Attacking the Elites - Derek Bok

A former Harvard president reflects on how elite universities are responding to critiques from the left and the right, and how they can do better  “People have lost faith, trust and confidence [in higher education]. Anyone wanting to understand why even the best American universities are in such a state will learn a lot by reading [these] reflections.”—Leslie Lenkowsky, Wall Street Journal   Elite American universities, such as Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, are admired throughout the world. They attract highly qualified applicants, and most of their graduates go on to lead successful lives. Scholars and researchers at elite universities contribute to knowledge that benefits the public in countless ways, from the discovery of ancient texts to breakthroughs at the forefront of medical technology.   These same elite institutions, however, are beset by criticism from both sides of America’s ideological divide. Liberals press them to enroll more low-income students and to use their reputations and endowments to induce corporations to adopt more just, equitable, and environmentally sound policies. Conservative politicians accuse the universities’ predominantly liberal faculty of indoctrinating students. The Supreme Court has recently prohibited universities from giving preference to Black and Hispanic applicants for admission, sparking a wider debate over the policies of elite universities in choosing their student body.   Drawing
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