“The public demands that universities be held accountable, but it is unclear what they are to be held accountable for.
Let me venture a definition. The essence of a university is that it is uniquely accountable to the past and to the future — not simply or even primarily to the present.
It is not easy to convince a nation or a world to respect, much less support, institutions committed to challenging society’s fundamental assumptions. But it is our obligation to make that case: both to explain our purposes and achieve them so well that these precious institutions survive and prosper in this new century.” -- Harvard President (Oct. 12, 2007)
To listen to a 3-minute video excerpt from her talk, click-here