President Gene Nichol of William and Mary was asked to step down from the position. Following is his letter to the community. It speaks for itself. What a shame. Dear Members of the William & Mary Community: I was informed by the Rector on Sunday, after our Charter Day celebrations, that my contract will not be renewed in July. Appropriately, serving the College in the wake of such a decision is beyond my imagining. Accordingly, I have advised the Rector,…
I’m starting a non-academic job on Monday, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Except for the schedule, I think it will be better than an academic job in almost every way. This is a bad time for higher education, especially in the humanities. I have several friends who are trying to survive at the edges and the beginnings, and after almost four years of trying to find an appropriate position, I have given up. I have adjuncted at a couple…
When I was an undergraduate, I thought it would be a good idea to get high school teaching certification as a backup. I had an amazing teacher – I hated him at the time – who asked everyone in the room why they wanted to teach. Most of the undergrads said things like “I want to help people.” Sheesh. When he got to me, I said that I was an intellectual, and that curiosity, analysis and debate were essential for…
Keith Olbermann Countdown Special Comment on FISA: “President Bush Is A Liar And A Fascist” The lot of you, are the symbolic descendants of the despotic middle managers of some banana republic, to whom “Freedom†is an ironic brand name, a word you reach for, when you want to get away with its opposite. Thus, Mr. Bush, your panoramic invasion of privacy is dressed up as “protecting America.â€Thus, Mr. Bush, your panoramic invasion of privacy is dressed up as “protecting…
As cynical as I have become about politics, this one surprises even me. I never would have thought that John McCain would vote this way on torture. Disgusting. Arianna Huffington: John McCain Sells His Soul to the Right: Backs Off on Torture Ban – Politics on The Huffington Post Has there ever been a more repugnant example of political pandering than John McCain’s decision to vote against a bill banning waterboarding, putting hoods on prisoners, forcing them to perform sex…
Take Action: Tell Congress: Reject Bush’s Cuts to Public Broadcasting Once again, President Bush is trying to cripple the public broadcasting system by slashing its funding. I just signed a petition to Congress to reject these proposed cuts, and I hope you will too. Mr. Rogers would be proud of you. In 1969, Richard Nixon attempted to cut PBS funding by 50%. A senate hearing chaired by “hatchetman” Senator John Pastori couldn’t push it through as long as there was…