Reader Responses to Learning from Our Differences

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President Paxson’s essay on diversity certainly expressed the feelings of academia, if not that of all the alumni, but I think there is one part of the diversity issue that has stumped me for the past half century: Why are the Ivies so adverse to including a few athletes that can raise the athletic profiles of all such elite institutions? Yearly, revenue from athletics has been estimated to be over $15 billion a year, with top schools generating millions from their programs. I think we, at Brown, can tolerate a few mentally impaired, but promising football candidates, along with the nerds we nurture to become unemployable after graduation.

Sidney Baumgarten ’54 North Brunswick, N.J.

Recent
Responses

Student Life
Talking to the Animals

“Ms. Selemon states that “if she sees something suffering, I can’t just walk by” and then admits to consuming an ungodly amount of meat at a Korean barbecue place. I guess when...”

—Anthony Paolantonio ’88 North Providence, R.I.
Medicine & Health
The Primary Care Crisis

“As a family physician who retired over 10 years ago, I read with interest “The Primary Care Crisis.” While I agree with much of what was discussed, I think an important contributor...”

—Melissa Greenspan ’72 Northampton, Mass.
The Arts
CEO Turned Music Man

“Well done George, and greetings from Brussels, Belgium, where I relocated in 1991 for a year and stayed, & stayed, & stayed. Good music scene here, many jazz clubs, although I was...”

—Peter Campbell ’77 Brussels, Belgium
Politics & Law
The View from College Hill

“I had to laugh when I read BAM’s report on the state of viewpoint diversity at Brown, which concluded that all is good! Oddly lacking from the investigation were: The November 2025...”

—Steve Schwartz ’79 Los Angeles

Recent Responses

Talking to the Animals

The Primary Care Crisis

CEO Turned Music Man

The View from College Hill

Recent
Responses