Closing Remarks

December 5, 2005

Dr. Rachel Willis, Professor, UNC

Professor Willis offered commentary on the six major themes that emerged this semester from the principle texts (Snider's Light on the Hill and Link's William Friday biography), fourteen previous plenary sessions, University and community events (State of the University, University Day) and the two documentaries on Dr. Frank and the development of the RTP plus the optional events.   These learning experiences touch on the role of higher education in a democracy, access to higher education and what determines access over time, the alteration of the mission of the University change to include more than teaching, the importance of sponsored research in modern Universities, the boundaries of the University, as broadly defined, and how they change over time, and the responsibilities of graduates of public versus private universities.