CU to add new chair for conservative thought

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May 14, 3:24 PM

by Julia Yugel, CU Examiner

 

 

CU Boulder is definitely known as a liberal campus. I can't tell you how many times in my classes professors and other students have spouted their liberalists ideas, mostly completely out of context. I really don't need to hear what my anthropology teacher has to say about Republicans ruining the world. That's not what I'm paying for.

While I think that it's great that people want to voice their opinions on politics, the classroom is not always the place to do it, especially if the class is not on political science. My disgust may have to do with the fact that I am in the political minority in Boulder.

That's right. My name is Julia and I am a Republican. And yes, sometimes it does seem like there are about four of us on campus.

CU is hoping to shed its liberal, hippie reputation and bring more balance to its politics. According to an article in the Rocky Mountain News, CU is planning on creating a position of a "Visiting Chair in Conservative Thought and Policy".

While it is a good idea to expand the political views on campus, I don't know if this is the best way to do it.

Political Science professor Ed Rozek said said he found the idea of an endowed chair in conservative views "humorous" and said it smacks of tokenism.

"What is needed is pluralism of ideas, meaning no political party has a monopoly on any campus," Rozek said. "All views - socialism, communism, democracy - should be discussed."

Rozek said he would prefer 10 visiting scholars from the world's leading institutions of higher learning coming to teach at Boulder every year (Rocky Mountain News).

I think that sounds like a better way to spend the taxpayer's money. Learning in the classroom generally should not be boiled down to liberals vs. conservatives. It should be about learning as much as possible about all views.

On the other hand, I applaud CU for actually trying to remedy one of its problems. Congratulations for recognizing a lack of diversity and doing something about it. Diversity of thought is just as important as cultural diversity. This is just one small step in the right direction, but at least it's something.

I know I'll be in the front row of any class that Condoleeza Rice teaches.

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