College presidents speak out on whether to speak out

A glance at the fall issue of Connection: College presidents speak out on whether to speak out

Some college presidents feel they have a duty to speak out on the issues of the day, while others consider it unwise, or even an abuse of their position, to do so. In separate essays, Margaret A. McKenna, president of Lesley University, and Richard Pattenaude, president of the University of Southern Maine, discuss their own approaches.

Ms. McKenna says that her job sometimes requires “taking a stand and speaking out.” As a role model for students, she says that it is her responsibility to be actively involved in civic life.

“Presidents must act not only as academic leaders,” she writes, “but as moral leaders of the broader community as well.”

Mr. Pattenaude disagrees. “After all, the presidency is not about me, my opinions, and my view of the new world order,” he writes. “I consider it inappropriate to think I might somehow represent the political views of all the people who work and learn on our campus.”

The articles, “Profiles in Caution: If College Presidents Don’t Ask Questions About War and Civil Liberties, Who Will?” and “It’s Not About Me: Politics of the Public University President,” are not online.

Information about the journal, which is published by the New England Board of Higher Education, is available at http://www.nebhe.org/past_issues/s_fal04.html