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Friday, June 18, 2010

TFP editorial on backstage shenanigans by UT upper admin - updated

Note: The article below was updated and expanded by Mr. Miller on June 25. The original link no longer works, so I have updated the link from my original post. -- horns n' fins

From http://www.toledofreepress.com/2010/06/25/live-and-learn/

UPDATE: Live and learn
Written by Michael Miller, Editor in Chief

Dear University of Toledo Alumni Association:

Thank you for the recent notice that my alumni association membership is about to expire. While I greatly appreciate your services, I am not going to contribute to the association this year. I wanted to write to you and explain my reasons. ....

... continue reading the updated article and TFP reader comments

8 comments:

I've had it said...

Somehow, coordinated action is required to disabuse those unrepentent losers Jacobs and Burns of the notion that this is "their" campus.

It.

Is.

Not.

This campus belongs to the students and faculty. And we need to assert the right to invite whomever we wish to our campus. Restricting access to campus for political reasons cuts away at THE VERY SOUL of what we do here.

What are we going to do about it?

Anonymous said...

Did anyone ever, and I mean EVER, think about protesting, picketing, or petitioning? If these administrators think they can work without faculty, staff, and students, then why can't we give them a taste of what it would be like without us? I am positive, there would be a huge turnout. I know it goes against the passion for teaching, but if we're going to get rid of these leeches, we need to become collective and work together toward this goal.

Anonymous said...

This event perfectly illustrates the problem we have with the current arrangement we now have in place with the UT leadership, businesses and the community.

Who benefits from the cancellation of the Ritter event? It is the Blade who gets a chance to hinder their competitor. And in return for showing the administration in a flattering light, they get big contracts for advertising and special marketing privileges to students. One hand washes the other.

Who is hurt? The larger community, including the Freepress Star which could have used the publicity. Also, Ritter Planetarium could have used this as an opportunity to advertise and be "relevant" to the community. Then there are the taxpayers and students who support this cozy relation between the Blade and UT leaders because they are not receiving the unbiased and objective information about the university.

It is clear that the event would have been good for the larger community and UT since it could have showcased one of its successful alumni and at the same time make known an alternative to the Blade. But the whole thing was halted because one person thought it was "too risky."

This shows what happens when so much power is concentrated in the hands of a few. They might start out with good intentions for the larger good but ultimately end up self-serving.

a postdoc said...

Someone needs to ask Jacobs, "Under what circumstances do you claim the right to veto someone's appearance on campus?"

Faculty invite collaborators and other associates on campus all the time, and what Prof. Morrison did was not materially different from any of these countless scenarios. Should I worry about Jacobs vetoing my department's colloquium speakers?

Anonymous said...

We should veto Lloyd, Larry, et al.

Anonymous said...

power mongers all what has UT come to? The BOT needs to wake up!

Unknown said...

You A&S College Forum Eds. are to be commended for maintaining this blog as a singular venue for contrarian views that might not otherwise find a vehicle for free and open expression in the putatively free and open academy in our putatively free and open democracy.

Thanks.

I've had it said...

At his dog-and-pony show, Jacobs said,

"As I see it, a university venue should be used very carefully..."

Why? As I see it, a university venue should be used to promote the free reign of ideas, in a distinctly uncareful way.