The Work of the University
Douban
Richard C. Levin
overview
From the vantage point of the president's office, this is an inspiring view of the challenges and responsibilities of a great university. This collection of speeches and essays, published on the occasion of Richard Levin's tenth anniversary as president of Yale University, reflects both the range of his intellectual passions and the depth of his insight into the work of the university. By turns analytical, reflective and exhortatory, Levin explores what it means to be a world-class university, how the university intersects with local and global communities, and why a liberal education matters. He offers personal recollections of schools, teachers and traditions of particular importance in his own life. And, returning to his roots as a professor of economics, he discusses the competitiveness of American industry and the relations between the market economy and American democracy. Throughout these writings Levin aims to illuminate and inspire. Always his affection for the university shines through. Whether greeting incoming freshmen, meditating on September 11, remembering an intellectual hero, saluting graduating seniors, addressing the League of Women Voters, or celebrating Yale's Tercentennial, Levin, by example, seeks to show what a liberal education can achieve.
contents
Introduction p. ix
1 From the Beginning
Calm Seas, Auspicious Gales p. 3
Beyond the Ivy Walls: Our University in the Wider World p. 6
2 The Purpose of a College Education
On Liberal Education p. 13
The Task of Self-Discovery p. 20
A Serious Place p. 26
Preparing for a New Millennium p. 32
Discovery p. 38
Westward Ho! p. 44
The Spirit of Adventure p. 50
Yale Time p. 55
Beginnings p. 61
Welcome to Yale p. 68
3 The University's Role in Society
Universities and Our Common Wealth p. 77
The American University as an Engine of Economic Growth p. 87
Universities as Urban Citizens p. 95
The Global University p. 99
4 The Graduate's Role in Society
Education for Self and for Others p. 109
On Controversy p. 114
Taking the Next Step p. 119
The Task of Citizenship p. 126
Beyond Community Service: The Nation and the Wider World p. 132
Reflections on Revolution p. 138
China on My Mind p. 144
Thinking About September 11 p. 150
5 Building a Better Yale
Yale's Fourth Century p. 159
Yale at 300 p. 174
6 Honoring Schools, Teachers, and Traditions
An Embryonic Democracy p. 185
A Salute to Princeton p. 190
Remembering Oxford p. 193
Chasing After Society p. 195
James Tobin: Scholar-Hero p. 198
A Devoted Mentor p. 200
Shimon Peres p. 203
Blessed Is the Match p. 205
7 Reflections on the American Economy
Can America Compete in World Markets? An Unconventional View of the 1980s p. 211
Democracy and the Market p. 223
