Crimson opinion writer
Allison P. Farrell
Latest Content
AI Defeats the Purpose of a Humanities Education
While Harvard apparently worries that its educational programming is losing rigor to grade inflation and lax attendance norms, it can start making a difference by curtailing a problem in part of its own making: ban AI use, and the quality of humanities education at Harvard will improve.
Stop Recognizing Student Organizations
Bureaucracy might be great fun when used appropriately. Requiring administrative approval to use spaces that are, in a real sense, ours, runs counter to what our community should be about.
What Good Is a University Without Students?
Even if Harvard is too invested to stop building new facilities now, it must take a hard look at its priorities and ensure that its educational mission remains intact. Harvard’s future is built on the minds it nurtures — buildings are great, but they need people to fill them.
Free Speech Is Alive and Well at Harvard. Why Aren’t Media Covering It?
If the media under-reports controversial conservative speech, it risks letting some ideas spread under-the-radar, preventing the full and robust dialogue that occurs only when the conversation is open to all.
Harvard Must Defy Trump
Harvard’s leaders must begin to consider, behind closed doors, how far Harvard is willing to go in enabling the Trump administration’s attacks on fundamental rights.
Trump Must Be Beacon Hill’s Wake-up Call
The next four years will be difficult across the country, but if we can have true leadership here at home, we can avoid the worst of it. It is time to demand that this legislature fix the mechanisms that have rendered it ineffective.
Harvard Educated Eight Presidents — Why not a Philosopher King?
We do not need to believe in Platonic philosopher-kings to believe that it is good for our leaders to be equipped with the tools of moral philosophy. Those making decisions that impact the lives of their fellow citizens should understand both the empirical and ethical import of their actions.
Cambridge Has a Good Alternative To Violent Policing. It Must Embrace It.
Cambridge has a policing alternative in its Holistic Emergency Response Team, and it could take some of its citizens out of harm’s way. It’s high time it commits to it.
Universities Must Become More Political — Not Less
We must reckon with the popular mandate of this anti-intellectual movement or we may well see its most dangerous proposals become reality.
Abolishing Legacy Admissions Won’t Make College Accessible
Either education is made affordable and knowledge a tool for all, or it will continue to be reserved for the privileged few.