The United States retains many aspects of a healthy open society. But there are indicators of trouble and deep divisions aroundthe meaning and importance of democratic values. This debate has significant repercussions for universities and their academic communities. In the most-simple terms, there is a red and blue state divide over the role and importance of public institutions, including universities–red representing largely rural states in which most voters vote Republicanand blue being majority Democratic voters, often withone of the two parties having majorities in their respective...
