A small crowd of people gathered this Friday in the pews of the University Chapel to hear President Teresa A. Sullivan address one critical question: How can we know if we are any good?
At the event hosted by the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, Sullivan discussed the dilemma of how to quantify the quality of a university's educational experience, comparing a four-year education at the University to alternatives such as a community college education or an online degree through the University of Phoenix.
"At the end of four years of higher education, progress is made toward the development of a personal identity," she said. "Also, we are more likely to vote and donate to charitable organizations. We are more likely to use principled reasoning on moral issues. That's great. But how much of that can be contributed to the University we were educated at?"
Sullivan referenced ongoing scientific attempts to quantify the value of education, exploring the issue with metaphors on car quality, the judgment of ice skaters and several quotes from Thomas Jefferson.
"If Thomas Jefferson were here, would he think we were good?" she asked. "His expectations were sky-high, [wanting the University to be the] future bulwark of the human mind in our hemisphere. In today's global environment, geographical delineations lose meaning. We must be an institution built toward success on a global scale."
In the 1974 novel, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," Sullivan said, author Robert Pirsig concludes that quality cannot be defined at all because the definition of quality precludes reasoning, and this preclusion emphasizes the magnitude of the question to be addressed.
During the question-and-answer portion of the session, Sullivan addressed everything from the preservation of University traditions to the agenda of her administration.
In response to a question about the direction of the University, Sullivan said there would be no additional plans for construction projects, except for the restoration of the Rotunda, which still has black shrouds on top of the columns to keep marble from falling down on individuals passing by underneath. She also plans to add to the student body population, she said.
Responding to the question of how she would balance the traditions of the University with a more-liberal agenda, Sullivan said, "My most important job is being a steward of what is best here, saving what is good for generations to come. At the same time, I welcome new ideas. I would be liberal in that way - universities are about innovation."
Amid the signature snapping of approval from the Jefferson Society crowd, the event ended with Sullivan's concluding remark that the quality of this University is everyone's responsibility and that members of the University community will need to put forth their best efforts in each of their roles.
In general, the Society's leadership felt the event was a valuable opportunity for community members.
"The Jefferson Society promotes any public forum where people can feel they can connect with a person of power," Society President Emma King said. "Having a chance to engage with people we ourselves would like to be empowers students"
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