双语对照：哈佛大学新校长劳伦斯·巴科就职演讲

1、双语对照：哈佛大学新校长劳伦斯巴科就职演讲InstallationAddressbyLawrenceS.BacowCambridge,MassachusettsOctober5,2018Well,IguessitsappropriatethatIbeginwith-goodafternoon!See,peoplelearnalotatHarvard!Thisistrulyanastonishingsight,seeingsomanyofyouhereinHarvardYardtoday.Itsagreatreminderthatnobodygetsanywhereofconsequencein

2、thisworldonhisorherown-andthatincludesbecomingpresidentofHarvard.Ihavebeenblessedtohavepeoplereadytohelpmeateverystepoftheway,beginningwithmyparents,whoworkedhardeverydaytoensurethatIhadboundlessopportunities.Iwouldnotbeheretodaywithouttheloveofmylife,Adele,whohasmademylifesomeaningfulandsorich,anda

3、lsowithoutmychildren,fromwhomIhavelearnedandcontinuetolearnsomuch.Ithankallofmyfamilyandmydearfriends,whoarealsomyfamily,fortravelingfromfarandwidetobehere.Ihavebeenblessed,also,byinspiringteachersandmentors,threeofwhomIamhonoredtohavewithmetoday-myHarvarddissertationadvisors,MarkMoore,RichardZeckha

4、user,andRichardLight-tomarkit.Thankyouforhavingtaughtmesowell.IwouldalsoliketothankmypredecessorsDrewFaust,LarrySummers,NeilRudenstine,andDerekBokfortheirthoughtfulstewardshipandleadershipofHarvardoverthelasthalfcentury.AndIwouldalsoliketothankeachofthemfortheirexcellentandthoughtfuladviceasItakethe

5、helm.AspecialthanksalsotomycolleaguesfromTuftsandfromMIT,whotaughtmehowtobealeaderinhighereducation.Iguaranteeyouthattherearemanypeopleassembledherewhopraythatyoutaughtmeverywell!Ofcourse,theHarvardpresidencyseemstoinvolvesomeuniquehazard-andoveritslonghistory,nearlyaninfinitelistofpotentialmissteps

6、.PresidentLangdon,forexample,wasforcedtoresignafterthestudentsfoundthathissermonsdraggedontoolong-agreatincentiveformetobebrieftoday.PresidentMather,ontheotherhand,outragedtheentireHarvardcommunitybyrefusingtomoveherefromBoston,arguingthattheairinCambridgedidnotagreewithhim.Fortunately,Iliketheatmos

7、phereherealot!EvenPresidentEliot,arguablyHarvardsmostsuccessfulpresident,provokedanuproarnowandthen.Hewantedtoabolishhockey,basketball,andfootball,onthegroundsthattheyrequiredteamwork,and,inhismind,Harvardhadabsolutelynouseforthat.HealsotriedoverandoveragaintoacquireMIT.Rafael,youcanrelax.Illdomybes

8、ttoavoidallsuchmisadventures.Iamdeeplyhonoredtoassumetheleadershipofthiswonderfulinstitution,andproudthatasthenationsoldestuniversity,HarvardhashelpedtoshapetheAmericansystemofhighereducation,whichismagnificentinitsindependence,sweep,anddiversity.Iamalsohonoredthatsomanyothergreatinstitutionsarerepr

9、esentedheretoday,andIthankallofmycolleaguesfromalloverthecountryandallovertheworldforyourgoodwishes-and,frankly,foryoursupport,becausethisisnotaneasymomenttoassumetheleadershipofanycollegeoranyuniversity.ThesearechallengingtimesforhighereducationinAmerica.Forthefirsttimeinmylifetime,peopleareactuall

10、yquestioningthevalueofsendingachildtocollege.Forthefirsttimeinmylifetime,peopleareaskingwhetherornotcollegesanduniversitiesareworthyofpublicsupport.Forthefirsttimeinmylifetime,peopleareexpressingdoubtsaboutwhethercollegesanduniversitiesareevengoodforthenation.Thesequestionsforceustoask:Whatdoeshighe

11、reducationreallycontributetothenationallife?Unfortunately,morepeoplethanwewouldliketoadmitbelievethatuniversitiesarenotnearlyasopentoideasfromacrossthepoliticalspectrumasweshouldbe;thatwearebecomingunaffordableandinaccessible,outoftouchwiththerestofAmerica;andthatwecaremoreaboutmakingourinstitutions

12、great,thanabouttheworldbetter.Whiletheremaybe-maybe-akerneloftruthhere,ifIbelievedthatthesecriticismsfundamentallyrepresentedwhoweare,Iwouldnotbestandingbeforeyoutoday.Allofourinstitutionsarestrivingtomakewisechoicesamidstswirlingeconomic,social,andpoliticalcurrentsthatoftenmakewisdomdifficulttoperc

13、eive.Weneed,together,toreaffirmthathighereducationisapublicgoodworthyofsupport-andbeyondthat,apillarofourdemocracythat,ifdislodged,willchangetheUnitedStatesintosomethingfundamentallybleakerandsmaller.Itsworthrememberingthatmostofthenationsfounderswerefirst-generationcollegestudents.Theynotonlyshaped

14、ourformofgovernment,theybuiltnewuniversities.Havinghadtheirownmindsopenedandimprovedbylearning,theywerecertainthatgovernmentbyandforthepeoplerequiresaneducatedcitizenry.Evenatsomeofthemostdifficultmomentsinournationalhistory,ourleadersunderstoodthattheycouldstrengthenthisnationbyeducatingmoreofourso

15、ciety.AbrahamLincolnsignedtheMorrillActduringthedarkdaysoftheCivilWar,creatingland-grantuniversitiestospreadusefulknowledgeacrossthisimmenserawcontinent.AndPresidentFranklinRooseveltsignedtheG.I.BilljusttwoweeksafterD-Day,makingacollegeeducationoneoftheprimerewardsfornationalservice,andsendingvastnu

16、mbersofless-privilegedAmericanstocollegefortheveryfirsttime.Everysuchexpansionofhighereducation,everymovetowardsopennesstothosepreviouslyexcluded,hasbroughttheUnitedStatesclosertotheidealofequalityandopportunityforall.Sohighereducationhasnotonlysupportedourdemocracy,but,insomesense,ithascreatedit-an

17、dwearenowhereneardone.MyfriendDrewFausthasoftenwishedforHarvardthatitbeasgoodasitisgreat.Tome,thegoodnessofHarvard-andallofouruniversities-liesinthethreeessentialvalueswerepresent:truth,or,aswesayhere,veritas;excellence;andopportunity.Today,wehavetoembodyanddefendtruth,excellence,andopportunitymoret

18、hanever.Wedothisnottostaveoffourcritics,butbecausethesearethevaluesthatmadeournationgreat.Asweconsidertruth,clearly,wevecomealongwayfromthedayswhenourcolleagueUnitedStatesSenatorDanielPatrickMoynihansaid,“Everyoneisentitledtohisownopinion,butnottohisownfacts.”Nowthattechnologyhasdisintermediatedthee

19、ditorialfunction,allowinganybodytopublishhisorherownviewofevents,ourfragmentedmediastruggletomakethedistinctionbetweenopinionandfacts.Theresult,often,isafeverishdiffusionofrumor,fantasy,andemotionunconstrainedbyreasonorreality.Anditispreciselybecausewefindourselvesinthispost-factualworldthatstrongco

20、llegesanduniversitiesareessential.Giventhenecessitytodayofthinkingcriticallyanddifferentiatingthesignalfromthenoise,abroadliberaleducationhasneverbeenmoreimportant.Itisourresponsibilitytoeducatetostudentstobediscerningconsumersofnewsandarguments,andtobecomesourcesoftruthandwisdomthemselves.Ofcourse,

21、factsandtrutharenotthesame.Factsareincontrovertible,oratleasttheyshouldbe,whereastruthhastobediscovered,revealedthroughargumentandexperiment,testedontheanvilofopposingexplanationsandideas.Thisispreciselythefunctionofagreatuniversity,wherescholarsdebateandmarshalevidenceinsupportoftheirtheories,asthe

22、ystrivetounderstandandexplainourworld.Thissearchfortruthhasalwaysrequiredcourage,bothinthesciences,wherethosewhoseektoshiftparadigmshaveofteninitiallymetwithridicule,banishment,andworse,andinthesocialsciences,arts,andhumanities,wherescholarshaveoftenhadtodefendtheirideasfrompoliticalattacksonallside

23、s.Now,therearebothreassuringtruthsandunsettlingtruths,andgreatuniversitiesmustembracethemboth.Throughouthumanhistory,thepeoplewhohavedonethemosttochangetheworldhavebeentheoneswhohavechallengedandoverturnedconventionalwisdom,soweshouldnotbeafraidtowelcomeintoourcommunitiesthosewhochallengeourthinking

24、.Inotherwords,oursearchfortruthmustinextricablybeboundupwithacommitmenttofreedomofspeechandfreedomofexpression.AtHarvard,ouralumnispanthepoliticalandphilosophicalspectrum,includingthosewhohaveservedintheWhiteHouse,intheCongress,ontheSupremeCourt,andincomparablepositionsthroughouttheworld.HereinHarva

25、rdYard,wemustembracediversityineverypossibledimension,becauseasGovernorBakerhassaidsoeloquently,welearnfromourdifferences-andthatincludesideologicaldiversity.Asfaculty,itisuptoustochallengeourstudentsbyofferingthemasteadydietofnewideastoexpandtheirownthinking-andbyhelpingthemtoappreciatethattheycang

26、ainmuchfromlisteningtoothers,especiallythosewithwhomtheydisagree.Weneedtoteachthemtobequicktounderstand,andslowtojudge.Letmesaythatagain:Weneedtoteachourstudentstobequicktounderstand,andslowtojudge.Andasfaculty,weowethatdutytoeachother,aswell.ToparaphrasethegreattheologianReinholdNiebuhr,itsalwayswi

27、setolookforthetruthinouropponentserror,andtheerrorinourowntruth.AtHarvard,wemuststrivetomodelthebehaviorwehopetoseeelsewhere.Forifwecanttalkabouttheissuesthatdivideushere,onthisextraordinarilybeautifulcampus,whereeveryoneissmartandengaged,wherethefreedomtospeakonesmindisoneofourdefiningprecepts,wher

28、eweareblessedwithabundantresourcesandnoonegoestosleepinfearofhisorherlife-ifwecantdothathere,thereisnohopefortherestoftheworld.Atthesametime,weshouldnotapologizeforstandingforexcellenceineverythingwedo.Harvardissynonymouswithexcellence.Wescourtheworldforstudentsandfacultypreparedtodemonstratebrillia

29、nceinourclassrooms,ourlaboratories,onourplayingfieldsandperformancestages,andoutinthecommunitystrivingtomakeadifference.Ourcommitmenttoexcellenceshouldneverbeinterpretedasanembraceofelitism.Theexcellencewerepresentisnotabirthright.Itisnotsomethinginheritedbythosebornprivileged-orevenbythosebornwithg

30、reataptitude.Itisdefinedbymorethannumbers,anditencompassessparkandimagination,gritanddetermination.Theexcellencewestandforisonlyachievedthroughtirelesspursuit.Scholarshipisaboutchargingdowndarkalleys,acceptingdisappointment,andsettingoffagain.Itismessyandlaboriousbydefinition.Muchaswelovetocelebrate

31、the“Eureka!”momentsinoursociety,theyaregenerallyprecededbyyearsofearlymorningsandlatenights.WeneedtoremindthenationofthedegreetowhichAmericasgreatnessdependsuponthiscommitmenttoexcellence-andthefactthatsupportingexcellenceatcollegeanduniversitycampusesdoesnotruncountertothebestinterestsofthosewhofee

32、lleftbehindbyoursociety.Indeed,itisscholarshereandelsewherewhohavesoundedthealarmaboutincreasingincomeinequalityanddecliningsocialmobilityintheUnitedStates,andwhoseideaswillhelpusbecomethejustsocietywehopetobe.Theresearchwepursueinallfieldshelpstogeneratenewknowledge,newconnections,andnewinsightsint

33、othehumancondition.Weworktounderstandtheoriginsoflife,butalsothemeaningoflife.Weexplorethemolecularcodethatmakesushuman,andtheculturethatisequallyessentialtoourhumanity.Longafterthetechnologiesoftodayareobsolete,peoplewillstillbereadingShakespeareandGabrielGarciaMdrquez;listeningtoMozart,BobDylan,an

34、dthelate,greatArethaFranklinfrommyhometownofDetroit;andcontemplatingthegreatquestionsthathavemotivatedphilosophersandpoetsformillennia.Foritisourart,ourliterature,ourmusic,andourarchitecturewhichareamongthemostenduringartifactsofhumanendeavor.Asthenationsoldestinstitutionofhigherlearning,Harvardhasa

35、specialresponsibilitytochampionintellectualtraditionsthathavedefinededucatedmenandwomensincethedawnofcivilization.Wedomorethandeliverabodyofknowledgetoourstudents-weexpandtheirhumanity.Byteachingyoungpeopletoappreciatewhatisbeautifulinart,society,andnature,wehelpthemtodiscoverwhatmakeslifetrulyworth

36、living.Ofcourse,noneofourinstitutionscanaffordtobecomplacentaboutourexcellence.Wehavecompetitorsaroundtheworld,supportedbygovernmentsthatunderstandthattheswiftestroutetoathrivingeconomyrunsthroughuniversitylaboratories,libraries,andclassrooms.Whetherourcollegesanduniversitiesarepublicorprivate,weall

37、relyuponthegenerosityoftheAmericanpeople,whocontributebothtoresearchandfinancialaid.Weareexcellentbecauseofthem,andwemustendeavortodeservetheirsupport.Soitsuptoustoremember,always,ourcollectiveobligationtothepublicgood.SinceHarvardsfoundingin1636,thepeopleeducatedherehaverespondedpatrioticallytothec

38、allofservice.Withtheexceptionoftheserviceacademies,moreHarvardalumnihavereceivedtheCongressionalMedalofHonorthananyotherschool.Harvardpeoplehavealwaysvigorouslyengagedinthegreatissuesoftheirday,andatthisverymoment,68ofouralumniarerunningforCongress,onbothsidesoftheaisle.Andouralumnithroughouttheworl

39、darealsoworkingtostrengthentheirnations.Weneedtoensurethatfuturegenerationscontinuetoservethegreatergoodinavarietyofways.ItismyhopethateveryHarvardgraduate,ineveryprofession,shouldbeanactive,engaged,enlightenedcitizen.SoIampleasedtoannouncetodaywewillworktowardraisingtheresourcessowecanguaranteeever

40、yundergraduatewhowantsoneapublic-serviceinternshipofsomekind-anopportunitytoseetheworldthankyouwewantourstudentstohaveanopportunitytoseetheworldmoreexpansively,andtodiscovertheirownpowerstorepairthatworld.Ofcourse,wecannotachieveexcellenceifweareonlydrawingtalentfromasmallportionofsociety,soourcolle

41、gesanduniversitiesmustalsostandforopportunity.Inthebroadestsense,weareallindeedcreatedequal:Talentisflatlydistributed.Butsadly,opportunityisnot.Throughoutourhistory,highereducationhasenabledthemostambitiousamongustoriseeconomicallyandsocially.Andeverystepthisnationhastakentoprintmoresuchticketsintot

42、hemiddleclass,andbeyond,haspoweredoureconomicgrowthandleadershipininnovation.Wehavetoensurethathighereducationremainsthesameeconomicstepping-stoneforthosefrommodestbackgroundsthatitwasformygenerationandmyparentsgeneration.Whileacollegeeducationstillhelpstoleveltheplayingfieldforthosewhomanagetogradu

43、ate,thecostofentry,andofstayingthecourseuntilgraduation,hasbecomedauntingformanyfamilies.ThisiswhyHarvardsgroundbreakingFinancialAidInitiative,startedbyLarrySummersandexpandedbyDrewFaust,issoimportant.Wesimplysaytolow-andmiddle-incomefamilieswithearningsbelowacertainlevel,“YoucansendyourchildtoHarva

44、rdandwewillaskyoutopaynothing.”Largelybecauseofthis,268membersofthisyearsfirst-yearclassarethefirstintheirgenerationtoattendcollege.Clearly,however,HarvardcannotkeeptheAmericanDreamalivesingle-handedly.Ournationsmagnificentpubliccollegesanduniversities,wherefouroutoffiveAmericanstudentsareeducated,a

45、rekey.Butstateappropriationsarefundingadiminishingshareofthecostofthateducation,sotuitionandstudentdebtarerising.Thistrendisnotsustainable.Infailingtoadequatelysupportpublichighereducation,weareliterallymortgagingourownfuture.Atatimeinwhichothercountriesareinvestingmoreinsupportofhighereducation,wea

46、sanationcannotaffordtoinvestless.Ashighereducationleaders,wealsoneedtodowhatwecandotobendthecostcurve.Highereducationisoneofthefewindustrieswherecompetitiontendstodrivecostsup,notdown.Itstimetostopthisarmsrace,andtoconsiderthebenefitsofgreatercooperation.Thesecanincludesharedinfrastructureforresearc

47、h,jointgraduatestudentandfacultyhousing,orexchangesthatallowustoeliminatesomeoftheredundanciesinourcurriculaandtodoubledownonourspecificstrengths.IlookforwardtoworkingwithmycolleaguesatBoston-areainstitutionstoexplorehowwecancollectivelydoabetterjobofservingbothourstudentsandsociety.Wealsohavetoexpl

48、oretheopportunitiesofferedbytechnologytoimproveproductivityandaccess.IamproudthatHarvard,inpartnershipwithourcolleaguesatMIT,hasbeenaleaderinopeningupeducationalopportunitiestotalentedstudentsthroughouttheworldthroughedX.Inturn,thesestudentshaveusofferednewinsightsintothescienceoflearning.Ascollegea

49、nduniversitypresidents,wealsoneedtobemuchfrankerinframingthechoicesourinstitutionsmake,soastorevealtheirtrueconsequencesintermsofcost.Traditionally,collegesanduniversitieshavebeengreatatdoingmorewithmore.Butinthefuture,wemayhavetodomorewithless.Atthesametime,itsourresponsibilitytocounteranycurrentmy

50、thsaboutthevalueofhighereducationandtocontinuetellingchildren,ineverycornerofthisnationandtheworld,thesimpletruth:thatiftheywanttogetahead,educationisthevehiclethatwillbringthemthere.CollegehasenabledtheAmericanDreamforsomanyofus-andwemustnurtureandsustainthatdreamforgenerationstocome.Myparentscamet

51、othiscountrywithvirtuallynothing.Myfatherarrivedhereasachild,arefugeeescapingthepogromsofEasternEurope.MymothersurvivedAuschwitzasateenager,livedwithoutbitterness,andalwayswasgratefulthatAmericawassogoodtoher.Thisisacommonstory-thisisAmericasstory.WiththeexceptionofNativeAmericansandthedescendantsof

52、thoseenslavedorbroughthereagainsttheirwill,mostofuscantraceouroriginsbacktopeoplewho,likemyparents,cametotheseshoresseekingfreedomandopportunity,andabetterlifefortheirchildren.Andmanycontinuetomakethisjourneytoday,despiteenormousrisks.Itscertainlyonemeasureofajustsocietyhowwellwetreattheleastpowerfu

53、lamongus.Butbeyondgoodnessbutbeyondgoodness,wemustmakethecaseforcommonsense:thatfailingtowelcometalentedstudentsandscholarsfromaroundtheworldistoundercutAmericasintellectualandeconomicleadership.Inthisglobaleconomy,financialcapitalmovesatthespeedoflight,andnaturalresourcesalsomoveswiftly.Theonlytrul

54、yscarcecapitalishumanandintellectualcapital.Thatiswhatanationmustaggregateandnurture,ifitintendstobeprosperous.Fortunately,manyofthebestandthebrightestfromaroundtheworldseektostudyatAmericasgreatcollegesanduniversities.Inengineering,mathematics,andcomputerscience,overhalfthedoctoratesawardedeachyear

55、aregrantedtoforeignnationals.Manyofthesestudentsreturnhomewiththeirsightsraised,andgoontobuildthrivingcompaniesandinstitutionsofhigherlearning;tofightpoverty,anddisease,andclimatechangethroughouttheworld;andtoleadtheirownnationstowardsgoodnessandgreatness.Butaconsiderablenumberoftheseinternationalst

56、udentswilldoeverythingpossibletostayrighthere.Ratherthanturnthemaway,weshouldembracetheseextraordinarypeople.Overathirdofourfacultyoverathirdofourfacultywerebornsomeplaceelse.OverathirdoftheNobelPrizesawardedtoAmericansinchemistry,medicine,andphysicssince2000havegonetomenandwomenwhowereforeign-born.

57、Over40percentoftheFortune500companieswerefoundedbyimmigrantsortheirchildren.Americahastocontinuewelcomingthosewhoseekfreedomandopportunity,lestweshutthedoortothenextgenerationofgreatentrepreneurs,scholars,publicleaders-and,dareIsay,universitypresidents-foritisimmigrantsthatgetthingsdone,asLin-Manuel

58、Mirandasaidsobrilliantlyin“Hamilton.”Ihopethatallofusinhighereducationremaintruetoouressentialvalues-totruth,excellence,andopportunity.ButIhope,aswell,thatinremainingtruetothem,weadvancethosevaluesintheworldatlarge.Itsnotenoughthatwerepresenttheverybestofsociety,intermsofintellectualachievement,free

59、domtoexpressandexplore,andopennesstoextraordinarypotentialinallwhopossessit.Wemustdefendtheessentialroleofhighereducationinthelifeofournationandthebroaderworld.Andwemustreachoutwardsevenbeyondthat.Wehavearesponsibility-wehavearesponsibility-tousetheimmenseresourcesentrustedtous-ourassets,ideas,andpe

60、ople-toaddressdifficultproblemsandpainfuldivisions.Wehavearesponsibility,aswell,tohelpAmericarememberitsownessentialgoodness:thekindness,decency,andintegrityofourfoundingprinciples,aswellasthekindness,decency,andintegrityofthosepeoplewhohavefoughtthroughoutourhistorytoensurethattheseprinciplesapplye