The question, “What are universities for?” elicited a number of responses in a recent article compiled by Zocalo Public Square and published by TIME. Harry Boyte, Augsburg’s Sabo Senior Fellow, argued that colleges and universities should renew their democratic purpose, thereby highlighting the important role these institutions play as public spaces for diverse interests and views to find common ground in a sharply divided society.

Visit the TIME website to learn more about Boyte’s perspective and those put forth by other leading scholars.