The autumn conference of the Vermont Council on the Humanities focused on discussions about Allan Bloom's book, "The Closing of the American Mind," and his call for Americans to return to fundamental questions of the nature of man and society. The Council also runs book discussion groups in local libraries. (MLW)

The text of a report released by the American Council of Learned Societies is presented, covering: the contemporary view of the humanities, specialization, ideology and objectivity, method and substance, core curriculum, enrollment, teaching, responsibility, interdisciplinary centers, and recommendations. (MLW)

The president of Stanford University discusses his views on problems facing research universities, including research secrecy, ethics, and economics of proprietary knowledge generated in the university, faculty conflict of interest, place of humanities in a society driven by technology, and decline of government support for academic research.…