The realization of the vision is being thwarted, he writes, by “a few rogue actors (who) are dividing our community and distracting us from our important work of teaching and learning and advancing the frontiers of knowledge.”
However, he writes, a reform plan that kicked off this week “is the beginning of an accelerated campaign to improve social life on campus. A Presidential Steering Committee consisting of students from a cross-section of campus, faculty, staff, and alumni will work together through November to identify the best solutions that will address these problems.”
Hanlon says the committee will focus on high-risk drinking, sexual assault, and inclusivity, and will spend the coming summer researching and crowdsourcing ideas. “They will look at practices that are working elsewhere and speak with the leading experts in each of these areas. A report of recommendations will be presented to the Board in November, and implemented immediately thereafter,” he writes.
Read the full opinion piece, published 4/18/14 by The Boston Globe.