Save Antioch College - The Portal

Letter to the Editor
Friday, July 20, 2007; Page A18

George F. Will’s July 15 op-ed, “Forfeited Glory,” argued that the suspension of Antioch College’s operations was caused by “repressive liberalism unleavened by learning.” The argument fails to fit the facts.

Antioch College’s governance structure is participatory and democratic and is no more toxic than any other democracy. True to its democratic ideals, Antioch has many powerful elected governance councils open to students, faculty members and administrators. As with any democracy, if a community member does not agree with a decision, that member can express displeasure at the polls or run for office. This is not a toxic culture; this is democracy at its best.

Above all, Antioch presents the student with every tool necessary for a world-class academic, experiential and democratic education, but it demands that students take responsibility for their own learning. This is an alien concept in today’s higher-education market, where students are predominantly customers purchasing an expensive service; most prospective students dare not take Antioch’s challenge.

Antioch is not as “user-friendly” as most colleges today, but it offers an unforgettable, challenging education that is second to none. A powerful coalition of outraged alumni, passionate faculty members and dedicated trustees will not let Antioch die.

JONAH LIEBERT

Woodside, N.Y.

The writer is a 2003 graduate of Antioch College.