Summary Essay

In Simon Young’s essay “Universities, Governments and Industry: Can the Essential Nature of Universities Survive the Drive to Commercialize?” Young implies many universities increase their focus on commercializing rather than focusing to increase a higher branch of learning for university students. Throughout the essay Young voices his concern for this issue through the use of statistics, concrete facts, research and by acknowledging the issue Young is able to inform his readers about the increase rate of commercialization from universities which he believes is a universities purpose. Young notes 40 years of his life were spent at Universities and this allows the gain of credibility. Young’s audience are members of psychiatry and neuroscience members, perhaps researchers and or professors. Throughout the essay Young compares universities in the past to universities present. He notes similarities and differences that he has noticed and uses this to inform his readers about significant change. Comparisons made from past and present univeristies allow Young to justify his belief that universities are in fact changing. “However, in spite of marked differences, there are similarities between what happened then and what is happening today,...then the dogma of religion, now the dogma of business-threatening to change the activities of the community of teachers and scholars” (217). He believes that universities in the past were focused on student interests and suggests that present universities are interested with profit that can be made through commercialization. Young quotes noted public figures ie: President Bush. By stating Bush’s quote in his essay, Young is able to support his belief that the government is funding research programs for universities through commercialization. Young summarizes Bush’s quote and keeps a neutral opinion. This allows the reader to think for themselves about this issue. By writing Bush’s opinion Young is able to suggest that the