Heard on Campus

“I studied philosophy and quite enjoyed it. ... I felt free to do what I wanted and not think of it as a vocational school, and indeed I can’t say it prepared me in any way for the career that came along.” — Ethan Coen ’79, who spoke about his latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis, in a conversation with creative writing professor Paul Muldoon Feb. 6 in the James Stewart Theater.

Matt Rourke/AP/Corbis

“I’ve never doubted the importance of our public institutions or the need for constant vigilance by our public leaders, by regulation institutions, and by our citizens generally. Today you can sense that those central propositions are questioned.” — Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker ’49, who told a Robertson Hall audience Feb. 7 that healthy skepticism of government has turned corrosive.

Federal Trade Commission

“I think consumers should know how they’re being categorized, even if it’s for marketing purposes. ... Consumers should have the right to suppress the information.” — Julie Brill ’81, a member of the Federal Trade Commission, who discussed “Big Data and Consumer Privacy” Feb. 20 in Robertson Hall.