quote:

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Originally posted by: Bok's Seats
was sent to 3,000 university presidents announcing the grant

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Sent to 3,000 university presidents? I'm sure it was widely disseminated on the USM campus. Anybody get a copy?

quote:

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Originally posted by: Bok's Seats
""Colleges and universities eager to promote academic freedom on their campuses are getting a shot at some help in the form of a new $2-million grant program that the Ford Foundation is scheduled to announce today." Article in today's (4/4/05) Chronicle of Higher Education by Piper Fogg reports that a letter from the Ford Foundation, signed by notable academic scholars (including the much-discussed Derek Bok) was sent to 3,000 university presidents announcing the grant.  In case the letter, which "calls on colleges to protect academic freedom through their policies and by supporting their faculty members and students" did not get circulated, it is available on the Ford Foundation website or by linking through the Chronicle article. Grant proposals are invited to finance new and existing efforts in "fostering a free and open campus community." Good luck."

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Is this the announcement you are talking about?

http://www.fordfound.org/news/view_news_detail.cfm?news_index=151

New Ford Foundation Program Seeks to Foster Constructive Dialogue About Sensitive Issues on College Campuses
National grants initiative “Difficult Dialogues” calls for proposals

The "Difficult Dialogues" links in the announcement  states,

"The initiative will support the development of rigorous academic programs that engage students in constructive dialogue around difficult political, religious, racial and cultural issues. The goal is to help institutions create a campus environment where sensitive subjects can be discussed in a spirit of open scholarly inquiry and intellectual rigor and with respect for different viewpoints."

Here is the link to the Letter;

http://www.fordfound.org/news/more/dialogues/difficult_dialogues_letter.pdf