by James C. Sherlock
This article is rendered as a letter responding to an old friend and mentor, the University of Virginia, my alma mater.
I can imagine the University’s response to my last article on its culture:
The changes we have experienced in the culture of the University, its pervasive progressivism, which some may see as toxic to a public university, are not unique to the University of Virginia, have been decades in the making and will be very difficult to change from within.
I note the pessimism, but do not share the conclusion. Change it must, and we must not shelter in place and hope it blows over.
I firmly believe that the University will not survive as a public institution, and will not deserve to survive, with a leadership structure monitored by a political Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) commissariat that tolerates no dissent from progressive orthodoxy.
I don’t believe it will survive hiring practices that render the faculty politically single-minded.
I don’t believe it will survive a student experience that has driven large majorities of students to respond to surveys that they feel afraid to engage in debate on topics related to progressive dogma.
How can we honestly say we promote diversity, but not diversity of thought?
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