Another Quiet University President
In the Globe,
Marcella Bombardieri profiles Robert Brown, the new president of Boston University.
Brown is following in the wake of the high-profile and highly controversial John Silber, Bombardieri points out.
See if this sounds familiar...
Brown, many observers say, is trying to be the un-Silber, transforming the university's culture so that faculty, students, and alumni feel that their opinions are heard and they have a stake in the university's future. Former president John Silber took BU to new heights of success, but was accused of sowing fear among faculty and ignoring concerns of students and alumni.
Not all professors are yet convinced, but here's one idea that a certain other university across the river might want to consider.
Under Brown, BU created a blog inviting feedback on the university's goals....
So far, I have heard of only two Harvard professors who write blogs. By contrast,
when BU Today asked members of the BU community to submit nominations for best campus blogs, they got 150 nominations. What does this say about the popular willingness to speak freely at Harvard?
I feel about this the way that the Crimson feels about poor attendance at faculty meetings: There's just no excuse.
So here are some questions I'd like to hear Drew Faust's responses to:
1) As a historian, you depend on free and unfettered access to historical documents in order to pursue your scholarship. Do you support the Corporation's 50-year-rule, which keeps secret the records of the Corporation for 50 years after they are created?
2) Do you support the ouster of students from Massachusetts Hall?
3) Do you believe that blogs are an important part of creating a forum for intellectual discussion and debate at Harvard? Do you read any blogs, and if so, which ones? Would you create a blog similar to the one Robert Brown has created at Boston University? And what measures would you recommend to your incoming FAS dean to encourage Harvard faculty to write blogs of their own?
