claims that the successful culture wars of the political right have "severed the public university from its broader base" and "led to [their] abandonment of egalitarian and democratic impulses". I offer my own experiences as president of the College of William & Mary as partial ratification of Newfield's arguments. But, ultimately, I conclude that Newfield overstates the impact of the culture warriors. We are witnessing, I claim, a dramatic abandonment of the public mission of our strongest public universities; an abandonment that betrays the central purposes of public higher education. The causes, though, lie considerably closer to home.

Suggested Citation

Nichol, Gene R., Abandoning Their Mission. Chronicle of Higher Education, Vol. 55, No. 10, p. A50, October 2008, UNC Legal Studies Research Paper No. 1300509, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1300509

Gene R. Nichol (Contact Author)

University of North Carolina School of Law ( email )

Van Hecke-Wettach Hall, 160 Ridge Road
CB #3380
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3380
United States
919 962 5928 (Phone)

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