To kick off the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education's Education Week, Alan Kors described the current generational student body as both "victims of generational swindle of epic proportions" and the "best generation that has ever been on a college campus."

Kors delivered the keynote address, entitled "The Generational Swindle: Students and Liberty," last night in Huntsman Hall. In his speech, Kors offered a critique of higher education's emphasis on political correctness and diversity based on immutable externalities.

Kors offered an alternative definition of diversity when he stated, "Each of us is a very complex minority of one."

He called upon students to work to change how society defines diversity in education as well as the role of university administration in enforcing codes of political correctness and tolerance.

Kors described higher education's obsession with "group externalities," including being black, female and/or gay. He also noted how universities over-emphasize the victimization of these three groups while simultaneously not allowing for political or ideological diversity.

In reference to mandatory diversity and sensitivity training on college campuses, Kors argued that such programs are "a coerced appreciation of difference."

Kors also took issue with university speech codes, which attempt to regulate potentially offensive speech. He called these rules a "ferocious assault on free speech" and reminded students that "liberty entails a right to privacy."

He also stated that "intellectual diversity is the most exciting diversity on any campus."

College junior Alex Berger, the current chair of the SCUE, wrote in an e-mail, "SCUE made the decision to select Dr. Kors for our keynote because of his incredible efforts in the area of college educational reform."

Berger also wrote that SCUE applauds Kors' efforts to protect free speech.

Wharton freshman Victor Ngai, said, "I came to this event to hear professor Kors because he is very well known at Penn and I was interested to hear him speak about intellectual freedom."

"SCUE was extremely lucky to have such an impressive scholar and professor speak ," Berger wrote, adding that she hopes "his sentiments made an impact on the students that attended."