While there might be some argument that not every university can be everything to everyone, the speed with which Jacobs has attempted this radical change, and the way in which he has attempted it – without faculty input, with student input, without careful thought, planning, or research – has had a terrible impact on faculty and student morale, especially for those of us in the fields he does not value. Even tenured faculty are worried about their job stability. And if faculty don’t lose their jobs, they may nevertheless lose control over curriculum, at which point one wonders what that job stability will be worth.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
More attention abroad...
While a Google Alert for Lloyd Jacobs turns up lots of interesting tidbits about the touring production of "Phantom of the Opera," it also turns up diamonds. To wit:
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6 comments:
It seems to me that that was supposed to say "with*out* student input," given the parallel structure of the phrases that surround it, all starting with "without."
There also now this post.
And while this one is older, it's still germane. I noticed that it was featured as part of the Carnival of Ohio Politics. Perhaps one of the bloggers here should submit an entry or two?
Ooh, ooh, and now there's this, too! The links just keep coming in!
The attention is good, though we need to be clear about why. I would hope to avoid a situation in which our criticism becomes destructive of the institution. Piling on will not help--and I think there's an element of that in the blogosphere. Some of the better ideas, even those in the president's speech (it has a few good ones, after all), are getting subjected to undeserved ridicule. The problem is that no good ideas--or even great ideas--will succeed without faculty participation in recognition of the importance of faculty governance. This is not a factory, we must repeat, and we are not "workers." This is a university, and faculty work is supported by the university. Or should be. Anyway, I would hope we can keep the argument fair, even as one side is so clearly in the wrong.
I disagree. When you create a blog petition that invites participants to articulate their "views" you expect to see expressions representing deep-seated angers and frustrations. A free and healthy marketplace of ideas includes brahmins as well as brawlers. The institution we are trying to save here -- our traditional American public univerity -- is the last bastion of real free speech space left in this country. So I say "pile on": Speak out strongly and without inhibition against these crass, insensitive, corporate ideologues who would deliberately and dictatorially attempt to cripple and wreck this fine instution with their draconian mismanagement plans. "Pile on!" -- and the more the merrier! Crush these clowns!
Lafcadio is partly right--there is more at stake than just UT, and "piling on" may help give a voice to the non-corporate opinion that is simply not recognized or listened to in our university's environment. To my knowledge, the petition is entirely separate from this blog and even from A&S council. It is by and for the concerned public as well as the students and faculty. That said, we should remember that the "year one of liberty" risks lasting no more than a second if every idea, initiative, and value associated with this administration is viewed with suspicion.
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