If there was any light generated by the Tribune`s recent incendiary attempt to expose the entire American system of higher education, I was unable to see it for all of the accompanying smoke.
While I will let your indictment of research universities stand on its own dubious merits, I must strongly object to your bold-faced effort to foist the problems of these institutions upon the rest of American higher education. This was evidenced both in the articles` badly misleading title and in its systematic failure to note in any way that not all undergraduates are unfortunate enough to endure the exaggerated picture of neglect painted.
As a recent and satisfied graduate of one of our true ”colleges”
(Illinois College), I can confidently say that neglect of undergraduate instruction is in no way a problem common to the entire system of higher education and that ”our colleges” still work just fine. I am highly confident that the students, graduates and administrators of America`s other 600-plus liberal arts colleges will back me up on this one.
