By Jim Walker
Medieval Traditions in Academia
The roots of the modern university go back to late medieval times. Almost their sole purpose was to prepare their students to be clergymen in the church. As such, they had a status as clergy and were entitled to be tried in the ecclesiastical courts rather than the civil courts if accused of a crime. This status protected them from the civil government, which could sometimes be very arbitrary and intolerant. Their conduct, as clergy, was expected to be above reproach. One of the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was an Oxford student. He was the only pilgrim for which Chaucer had no word of criticism.
An important aspect of university life was the conduct of "disputations." Students displayed their capabilities and progressed through promotion stages by carrying on successful disputations. The student proposed a "thesis," a position on some arguable issue, posted a notification of the disputation's time and place, and invited the public to come and argue with him. If he successfully defended this thesis, the faculty would promote him to the next stage of the progression. Disputations have disappeared from undergraduate studies but still survive in the master's thesis and doctoral dissertation, which require a final oral examination. Faculty debates and speakers with question-and-answer sessions are also still expected and are usually posted and are generally open to the public.
Martin Luther was a popular professor at the University of Wittenberg when he posted his ninety-five theses on the Wittenberg church door. He was undoubtedly surprised to find that, rather than debate, the church proposed burning him at the stake. Fortunately, he had an admirer on the jury that was to try him, who had another juror who owed him a big favor. Their two votes to acquit produced a hung jury and saved Luther and Protestantism.
All in all, the early universities enjoyed much freedom for that era of absolutist governments and a powerful church. The later eighteenth century enlightenment added to this an almost reverential view of this free exchange of ideas. Voltaire famously said, "I may greatly disagree with what you say, but I would fight to the death for your right to say it."
The Classical View of Academics
Over the years, a "classical view" of what a university should be like developed, beginning with the medieval university, and progressing to the mid twentieth century. Its main characteristics were:
The University was to be an open marketplace of ideas.
Discussion and dispute between ideas was to be encouraged.
It was to be a place where one's ideas were likely to be vigorously challenged- this was a part of one's intellectual development.
Students were expected to behave with considerable decorum, have a considerable degree of tolerance, and some intellectual toughness. Thin skins and crybabies were not welcome.
Recent Challenges to the Classical Academic Model
A. Shutting down invited speakers who expressed ideas that some group opposes.
This was a technique developed by the left at the time of the Vietnam War It consists of a group raising a continual din of noise so loud that the speaker cannot be heard and continues until the speaker gives up. It is still in use, and it has been so successful that Henry Kissinger years ago stopped accepting invitations to speak at universities. Ironically, this technique is most frequently used at elite institutions.
Another example are sit-ins in university administration buildings to shut the university down to get a policy that some group desires.
B. The idea that no one should say anything that offends anyone.
It was once considered almost a duty to challenge students' comfortable beliefs. Now one can easily get in the doghouse for doing so.
Sections have been appearing in faculty handbooks cautioning against including anything in classes that is highly controversial or that anyone is likely to find offensive.
C. Attempts to weaken the effectiveness of tenure.
Tenure is awarded to faculty members after several years of satisfactory service, protecting them from being fired without a trial by their peers. This system was created to insulate faculty members from pressure from sources such as administrators, regents and legislators trying to control their teaching activities so that they cannot be easily intimidated by these sources. There have been bills introduced in state legislatures and attempts by administrations to weaken this protection.
D. Efforts by Outside Forces to Interfere in the Internal Workings of the University by Regents and legislators.
There have been increasing efforts by external groups such as ex-student organizations, Regents, and legislators to intervene in the routine workings of the university. These activities such as staffing, promotions, disciplinary procedures, and admissions policy have traditionally been left to the administration and faculty. The recent turmoil at Texas A&M in which outside influences reversed the decision to hire a new department head is a current example of this trend.
These changes are gradually eroding long held traditions and procedures that have proven useful, and which may be essential to the successful achievement of the task of the university system. The possible harm that they are doing should be carefully scrutinized.
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