I came to Claremont McKenna because I believe that the College is all about public engagement. After sixteen years of teaching and program-building in a public policy institute within a much larger university, I have come to a place that, in many different ways, is fully engaged in public affairs. I want to articulate a vision of how public engagement is linked to the liberal arts education, the task of training intellectuals, and faculty and student research. Last year, President Gann spoke about Claremont McKenna's place among the thousands of educational institutions in this country. I would like to speak about Claremont McKenna's role in support of democratic institutions in our society.
Public engagement reflects broad trends in the United States.
Direct democracy - that is, public participation in specific policy decisions, has been on the rise throughout the country. Referendum and recall initiatives are at an all time high. And the news is full of stories about marches, rallies and protests. In many ways, California is at that forefront of direct democracy. Yet public engagement, whether California style or the New England town meeting, is fragile.