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Inside • Academe Vol. XIII • No. 3-4 • 2007–2008 A publication of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni In This Issue… Bradley Project Puts Focus on American Identity 2 In Box Pluribus Unum—from many, one. teractive, where more than 60 percent Th at is the name of a compelling of Americans surveyed believe that our ATHENA Preview E new report issued by the Bradley Proj- national identity is getting weaker. More 3 Georgia Launches ect on America’s National Identity that troubling, younger Americans are less Study of Campus fi nds America is facing an identity crisis. likely than older Americans to believe in Climate Funded by the a unique national 4 NEA Calls for Action Lynde and Harry identity or even a on Reading Bradley Foundation unique American To Require or Not to and coordinated by culture. Require History ACTA, the report Over 200,000 focuses on issues E PLURIBUS UNUM visitors have al- 5 Hawaii Regent Urges central to ACTA’s ready visited the Trustee Engagement mission—civic project website and 6 Heard on Campus education and the commentary has 7 Professor Kagan to teaching of Ameri- been widespread. to Receive Merrill can history—and ACTA friend Award calls for a national THE BRADLEY PROJECT ON David McCullough conversation on AMERICA’S NATIONAL IDENTITY endorsed the report 8 New Guide Helps these topics. Citing calling it “the clear- Trustees a number of ACTA est, most powerful Meet ACTA’s Interns studies, the report summons yet, to 9 George Washington, fi nds that American all of us, to restore Education, and the identity is weakening and that America the American story to its rightful, vital Next Generation is in danger of becoming “from one, place in American life and in how we Change at ACTA many.” Underscoring this conclusion are educate our children.” And at the Na- sobering results of a new national poll, tional Press Club event announcing the 10 Alexander Hamilton conducted for the Project by HarrisIn- report, James C. Rees, executive director Institute Holds Inaugural Colloquium (continued on 3) 11 ACTA on the Road Register Now for 2008 ATHENA Roundtable www.goacta.org ACTA’s 2008 ATHENA Roundtable, “The Campaign for the American Mind,” to be held on October 16-17, 2008 at the New-York Historical Society, is fast [email protected] approaching. Register now at www.goacta.org or call us at 202-467-6787. 1-888-ALUMNI-8 See pages 2 and 7 of this issue for what’s in store. in Box John Patrick, Professor insightful publication and appreciate being included in its School of Education, Indiana University distribution.” Bloomington, IN David McCullough “Congratulations! I have just finished eadingr the website West Tisbury, MA copy of ‘E Pluribus Unum: the Bradley Project on Amer- “ ica’s National Identity.’ This is a ellw written and compel- I’m sorry to say that I’m not able to attend the lingly argued piece. I am proud and honored to be listed Roundtable meeting, but thank you very much for the among the contributors of ideas to the project. You ... invitation. Your Philip Merrill Award, in the view of this have performed a great service for America. I will do my old Yalie, couldn’t go to anyone more deserving than best to draw attention and readers to this work.” Donald Kagan.” Addison Barry Rand, Chairman Victoria Hughes, President Board of Trustees, Howard University The illB of Rights Institute Washington, DC Arlington, VA “Thank ouy for including Howard University on your “My colleagues at the Bill of Rights Institute and I read list to receive the Asking Questions, Getting Answers with great interest the Bradley Project report on America’s E Pluribus Unum publication .... While the Board of Trustees is in a National Identity . We are grateful for its perpetual state of introspection and evaluation, we have articulation of the root causes of America’s identity crisis, been conducting an extensive review surrounding Board the consequences of our weakened identity to America’s Governance and Effectiveness. ... We can validate that freedom, and possible solutions to this serious national the questions raised and subsequent answers received problem. The eleaser of the report is particularly well- are all paramount to ensuring the health and stability timed with the 2008 presidential election causing many of any institution. I applaud your organization for the Americans for the first time to grapple with national issues and weigh different courses of action.” ATHENA Preview on’t miss ACTA’s annual meeting, the ATHENA Roundtable. It’s coming up on October 17 at the New-York DHistorical Society, featuring a keynote by commentator Roger Rosenblatt—whose newest novel, Beet, is a brilliant satire of the politically correct university. Other speakers will include Columbia University provost emeritus William Theodore deBary, City University of New York Board of Trustees chairman Benno Schmidt, former University of Colorado president Hank Brown, and many more trustees, alumni, and leaders in what we’re calling “The Campaign for the Ameri- can Mind.” Following the Roundtable, we will hold a gala dinner to present this year’s Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education. (See page 7 of this issue.) Beforehand, on the afternoon of October 16, Major General Josiah Bunting III—a Rhodes Scholar and Grant biographer—will lead a tour of the New-York Historical Society’s brand-new Grant and Lee exhibit. And that evening, members of ACTA’s Decade Society and Society of Fellows are invited to a special dinner with Lewis Lehrman, author of Lincoln at Peoria. You can find a full schedule, and egistrationr information, at www.goacta.org/events. If you’d like to attend, or if you have any questions, please call ACTA vice president Lauri Kempson at 202-467-6787. • INSIDE ACADEME2 2007-2008 No. 3-4 Georgia Launches Study of Campus Climate By Mallory A. Naill, ACTA Intern ood things are happening in failure to foster a classroom atmosphere appeal to impartial university offi cials GGeorgia in light of ACTA’s re- open to the free exchange of ideas. rather than faculty members who hold cent report, Shining the Light: A Re- In the wake of the report’s fi ndings, power over their grades. Th e Univer- port Card on Georgia’s System of Public the university system has—in what sity of Colorado Board of Regents Higher Education. is clearly a major development— has also endorsed a key intellectual As tuitions rise and more students commissioned a self-study of the diversity resolution. By focusing pub- prepare to enter college, the debate campus climate. Th is is the fi rst step lic and trustee attention on challenges over what students are learning, how to ensuring the free exchange of ideas in higher education, ACTA is helping institutions are stewarding their re- and comes after four diff erent First bring about increased accountability sources, and whether the intellectual Amendment lawsuits were brought on the part of institutions across the environment is healthy continues. against institutions in the state— country. ACTA’s report was designed to pro- prompted by decisions to shut down Charles E.M. Kolb, president of vide valuable answers to these ques- free speech on campus. the Committee for Economic De- tions while assigning “grades” for the Similar advances have already oc- velopment, praised ACTA’s Georgia University System of Georgia in four curred over the past year at the Uni- report, saying that he hopes it “will major areas of concern: curriculum, versity of Missouri and the City Uni- spark a renewed commitment to high intellectual diversity, governance, and versity of New York, where new griev- standards and quality education for all cost. Among other things, the report ance procedures have gone into eff ect. students.” It looks like he’s getting his gave the System a failing grade for its Th ese mechanisms allow students to wish.• Bradley Project, continued from 1 of George Washington’s 84% of Americans believe that we “share a unique Of the 84% of Americans who believe there is a Mount Vernon, said the national identity based on a shared set of beliefs, national identity, 63% report that this identity is report “could not be values, and culture.” The younger one is, the less growing weaker. more important, or more likely one is to believe there is a national identity. timely, or more relevant.” Th e report has been featured on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” the Lou Dobbs show on CNN, the Scripps How- ard Wire, in a full-page editorial in the Detroit Yes, somewhat 46% Free Press, David Broder’s Somewhat weaker 47% Yes, definitely 38% Neither weaker nor stronger 20% column in the Washington No 10% Much weaker 16% Post, and numerous other Not sure 7% Somewhat stronger 9% Not sure 5% outlets. Much stronger 3% To read more about the report and to participate in the national conversation, visit the website at www.bradleyproject.org. • INSIDE ACADEME3 2007-2008 No. 3-4 NEA Calls for Action on Reading n November, the National Endowment for the Arts conducted a study on American reading habits and found that Idespite recent progress in elementary reading ability, there has been a great decrease in adult and young adult reading. According to the study, To Read or Not to Read, which examined children, teenagers, and adults, and considered all varieties of reading, from fi ction to online reading, there have been recent declines in both voluntary reading and test scores. Overall, people are reading fewer books, reading for less time, and have worse reading comprehension.