Stearns Award Remarks

May 4, 2011

Summary by Jane Thompson: This award is the highest the University of Colorado offers, and is named for Robert L. Stearns, who served as Dean of the law school in the 1930's. David Getches received this award in May 2011, shortly before his retirement. David starts by naming his family members and says to them: "I borrowed your time all these years; consider it a donation to CU." He talks about the challenges higher education faces -- state funding cuts, charges of political indoctrination by professors, etc. -- but he goes on to defend higher education's cherished academic freedom, innovation and efficiency, and its role in ensuring the state's vitality.

Remarks upon receiving the Robert L. Stearns Award, presented by the Alumni Association at the University of Colorado at Boulder

http://hdl.handle.net/10974/getches:154