The liberally educated
person is one who is able to resist the easy and preferred answers,
not because he is obstinate but because he knows others worthy of consideration.
— Allan Bloom
With the 20th Anniversary of Allan Bloom's The Closing Of The
American Mind upon us, the absence of intellectual pluralism
that Bloom decried is still depressingly upon us. There is an undeniable
divide between the Academy and larger society; a curtain has been
drawn around the academy, inside of which the protection of certain
ideas has trumped intellectual exchange and a search for the truth.
There should be no easy or protected answers in our schools. In
the modern academy, many certainly do not know all of the ideas
worthy of consideration. Minding the Campus hopes to change that,
as a project devoted to a revival of intellectual pluralism and
the best traditions of liberal education. We hope to foster a new
climate of opinion that favors civil and honest engagement of all
sides, offering an engaged debate for readers concerned with the
state of the modern university. We intend to provide a simple central
resource, providing day-to-day original content and drawing upon
the best from established magazines and publications, as well as
from less-visited corners, from professional journals to blogs and
student publications. In connecting resources from disparate worlds,
we hope to connect their readers, fostering potential for real discussion
and change. A conversation about America’s Universities is needed;
look for it here.
 John Leo, Editor
John Leo is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing
editor at the Institute's City Journal. His popular column,
"On Society," ran in U.S.News & World Report for 17
years, and was syndicated to 140 newspapers through the Universal
Press Syndicate.
Leo has worked as a senior writer for Time magazine, and as a staff
reporter for the New York Times specializing in intellectual trends
and the social sciences. Among other position he has held are assistant
administrator of New York City's environmental protection administration,
editor of a Catholic newspaper in Iowa, associate editor of Commonweal,
book editor of the social science journal Trans-Action (now Society),
and "Press Clips" columnist for the Village Voice. He
is the author of three books, most recently "Incorrect Thoughts."
Anthony Paletta, Senior Editor
Anthony Paletta is an editor for the Center for the American University at the Manhattan
Institute. He previously served as an editorial assistant at U.S. News and World Report.
Mr. Paletta earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University.
James Piereson, Contributing Editor
James Piereson is a Senior Fellow and Director of Manhattan Institute's
Center for the American University and president of the William
E. Simon Foundation. Mr. Piereson's research focuses on the importance
of the classical liberal education and intellectual pluralism.
Before joining the Manhattan Institute, Mr. Piereson was executive
director and trustee of the John M. Olin Foundation (1985-2005,
when, following longstanding plans, the foundation closed its doors).
In addition, he served on the Political Science faculties of several
prominent universities, including Iowa State University (1974),
Indiana University (1975), and the University of Pennsylvania (1976-82),
where he taught courses in the field of United States government
and political theory.
He is the author (with J. Sullivan and G. Marcus) of Political
Tolerance and American Democracy (University of Chicago Press,
1982).
Mr. Piereson earned a B.A. degree (1968) and a Ph.D. degree (1973)
in political science from Michigan State University.
 David DesRosiers, Contributing Editor
David DesRosiers is a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute's
Center for the American University and Executive Director of its
VERITAS Fund for Higher Education Reform.
Prior to undertaking the CAU initiative, he served as the Manhattan
Institute's Executive Vice-President.
Mr. DesRosiers recently founded Revere Advisors LLC—a policy, opinion,
and fundraising advisory boutique—and is the Publisher of RealClearPolitics,
a prominent political news filter and polling site.
Mr. DesRosiers earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Assumption
College and a Ph.D. degree in political science from Fordham University.
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