Interview Transcript
I think diversity is embedded in what I would consider a really impactful liberal arts education. What I often say to the freshman class is that you are here at this university to encounter the ‘other’ – to encounter what you have not encountered in your first 18 years of life. Some of that is going to be ideas – ideas you have never encountered, a diversity of ideas. Some of it is going to be the people that you encounter, including people from other cultures, from other countries, from other religious traditions. And they are gonna play as an important role in your education, your broadening of your vision as what you’re going to read in books. So if we were to suddenly eliminate all of the ways in which we are trying to make Princeton a more diverse place, I would argue that the quality of the education we provide would plummet.
Recorded on: 8/7/07
Diversity in Higher Education
Molecular Biologist; Pres., Princeton University
Tilghman sees diversity in higher education as imperative. She believes it impacts the quality of a liberal arts education through the diversity of ideas be it religious or cultural. Shirley wants Princeton to deliver a quality education, and can only truly do so with a diverse population.
December 17, 2007 | In Politics & Policy
Discuss
John Kraft on January 16, 2008, 11:11 PM
I personally think diversity is probably the least important aspect of any college experience. Of course everyone should make up their own mind about the issue, and choose schools accordingly. I guess it just depends on what your goals in college are. If I wanted to “confront the other,” I could do so in a variety of much less expensive ways. It is somewhat absurd to expect a college, especially a small private and exclusive one like Princeton, to ‘open the world’ to you in any meaningful way by having a ‘diverse’ student body. And I would argue further that in most cases, once on campus, individuals segregate themselves voluntarily anyhow which confounds the whole point. Just take a look at any schools group lists and you will understand what I am talking about. For me, the most important aspect of a college education is the greatness of the minds surrounding me, including the professors. People should only be judged on their record and nothing else. I would favor a school policy where applications are void of names, sex, or race to ensure no one gets any unfair advantage.
Kazuo-Joseph Oishi on January 17, 2008, 12:25 AM
I wholeheartedly disagree with jkraft12. Simply because Universities such as Princeton have failed to implement strategies that force students to actively engage in cross-cultural experiences and interdisciplinary academics, does not mean that diversity lacks importance. Moreover, while expensive, University campuses provide an ideal venue for rational discourse of divergent opinions and diverse world views. I agree that the things that jkraft12 describe do occur on college campuses. This is due to a failure of institutions to adequately define diversity and implement ways to incorporate true diversity into their programs. It is easy to reduce this discussion into an issue of race and equality; however, the more significant problem is to determine what we hope to accomplish with diversity and how to implement programs to reach those goals.
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