The National Association of Scholars report, What Does Bowdoin Teach?, which grew out of an unfortunate (for Bowdoin) golf outing, has been causing quite a flap. I encourage you to read the report and follow the responses as they continue to appear. I may have more to say later, but for now I’d like to call your attention to Bowdoin president (and no doubt now sorry golfer) Barry Mills’ short response.
After huffing and puffing about the quality of the faculty, students, and alumni and promising that Bowdoin will continue to assess its effectiveness by looking “to the informed judgment of foundations, corporations, and other outside donors that are well versed in assessing the quality and efficacy of the institutions they support,” President Mills concludes by emphasizing Bowdoin’s view of itself that seems in one sentence to confirm the criticism of the NAS report: “We are proud of our students and our commitment to build and support a community that resembles America and the world.”
Bowdoin, apparently (and if nothing else that sentence encourages us to judge by appearances), is at least as proud of what it looks like as it is of what it is and does.
