The Idea of the University, 2.0

The president of Mount St. Mary’s University (“the Mount”), Simon Newman, has made national news recently, first for his comments about struggling first-year-student “bunnies” that need “drowning” or a “Glock to the head,” and second for his firing of two faculty members for their role in making these comments public. Figures in and out of the academy have criticized Newman’s decisions. There is even a petition condemning the president for conduct in violation both of right conduct and of Catholic social teaching concerning higher education. For the purpose of full disclosure, my name is on that petition. I write this article, however, not with the intention of condemning Newman. There is enough condemnation already—all well earned. Rather, I write to explain how universities today have reached this point and why the practice of hiring figures like Newman has failed.