Constructive Criticism
I think that I will spark little controversy by describing Dartmouth's environment as pluralistic and academic. Our college brings together people who differ in every respect of geography and circumstance and encourages them to engage substantively with ideas and to pursue knowledge. At Dartmouth, diversity and scholastic excellence are mainstream values. Those who do not share them are relegated to the fringe of our small society. I doubt that anyone will bother to dispute these observations. But I would like to raise a more controversial question: What happens when our academic pursuit of knowledge collides with our pluralism?