Intellectual Conformity 1, Intellectual Diversity 0

Harvard Professor Ruth Wisse explains in today's WSJ how intellectual diversity on college campuses has been replaced by intellectual conformism, aka political correctness: 

"The increased political conformism at universities may be traced in part to the redefinition of diversity that accompanied the introduction of group preferences, aka "affirmative action." Schools instituting this policy never acknowledged that it conflicted with competing commitments to equal consideration "irrespective of race, religion, or gender," or that at least half the country questioned its wisdom."

"In part the policy has become a joke, with claimants to 1/32nd Cherokee heritage gaining preferential treatment as minority hires. What is not a joke is that the meaning of "diversity" has shifted from the intellectual to the racial-ethnic sphere, foreclosing discussion of certain subjects like affirmative action, gender differences and everything considered politically incorrect."

"Thus, the current Guide to the First Year at Harvard alerts incoming students to orientation programs in diversity designed to build connections within and across "nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, physical ability, and religion." Characteristically and tellingly absent from the list is political or intellectual diversity."

Update: Excellent comment by J. Storrs Hall, "I have a dream: that a day will come when academics value diversity in the content of our minds, and not the color of our skin...", which was featured here at Maggie's Farm.