A Message From the Dean

Spring 2012

When I was growing up, there was no question but that Brooklyn was the center of my universe. As far as I was concerned, it was all there, and when I needed a shot of the wider world, there was the option of a relatively quick subway ride to the City, most often Greenwich Village. The burgeoning folk music scene, the crackling electricity of creative people with new ideas about art, music, cinema, theatre, politics and lifestyles- this was without a doubt the epicenter of a new culture being born.

Since that time, I've often thought about what makes a certain locale a magnet for creativity, such that a critical mass of vibrant people will go there. Vienna, Paris, and Silicon Valley are additional examples. Richard Florida in his recent book, The Rise of the Creative Class (2002), argues that planners must focus on what will draw creative people to their cities. But now with the rise of the internet, is physical proximity a necessary pre-condition for creativity?

In my freshman seminar this spring I'll be exploring the many meanings of creativity and how it can be fostered. Yes, it's not surprising that the university has always served as an incubator for innovation and invention. We should all be thinking about unmet challenges and the need for change.

With best wishes for a successful term.

Paul Jay Edelson, Ph.D., J.D.
Dean

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