America's elite universities are broken. Let’s build something better.

An open letter to alums whose schools seem lost.

I thought I was beyond caring about higher education. My children had graduated, and it had been years since I’d stopped conducting alum interviews for my school. Reunions were still an every-five-year ritual, but that was all about seeing friends. Emotionally, we’d parted ways. If my old school still occasionally called, it wasn’t to ask for my opinion or participation—just my donations.

And then December 5th happened. 

In case you missed the reference, that was the day the Presidents of Harvard, Penn, and MIT testified before Congress. In addition to taking the tone of lecturing a slow learner, it turned out none of them could articulate a good reason why, despite otherwise very robust speech codes, it required context to know if calling for the destruction of Israel was hostile. The attitude reflected an insular and privileged view of the world. And that was just a prelude. 

The Congressional testimonies about speech, and most recently, the campus actions they presaged, reminded me that I still care about education and want to get involved.

I care about a commitment to classical liberalism. I care about open debate. I care about intellectual diversity. I care about moving toward the society envisioned in Dr King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, where what matters is the content of one’s character. 

And I care deeply about the future of this country. 

At my graduation, I received a commission into the Army. I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That oath didn’t end just because I retired. What I saw on December 5th, and what I have seen in terms of the illiberalism on campuses as diverse as Yale, Evergreen State, Stanford, and most recently Columbia, is a new kind of threat, one that stifles open debate, suppresses dissenting voices, and promotes intellectual orthodoxy. 

The First Amendment should be a bedrock principle, but today's students report that they are increasingly skeptical of freedom of speech for differing viewpoints. Disinvitations to heterodox thinkers are commonplace. The heckler’s veto is rampant. Even protests, the classic form of protected speech, have transformed into infringements on the rights of others. What I see is a system that not only permits a campus of intellectual orthodoxy but promotes it through its hiring and tenure practices. Dissent is only welcome in one direction.

The Constitution is downstream from America’s culture, and its protections are only as strong as our beliefs in freedom. Suppose our leaders, especially our universities, fail to inculcate respect for speech. In that case, the First Amendment, for all its “Congress shall make no law,” will be meaningless in the face of a morality that views suppressing opinions as a virtue.

If you agree, what should we do? I could reengage with my alma mater. I don’t begrudge anyone who chooses that path, but I get the impression my bank account needs a few more zeros before my school is going to listen. There are also innovative universities founded around faith and liberal values. The urgency of the situation calls for immediate action. I hope I have convinced you to get involved, that the cause is worth fighting for. Join that fight somewhere, because I believe a fundamental change is required. 

This brings me to my plan and where I will be focusing my effort. I am going to make the case for one particular institution where the creativity and energy I have will be put to use. It brings me to the University of Austin. 

“So much is broken in America. But higher education might be the most fractured institution of all.”

• Pano Kanelos, founding president of the University of Austin.

You may not have heard about this new project, UATX, but its origin story will resonate with any classical liberal. In November 2021, the plan for the university was announced, and it was formally authorized as an academic institution in November of 2023. Its aim is to “renew the mission of the university.” As I wrote above, our “elite” schools have dropped that banner. The University of Austin picked it up. Its Constitution states its mission:

“(To) establish an institution of higher learning that champions the pursuit of truth, scientific inquiry, freedom of conscience, and civil discourse, and that is independent of government, party, religious denomination and business interest in all matters…”

That speaks to me. I have a feeling it does to you as well.

The university will welcome its inaugural class this November. It will be filled with intelligent and idealistic youth. Patriots. Risk takers. The sort of young adult who chooses this school has already set themselves down an exciting path. But regardless of how bright the students are, there’s one thing they lack that Ivy League graduates have: alumni.

So, here's my proposal. Consider investing your expertise. Join the Talent Network. Become an UATX alum-in-spirit, because this is where the values you supported have moved. You’d be offering some of your time and talent to be used where needed. That might involve mentoring. It might be a summer internship. I’ll be honest, it seems pretty open ended right now. I expect there will be a bit of write-your-own-adventure to the process. Anyone reading this is likely an innovator, so this will be right up your alley.

But here’s what isn’t in doubt: this is a high-leverage moment for the UATX. Frankly, the odds are against it. It’s a new, ambitious project, and the challenges are enormous. I’m reminded of the (possibly apocryphal) Ernest Shackleton advertisement in the London Times for an Antarctic expedition crew:

Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.

• Ernest Shackleton 

Restoring the stature of education is a generational challenge. But despite this, I say get involved anyway. I have found nothing more invigorating than working against odds with bright minds. Creativity and a growth mindset are infectious. I think you’ll find the mere act of making a difference in these young men and women's lives rewarding. When UATX succeeds, it will give hope to those who appreciate the integrity of academic freedom as much as we do. That’s “honour and recognition” enough for me.

Our country desperately needs an alternate vision for higher education. If you agree, you can channel your energy in many ways, but there are few places and times where you will have a better opportunity to see the fruits of your labor than this school, right now.

“Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the Earth.”

• Archimedes

The University of Austin is the place to stand. The lever is our talent. What do you say? Let’s give it one hell of a pull.

***

I hope I have made the case. If you are curious about next steps, I suggest you contact my brother from another era, Talent Network coordinator Pedro Robinson (former rugby players have a bond) and set up an interview.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the University of Austin, other than as a volunteer for their Talent Network. This letter was unsolicited, and I received no compensation for it.