(4 of 4)
By week's end Cornell was in a state of euphoric exhaustion. Despite their misgivings, most professors seemed satisfied that Cornell had averted bloodshed. Many students envisioned a new era of racial good feeling. Robert W. Purcell, chairman of the board of trustees, said the "silent center" had spoken, and he insisted that "Cornell has come through without danger and strengthened." Yet disturbing questions remain: If radical student power dominates a university, what happens to professors who disagree with it? More broadly, if a university is threatened with disorder, how far can it compromise before it loses all integrity? Is Cornell a symbol of racial progress or a disaster for American universities?