Many colleges and universities across America are worried about the prospect of militant disruptions of campus life. One where that is not a concern is the new University of Austin, where the students and faculty are interested in education, not protests.

Recently, the university’s provost, Jacob Howland, gave an address to the faculty, and the Martin Center is pleased to present it here.

A key paragraph to savor:

It would be hard to overstate the importance of the work we undertake today. Since October 7, some part of all the major stakeholders in higher education — donors, administrators, faculty, students, and parents; public intellectuals, corporate leaders, legislators, congressmen, and senators — have expressed alarm at the illiberalism that has overtaken American universities. People across North America, Europe, and the Anglophone countries of the Pacific, from university presidents and faculty to foundation directors and leaders in education policy, are looking to UATX as a beacon in darkness. They see us as the leader in higher-education reform, whose foresight, courage, and not-so-dumb luck put us in the right place to rebuild our imploding universities: a solemn and humble calling that is our joyful labor. Ours is an awesome responsibility, not least because everyone associated with this audacious start-up has incurred significant risk — especially our faculty, our students, and their parents. We are and must be bound together by substantial trust in one another and in the institution we are building. Let us never betray this sacred trust!

You’ll want to read the whole thing.