"A University without students is like an ointment without a fly." - Ed Nather, professor of astronomy at UT Austin

The academic community was abuzz with the recent statement made by Ed Nather, a professor of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, who quipped that "A University without students is like an ointment without a fly." This seemingly cryptic remark, which has been doing the rounds on social media, has sparked a lively debate about the role of students in the functioning of a university.

At first glance, the statement appears to be a clever play on words, with Nather drawing an analogy between a university and a traditional medicinal ointment that was used to attract flies, which were then trapped and killed. However, upon closer inspection, his remark reveals a deeper truth about the symbiotic relationship between students and universities.

In an interview, Nather explained that his statement was meant to highlight the essential role that students play in the life of a university. "Without students, a university is just a collection of buildings and faculty members," he said. "It's like a stage without actors, or a canvas without paint. The energy, the vibrancy, and the purpose of a university all stem from the presence of students."

Nather's comments come at a time when many universities are grappling with declining enrollment numbers, changing demographics, and increasing financial pressures. Some institutions are being forced to re-examine their business models and adapt to a new reality, one in which the traditional notion of a university as a place where students gather to learn from professors is being turned on its head.

However, Nather's statement serves as a timely reminder that students are not just customers or clients, but rather an integral part of the academic ecosystem. They bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the table, and their interactions with faculty members and peers help shape the intellectual and social landscape of a university.

Moreover, Nather's analogy also underscores the importance of the student-faculty interaction in the learning process. Just as the ointment is used to attract flies, universities attract students with the promise of knowledge, expertise, and mentorship from experienced faculty members. The fly, in turn, serves as a kind of testing ground for the ointment, allowing the manufacturer to gauge its effectiveness.

Similarly, students serve as a kind of testing ground for faculty members, allowing them to refine their teaching methods, test their research hypotheses, and engage in meaningful dialogue with the next generation of thinkers and leaders. This symbiotic relationship is what gives a university its vitality, its sense of purpose, and its raison d'être.

As the higher education landscape continues to evolve, Nather's statement serves as a reminder of the enduring importance of students in the life of a university. While online courses, MOOCs, and other digital innovations may be changing the way we think about learning, they cannot replace the human interaction, the social bonding, and the collective energy that occurs when students and faculty members come together in a shared academic community.

In the end, Nather's quip is more than just a clever phrase – it's a call to action, a reminder that universities must prioritize the needs and experiences of their students, and that the presence of students is what makes a university truly come alive. As the academic year gets underway, universities would do well to heed Nather's words, and to recognize that, without students, even the most esteemed institution of higher learning is nothing more than an empty shell.