The third in a series of essays exploring the progression from preventing harm to actively making things better. Universities are institutions dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, the questioning of assumptions, and the advancement of society. Universities encourage critical thinking, intellectual independence, transparency, and reasoned debate. Yet universities are not always equally enthusiastic when those same principles are applied to their own governance. Universities

For much of the history of veterinary medicine, our understanding of animal welfare has been dominated by a relatively straightforward objective: prevent suffering. Provide adequate food and water. Protect animals from injury and disease. Ensure comfortable living conditions. Minimize fear and distress. Allow animals to express normal behavior. These principles, embodied in the widely recognized Five Freedoms, have guided animal welfare legislation, veterinary education, live

National Veterinary Technician Week, October 18–24, 2026 Every October, the veterinary profession celebrates National Veterinary Technician Week. We acknowledge the dedication, compassion, technical expertise, and extraordinary contributions of the veterinary technicians who are indispensable to the care of our patients. There are expressions of gratitude, social media tributes, celebratory lunches, and sometimes gifts. All are well deserved. But perhaps this year we should a

From philosophical optimism to animal welfare, the belief that deliberate human action can improve the lives of others. Mellorism is the philosophical belief that the world is not perfect, but that it can be made better through intentional human effort, action, and cooperation. It is a deceptively simple idea with profound implications. Mellorism acknowledges that suffering, injustice, inequality, and imperfection are enduring features of our world - but it rejects the notion

Universities speak often about democratic values. Universities defend freedom of expression, encourage critical inquiry, and teach students to question assumptions and examine evidence. Universities ask governments to respect academic independence and recognize the dangers of concentrating power in too few hands. Those are worthy commitments. However, they invite a question: How faithfully do universities practice these principles within their own institutions? At a time when

A segment broadcast on CBS News Sunday Morning prompted me to reflect on why we hold on to grievances, what they cost us, and the difference between forgiveness and simply letting go. Correspondent Susan Spencer's report Letting Go: Why Holding Onto Grudges Can Be Damaging, explored why people maintain grievances for years and how forgiveness can help them move forward. There was a wonderfully provocative description of a grudge: Holding a grudge is like setting yourself on f

An ancient question for a modern world. As I grow older, I find myself spending more time reflecting on the past and, perhaps surprisingly, thinking about the future. Not so much my own future, but the future of the people, institutions, professions, and natural world that have been important to me throughout my life. For much of my professional career, I was preoccupied with the immediate demands of veterinary medicine, teaching, research, and the responsibilities that accom

When doing the right thing requires more than being nice. Kindness seems such a simple virtue. We teach it to children, expect it from friends, admire it in strangers, and celebrate it in our professions. We encourage people to be kind, praise acts of kindness, and remind ourselves that a little kindness can make a considerable difference. Who could possibly disagree? Yet kindness becomes considerably more complicated when it demands something of us. Is it kind to remain sile

Higher Education - Shared Governance - Faculty Rights Consider the erosion of faculty influence, the rise of corporate management, and the growing appeal of unionization in American higher education. For generations, American universities have embraced a principle that distinguishes them from most other large institutions: Shared governance. The idea is straightforward. Universities exist to advance knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, and those responsib

Do we really need a scientific paper to remind veterinarians to be kind? A recent article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) caught my attention. Published on October 9, 2026, the paper, entitled Kindness in veterinary practice: clinical behaviors that support safer care, was authored by Rustin M. Moore and four colleagues. It is a ten-page narrative review, supported by 51 references, three tables, and a conceptual diagram. Its central mess

Universities love awards and rankings. They announce them in press releases, celebrate them on websites, and share the good news with alumni, donors, faculty, students, and the public. Being recognized as the best, the most innovative, or the most distinguished institution in a particular field is a powerful marketing tool. But: Who decides what constitutes excellence, and how do they know when they have found it? More importantly: What is the difference between an award for

The true measure of university leadership is not simply what administrators accomplish. The true measure of university leadership is how they accomplish it. However, the how is seldom included in the assessment of an administrator’s record during the reappointment process. Universities are unusual institutions. Universities are places where knowledge is created, assumptions are challenged, evidence is examined, and truth is pursued. The legitimacy of a university rests not si

When philanthropy becomes a transaction There is an important distinction between two seemingly similar phrases: "in recognition of" and "as a condition of." “In recognition of” expresses gratitude. “As a condition of” establishes an obligation. In philanthropy, particularly when public universities are involved, the difference is more than a matter of semantics. It goes to the heart of what it means to give, what it means to receive, and what a public institution may be expe

Fontfroide Abbey. During our journey along the Canal du Midi, we visited Fontfroide Abbey, situated in a secluded valley among the wooded hills southwest of Narbonne. Having visited several magnificent medieval churches during our travels through southern France, I thought I had developed a reasonable appreciation of medieval religious architecture. Fontfroide was different. Unlike the enormous cathedrals built to impress congregations and demonstrate ecclesiastical power, Fo

The fine line between protecting information and avoiding accountability. Confidentiality and secrecy are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Both involve withholding information, yet there is an important distinction between them. Confidentiality serves a legitimate purpose. Secrecy can serve to conceal information from those who have a legitimate interest in knowing it. The distinction becomes particularly important in institutions that claim to emb

There is a German word for a particular kind of freedom that the English language has never quite managed to capture. That word is Sturmfrei. Imagine that you are a teenager. Your parents have announced that they are going away for the weekend. The house will be yours. No supervision. No questions about where you are going, what you are doing, or when you intend to go to bed. You can turn up the music, invite your friends over, eat pizza for breakfast, and leave the dishes in

An Ancient Survivor. The Olive Tree at L’Oulibo. This magnificent, centuries-old olive tree, transplanted to the grounds of the L’Oulibo cooperative in Bize-Minervois, France, is a living testament to the extraordinary longevity and resilience of Olea europaea. Its deeply furrowed, twisted trunk and spreading roots tell a story of generations of growth, while its flourishing canopy demonstrates the remarkable ability of olive trees to survive and regenerate. An ancient tree,

An examination of transparent communication, respectful collaboration, and efficiency in the decision to rename the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine The University of California, Davis, proudly identifies shared governance as one of the foundations of its academic excellence. On its official website, the Davis Division of the Academic Senate explains that faculty, administrators and the Regents work together to fulfill the university's missions of teaching, research and

There are museums devoted to art, archaeology, history and famous people. And then, in Pézenas, there is a museum devoted to doors. That may sound rather specialized. But after wandering the narrow streets of this remarkable old town, a museum of doors begins to make perfect sense. In Pézenas, doors are not simply things through which one passes. They are part of the architecture, part of the history and, in many cases, works of art. And behind this unusual museum is an equal

During our recent journey through southern France, we visited Pézenas, a charming medieval town in the Languedoc region. Famous for its association with the playwright Molière, Pézenas is a delightful collection of narrow cobblestone streets, elegant Renaissance mansions, artisan workshops and inviting little squares. But one of my most memorable encounters in Pézenas had nothing to do with Molière. It involved a Black Madonna, an extraordinary embroidered gown, and a centuri