To be clear, the picture I’ve just sketched reflects my own views. My colleagues at UATX, commonly known as the University of Austin, would doubtless describe things differently, though I wouldn’t be surprised if most agreed with much of what I’ve said. In any case, we are united in our belief that higher education needs radical reform and that the best way forward is to start a new university.

Let me say something about who we are, what new ideas we plan to implement, and why I think we can have a major impact on higher education.

Our guiding principles are few but firm. We have faith in the process of liberal education—in the capacity of individuals to discover truth and attain freedom through the unfettered examination and open discussion of fundamental human questions. We are committed to high standards of academic rigor. We believe that students can learn, and professors can teach, only if they are free to ask questions and share opinions without fear. We are committed to freedom of inquiry, freedom of conscience, and civil discourse, without which truth is eclipsed and education decays into indoctrination.

[I wrote something about the UATX a while back, saying I’d love to see it when they opened. I may look into this, especially since I live closer to it now. — Ed]