Rules of the Game

The University of Louisville is turning a page under the leadership of our exciting new President, Dr. Neeli Bendapudi. One sign of that change happened Tuesday night, June 19, in an effort in which I was privileged to be involved.

This exciting new initiative at the University of Louisville, made possible through the generosity of university supporters Matthew Barzun and David Jones, Jr., is called “Rules of the Game.” Matthew and David both deeply believe, as do I, that a great city and a great university need one another. To that end, we started this novel discussion series. Rules of the Game seeks to feature one of the university’s “leading lights or rising stars” to consider, from their individual disciplinary perspectives, the rules we live by, the rules we break, the rules we ignore, and why.

Matthew Barzun

Nat Irvin, II, College of Business, offers a personal testimony.

David Jones, Jr. (left) and Justin Walker (right)

Justin Walker delivers opening remarks

Tuesday night was the first iteration of this series, which took place in the Cinema Lobby of the Speed Art Museum. The guests included a former Congressman, a federal judge, the director of a major arts institution in the city and a chief of the mayor’s staff – as well as numerous other people from a wide range of careers and walks of life. It was a diverse and fascinating group. What everyone brought to the table was a curiosity and desire to explore the evening’s topic,“Rules for the Rulers: the President vs. the FBI.” The “rising star” to present was the School of Law’s own Assistant Professor Justin Walker.  Justin opened with a brilliant 10-minute presentation on the rules the “rulers” live by and the tensions their prerogatives create in our system of government; the group then had a robust hour and a half of discussion.

In short, the event showcased the intellectual vitality and energy we have at this university. I look forward to helping organize and host many such events in the future – and am again deeply grateful for the generous support and passionate commitment to this university of Matthew Barzun and David Jones, Jr.

Rev. Dr. Tim Mitchell, Rector of the Church of the Advent, (blue shirt) enters the conversation.

Ben Chandler, former Congressman and Executive Director of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, offers an opinion.

Bridget Bush, Landrum & Shouse and former Courier-Journal columnist, (back left) makes a comment.