^ Not a bad idea, @Waiting2exhale - Diermeier’s short statement was pretty powerful. He was speaking within the context of his belief that universities do more than just provide a high priced or “very valuable” credential. This is one of the things they do, but not all that they do. He believes that what goes on in the classroom matters at UChicago and that the educational experience is “transformative.” Students leave as different people from who they were coming in. And because it’s transformative, the College needs to go through a very careful selection process to determine who can most benefit - or flourish. Ability to pay is not an appropriate criterion for selection because the education isn’t a high-priced commodity that is best auctioned off to the highest bidders in order to be put to the “highest and best use.” Rather, it’s a development of the individual that combines the attributes he/she brings in with the various resources provided (described as norms, practices, structures and faculty).
It was a great discussion, and this was only a snippet of what was covered.