WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a time when colleges and universities are being called on to cut costs and produce more graduates, institutional leaders must remember that their primary purpose is to produce thinkers, be of service to society and facilitate research that benefits the nation and advances human understanding.
Such were the remarks that Don Michael Randel, a longtime university administrator who now serves as president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, made as keynote speaker Friday at a luncheon of the 68th annual meeting of the American Conference of Academic Deans.
The private affair was held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, which featured a variety of panels and workshops—including one on mentoring students and faculty of color—that was sponsored by Diverse.
Randel made his comments in answering “the productivity question” in a far-ranging speech in which he defended the merits of research for research’s sake and extolled the virtues of human interaction at a time when “disruptive technology” has become a widely revered force on the higher education landscape.
