December 19, 2003

The Symbolic Value of a Literary Magazine

To the Editor:

Having a university provost who has no belief in his or her institution's larger role in the world community of letters makes about as much sense as having the manager of a hardware store running the financial affairs of such a place (Hot Type, October 31).

Part of the mission of any liberal-arts university is to serve as a model of what educated people should value in life -- truth comes to mind, for instance, and justice -- none of which carries a