When undergraduate education is put under the microscope, few areas generate as much scrutiny (and at times controversy) as athletics.
Our embrace of academic freedom as a principle means that we must reject bullying and intimidation that squelch debate and dissent and inhibit learning.
Study after study demonstrates that not only is college not a “ludicrous waste of money,” but that an education in the liberal arts and sciences is excellent preparation for success in a range of careers.
Pre-orientation programs and fall athletics practices are in full swing; orientation for the Class of 2018 begins on Saturday; and the start of classes is less than 10 days away. In other words, summer 2014 is coming to an end.
Last week saw the beginning of construction for the restoration of Middle Path, a project long in planning and discussion. I have written and spoken several times over the course of my first year at Kenyon about the importance of Middle Path; in fact, this was one of the themes echoed in my inauguration comments. The sight of Middle Path is indeed very moving – the long, continuous stretch between Bexley and Old Kenyon, shaped by trees, connecting the many different eras of the institution by providing linear continuity among the contrasting architecture (the Collegiate Gothic of south campus, the modern look of Gund Gallery, the small Ohio community that is the village, and north campus, capped by Bexley Hall). In a practical sense, Middle Path is a central artery, providing cohesion and flow, making it nearly impossible to get lost on what is a large and sprawling campus. But, more importantly, Middle Path is the symbolic heart of Kenyon, a place where people meet and talk, where conversations…
