The Courage to Inquire: Ideals and Realities in Higher Education

The Courage to Inquire is an informed, behind-the-scenes look at American higher education. Thomas Ehrlich, former President of Indiana University, brilliantly delineates and analyzes all of the key issues currently debated in higher education, the role of research versus teaching, the importance of research for its own sake, the qualities that make a good teacher, and the necessity for professors to serve their communities. What are the ingredients of great teaching? What do undergraduates need to learn? Can college teach values? Why is research not a dirty word? Are teaching and research at odds? How do universities help economic growth? Does it make sense to integrate community service into the curriculum? These are some of the questions that Ehrlich confronts based on his experience at Indiana University. He also deals with the most troublesome and in some cases controversial issues challenging universities: the complexities of planning in today's complicated world, tenure, the challenge of educating the new majority (non-traditional students), how to enhance minority presence on predominately white campuses, how to combat bigotry, the necessity of resisting political correctness, and the difficulties of keeping athletics within bounds (an issue that received considerable publicity in Ehrlich's first year at Indiana). He ends with an eloquent statement regarding the importance of a university education instilling the courage to inquire and the morality of reason.