Attacking the Elites

Attacking the Elites by Derek Bok offers insights from a former Harvard president on how elite universities are responding to critiques from both the left and the right, and how they can improve their approaches.

Elite American universities, including Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, are renowned globally. They attract highly qualified applicants, and most of their graduates go on to lead successful lives. Scientists at these elite institutions contribute significantly to public knowledge, playing crucial roles, such as in the development of vaccines protecting against COVID-19.

However, these same twenty-odd universities face criticism from both sides of America's ideological spectrum. Liberals urge them to admit more low-income students and use their reputations and wealth to encourage corporations to adopt more just, equitable, and ecological business practices. On the other hand, conservative politicians argue that the universities' predominantly liberal faculty influence students' beliefs. The Supreme Court's recent decision to prohibit universities from giving preference to Black and Hispanic applicants for admission has ignited widespread debate over how these universities select their students.

Derek Bok, leveraging over fifty years of experience as a student, professor, dean, and president of Harvard University, delves into the current controversies surrounding admissions, diversity, academic freedom, political correctness, curriculum, teaching, and even athletics. He seeks to discern which complaints are unfounded, which are legitimate, and how elite universities can most effectively respond to their critics.