Dr. Stanley Fish amidst a sea of controversy in education
katie Welch
Special Contribution
On Thursday, April 10th, President Hastad and Provost Passaro welcomed Dr. Stanley Fish to present the first Provost’s lecture here at Carroll.
Dr. Fish, who is a current professor of law at Florida International University as well as an author and contributor to the New York Times, is known for creating good discussion and with it an excessive amount of controversy.
During his lecture, entitled Save the World on Your Own Time: What College and University Professors Should and Shouldn’t Do, Fish advocated intense convictions on what he believes is the necessary role of a university as well as why he feels academic institutions should not have any discussion in proclaiming moral or political views.
The presentation, operating both as a subjective sentiment as well as an open discussion of various passages, proved Fish was much more concerned with being uninteresting than offensive. Dissecting the problems of various higher education mission statements, Fish criticized many institutions in their attempt to accomplish goals he feels are above their roles in society.
Many of his remarks conjured controversy around the campus, especially among professors. Nicholas Roberts, a visiting professor of History here at Carroll, felt that Fish’s comments had some valid attributes.
“I didn’t really mind what Fish had to say compared to some of the other professors. I do feel that some professors, not only here but in all universities, have big heads especially when they try to persuade students to think like them.” He continued, “I also think that it is important to encourage students to be a good citizen, to know the world around them, and to cultivate an interest in the subject that is not purely academic.”
While many had varied opinions on his remarks, Fish’s lecture was an interesting addition to the discussion of academic freedom and the role of higher education in society. His newest book titled Save The World On Your Own Time is due to hit book stores this July.