I believe it is good for Beloit and the other colleges and universities of the state that there is a splendid University of Wisconsin System that challenges us to examine our own courses of action in light of the excellences and successes of the University. Strong institutions such as Beloit contribute to this kind of control which is so essential to the general good. I expect as President to keep Beloit a vigorous watchdog in maintaining high quality higher education in Wisconsin. There is a second argument beyond the possibility of productive tension that can be made for the private college and university. That is the argument of size.
Smallness is no virtue in itself and can lead to defensiveness and stagnation.
But largeness is not a virtue either if it leads to bureaucracy or arrogant assumption of wisdom because of size. Neither conclusion is inescapable. There are those who work more effectively in the smaller community. There are others who respond more positively to the larger. The state is better if the choice be there for individual learner or teacher to make.