The editors of the Wall Street Journal point to a remarkably mature response to the goings-on at Yale and University of Missouri and, as fate would have it, it’s from the single Republican I most wish were running for president:
We’ve been wondering all week what happened to the grown-ups on American university campuses, and it appears we have a sighting. Mitch Daniels, the president of Purdue University, spoke up Wednesday about the children’s revolt at Yale and Missouri in a letter “to the Purdue community.â€
It deserves to be quoted at length: “Events this week at the University of Missouri and Yale University should remind us all of the importance of absolute fidelity to our shared values. First, that we strive constantly to be, without exception, a welcoming, inclusive and discrimination-free community, where each person is respected and treated with dignity. Second, to be steadfast in preserving academic freedom and individual liberty.
“Two years ago, a student-led initiative created the ‘We Are Purdue Statement of Values,’ which was subsequently endorsed by the University Senate. Last year, both our undergraduate and graduate student governments led an effort that produced a strengthened statement of policies protecting free speech. What a proud contrast to the environments that appear to prevail at places like Missouri and Yale. Today and every day, we should remember the tenets of those statements and do our best to live up to them fully.â€
So a commitment to tolerance can coexist on campus with a commitment to free speech and open debate. What a concept.
I doubt it’s a coincidence that resembles what I wrote on the subject yesterday. Maintaining a society that serves all of its members requires a counter-balancing of values rather than a celebration of one value at the expense of all of the others. Freedom without compassion is license. Inclusiveness without freedom is tyranny.
If it were easy, anybody could do it.
Written 2 years ago. I suspect most universities have something similar, claiming to honor free speech while being inclusive. Meh. I would bet that if the Purdue football team, or even worse, the basketball team, refused to play, he would also fold. (Ok, to be fair, I think he has had decent managerial and leadership skills. Missouri had some former business guy running the place who had no leadership skills. He just ignored problems and complaints. That is almost never an effective management style. I suspect Daniels would immediately take on any of the complaints or issues that had been brewing in Missouri.)
Steve
“I would bet that if the Purdue football team, or even worse, the basketball team, refused to play, he would also fold.”
I think you would lose that bet. And I say that as someone who has spoken to him (and his “CFO”) for a reasonable period. He’s a different cat. Just one example. He’s a “former business guy” who has held the line on tuition at Purdue for three years and looks like is going to make it four, against the backdrop of increases just about anywhere else. How did he do it? Because we all know it’s impossible for government or large institutions to cut or contain costs. Well, the old fashioned way: blocking and tackling. He simply looked at the utilization of current assets, especially the real estate footprint, and optimized it instead of cater to prima donna profs and administrators who all “knew” there was no way to do it.
He’s a sober minded individual who doesn’t listen to the usual BS and parade of excuses. I strongly suspect that would apply to the insanity going on at Yale and Missouri.
He is also a former governor, not so much a business guy as his time at Eli Lilly was pretty short. So, first you should note that while he has been holding down costs, Indiana is also one of the few states that has made large increases in the amount of money going to higher education. That makes it easier to hold down tuition. Past that, if he is working on real estate and facility costs, I would wholeheartedly support that. One of the big factors in increasing tuition costs, along with decreased state support and admin costs, has been the building craze. In order to compete and attract students, universities have been building and marketing fancy new rock walls, dining facilities, media complexes and student unions. Just stopping that would alone help a lot with costs.
If Daniels just ignored problems at the school, then the basketball team refused to play, you really think alumni would support him? Not me. As I said, I think he is too politically savvy to follow the example of the Missouri guy and just ignore a budding problem, but if he did, he would be out the door.
Steve
The guy he brought in was a partner at a real estate firm. Said business guy was given free rein. I know, I talked to him. And Daniels was a serious executive at Lilly.
As for alumni support. This alum would support him. And a friend who is a John Purduer whose family has their name on buildings would. You are just flapping your lips in wild mind reading speculation again, steve.
Of course it’s all mute, as Purdue isn’t filled with insane lefty profs, and Furguson induced imported rent-a-protesters.
Nice to hear your personal take on Daniels, Drew. He was my first choice to be the R nominee, right up until he decided not to throw his hat into the ring (then I went for Romney). The biggest problem seemed to reside in some family issues — mainly his wife who left him and then returned. There’s always a fly in the ointment!
Unfortunately, too, social conservatives moaned about his up-front statement to not make social issues the centerpiece of a presidential run. Another fly in the ointment….