In the Feb. 23 story, "GOP students reflect on political climate," on youth Republicans, a Duke Democrats representative claimed that faculty like political science Professor Peter Feaver contribute to an "overrepresentation of Republicans" on campus. This was certainly news to many.
Republicans here are vocal, yes, but it is obvious that we are a definite minority. Mind you, even if Republicans are minorities on campus, the country as a whole is much more evenly split. Students of all belief systems therefore benefit from a rich intellectual debate, and the Republicans are a key part of that conversation. Although Republicans often bemoan classroom ideological bias, many would also note the educational value of having their views continually challenged in less hostile settings. Democratic students are as much the victims of a lack of intellectual diversity as their conservative peers.
As for Feaver himself, students of all ideologies will attest that he is little if not evenhanded in the classroom, and worked in both the Clinton and Bush administrations. Indeed, he only agreed to be the Duke College Republicans adviser as a last option, after multiple other efforts to reach out to prospective advisers were unsuccessful. The conclusion that Feaver is somehow symptomatic of a broader trend is rather silly.
Intellectual diversity on this campus is not a Republican or Democratic issue, but a nonpartisan one. Concerns about the "overrepresentation" of Republicans, then, are surely misplaced.
Vikram Srinivasan
Chair, Duke College Republicans
Trinity '10
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.