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Note To Artists on College Campuses: Don't Be Controversial or Insensitive, Especially Unintentionally
From the
campus of Miami University of Ohio comes the latest instance of
administrative shutown of expression and dialogue in the very
place that is supposed to facilitate the same. The problem this
time? An art project that some say called to mind the Jena 6 in
Louisiana.
Miami University's Associated Student Government (ASG) passed a resolution in an emergency session Thursday night to respond to an artistic display found on Western Campus Tuesday that included a tire swing and seven noose-like ropes.
According to the three student artists involved, the piece, titled "Growing Up," was a class project, pre-approved by their professor and another member of the art department staff and was intended to signify the death of childhood-death being signified by the noose-like ropes and childhood signified by the tire swing.
A representative for the artists attended the emergency session to explain the thought process behind the display.
"It was never intended to be a racial statement," said the representative. "It was a class project for an Intro to Art class. The artists even changed the knots to scaffolding knots to signify death in its purest form without creating an actual noose."
He added that the seven noose-like ropes were meant to signify seven decades or 70 years, the lifespan of an average man. They were hung in a way that they could only clearly be seen if sitting on the tire swing.
The display was exhibited in a tree on Patterson Avenue across from the Art Building from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, until a student called the police at 5:13 p.m. alerting them to the display....
"This was good for us," said Jens Sutmöller, student body president. "In the end I think we accomplished three things. The first was student senate and leaders now have a better understanding of the situation. Then we realized there was an opportunity and responsibility to continue discussing the concepts as a campus and community. And third we are presenting as an organization that racism and bigotry do exist on campuses and we need to improve upon that climate."...
Now the students involved are waiting while President Hodge and other university officials decide just what measures will be taken to penalize them.
"Nothing conclusive has been decided as of yet," Mosley-Howard said. "We are conducting an investigation separate from the Miami Police Department which is common in these situations. In any situation that involves both the police and the university, there could be two separate penalties."...
President Hodge said Wednesday that he feels that careful consideration should have been taken when creating a project like this.
"Given all that's happened, especially with the events in Jena, this was highly inappropriate and this is where I hold them accountable," he said. "These are symbols that are known to project hatred and they should've known better."
James Lentini, dean of the School of Fine Arts, said he is looking into the approval process behind the art project.
"It's important for us to have good censors or radars for what is appropriate and where it is placed," he said....
Assistant Director of Educational Placement Gerald Yearwood agreed, saying free expression can be offensive without context.
"I didn't think that it was racially motivated, but given the magnitude that has taken place in this country relative to the hangman's noose, you would think that whoever put it together would have some information and back off," he said. "Certain things touch a nerve. Obviously, there was an impact and there are going to
be reactions."...The students issued a formal statement to the Police Department and President Hodge apologizing for any offense caused.
"We know that many are offended and we want everyone to know we're sorry for any offense," one student said. "It was never intended to be that way. It was never our goal to be insensitive. We send our sincerest apologies and we hope that the community forgives us."...
"We are a family and we need to handle this as a family," said Mathew Boaz, director of the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity. "We cannot let external rifts hinder us. We need to resolve this and move forward together. We have a great leader here and we need to give him a chance to collect the information he needs to move us forward."
I didn't see the display and the picture doesn't give a particularly good sense of it, but I find it really screwed up that the first order of business is to take down something and force the artists to apologize the way they did.
This especially doesn't make sense because even if the display was intended to call to mind Jena, wouldn't most people immediately assume it was a comment on that, not an endorsement?
If colleges and universities really supported free and open debate, wouldn't they use these sorts of things as "teachable moments" where all sorts of viewpoints about art and its role in society would be debated? Rather than being shut down with extreme prejudice?
And I am the only one who thinks the "great leader" talk at the end of the block quote above sounds like it's been translated from North Korean?
Back in 2000, Alan Kors looked at the groupthink pushed during college orientations.
Dave Woycechowsky|11.7.07 @ 10:44AM|#
"teachable moments"
college professors can be some of the hardest people in the world
to teach. Believe me on this, I know from whence I speak.
Episiarch|11.7.07 @ 10:46AM|#
Now the students involved are waiting while President Hodge
and other university officials decide just what measures will be
taken to penalize them.
I was going "bullshit campus PC grumble grumble" until I saw this.
WTF?!? Penalize them, when it seems pretty clear that it had
nothing to do with Jena, race, or anything but the death
of childhood?
Honestly, I hope campuses become their own little gulags (seeing as
I'll never go near one again anyway) and eventually blow apart in
some kind of student rebellion.
|11.7.07 @ 10:47AM|#
"I didn't think that it was racially motivated, but given
the magnitude that has taken place in this country...
Given the magnitude that has taken place? WTF?
|11.7.07 @ 10:48AM|#
If colleges and universities really supported free and open
debate...
Now that's just a silly thing to say. Where did you ever get that
idea?
|11.7.07 @ 10:53AM|#
School to artists: "Don't create any art that might challenge or
offend people. Paint a landscape or flower arrangement
instead."
Message: Going to college to become an artist is a really dumb and
expensive decision.
Indoctrinate U|11.7.07 @ 10:53AM|#
Good thing there's a great new film about this kind of
oppression: http://www.indoctrinate-u.com
Spread the word! Despite fantastic advance reviews, it looks like
major theatre chains are afraid of screening it. The production
company will screen it at any city in which 500 people sign up on
their website. Do you part, and maybe we can counter-act this
particular liberal brand of academic bigotry.
R C Dean|11.7.07 @ 10:56AM|#
I'm not sure how art consisting of crucifixes dunked in urine and pictures of the Madonna smeared with shit is so important that it requires state support, but an installation featuring nooses requires state sanction.
Teachable moment for lurking g|11.7.07 @ 11:00AM|#
"Whence" = "from where"
"From Whence" = "from from where"
|11.7.07 @ 11:08AM|#
...the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity.
Terrifying.
But it's good to know the university is fighting for the
inalienable right of people everywhere to never be offended by
something they don't bother trying to understand.
Jonathan Blanks|11.7.07 @ 11:09AM|#
"It's important for us to have good censors or radars for
what is appropriate and where it is placed"
Certainly censors ARE the best guarantors of free speech.
LarryA|11.7.07 @ 11:12AM|#
college professors can be some of the hardest people in the
world to teach. Believe me on this, I know from whence I
speak.
Makes sense. Why should a university have to put up with people who
still have something to learn? :-P
"It's important for us to have good censors or radars for what
is appropriate and where it is placed," he said.
So:
1. White folks can never understand the Black experience because
they weren't raised Black.
2. White folks must always be held accountable whenever they do
something that offends a Black person because they should
understand what is offensive.
|11.7.07 @ 11:15AM|#
In my own state, too. Great
I mean, they got the police involved? I guess one of their duties
now is to step in to help take down "offensive" works of art.
Orwell must be spinning in his grave. Well, probably just spinning
even faster, considering all the other crap going on in public
universities.
Bingo|11.7.07 @ 11:16AM|#
The posting above this one is about how controversial and offensive a blackface halloween costume is. I'm confused.
|11.7.07 @ 11:16AM|#
This is and should be prosecuted as the hate crime that it is. I'm all for free speach, but no one has the right to offend anyone.
|11.7.07 @ 11:18AM|#
college professors can be some of the hardest people in the
world to teach. Believe me on this, I know from whence I
speak.
A single physics professors rightfully ignoring advice from an
internet whack-job doesn't necessary mean anything in the larger
scheme of things, Dave.
|11.7.07 @ 11:24AM|#
Message Fact: Going to college to
become an artist is a really dumb and expensive decision.
There, fixed...
|11.7.07 @ 11:26AM|#
Bingo,
I found audio of
the music that must be constantly playing in your head.
|11.7.07 @ 11:27AM|#
At the University of Illinois the administration checks up on
Facebook looking for pictures of students in offensive costumes at
off-campus parties. So far they've gotten a team of Jamaican
bobsledders, a Nazi, some rednecks, and some sluts.
I'd like to think that these students will be safe, but seeing how
the same administration got the editors of the school newspaper
fired for posting cartoons of Muhammad, I'm not too optimistic. It
will at least be an opportunity to reprogram the students.
|11.7.07 @ 11:28AM|#
Project Mayhem teaches us that we are all equal in death. You are not your wallet. You are not your khakis. You are not your skin color. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the all-singing, all-dancing shit of the world.
|11.7.07 @ 11:29AM|#
By the way, of course the people in authority are going to overreact. It's either that or risk a week-long visit from Reverand Al and his merry bunch.
ed|11.7.07 @ 11:32AM|#
The posting above this one is about how controversial and
offensive a blackface halloween costume is. I'm
confused.
Evidently if it's art and it's offensive, it's A-OK, but if it's a
costume party it's not A-OK. Especially when the party is loosely
affiliated with the Bush administration. Got it, Bingo?
|11.7.07 @ 11:33AM|#
@Thomas
First off, it's become clear from this article (and the article it
links) that this work was NOT racially motivated. The context was
the life-span and childhood. It's just that some others saw the
context differently. I fail to see how that could be considered a
hate crime, even considering how broad hate crime laws may
be.
First, "no one has the right to offend anyone?" So if I put up
carictures of Democratic presidential candidates and some liberals
took offense, could I get arrested? If there were a group of
atheists preaching on how bad Christianity/Judaism/Islam is, and
some people devout in that faith objected, could the atheists be
arrested?
If you make any speech that causes offense a crime, then tell me,
what speech reamins "free?"
|11.7.07 @ 11:35AM|#
As someone who earns his living as a college professor, I find
this sort of censorship (really, any censorship) quite
frightening.
Many faculty members (and Americans in general) hold a wide range
of political and social beliefs that the standard
'liberal-conservative' spectrum is wholly incapable of accurately
expressing. Some are narrow-minded ideologues, many (most) are
not.
That being said, there is certainly a separate administrative
culture at many universities that generate offices of 'Equity and
Equal Opportunity' that are often not particularly equitable or
useful. They are, however, typically guided by dogmatic notions of
'equity' that are short-sighted, ill-informed, and poorly
executed.
Either way, most faculty members are decent people who take their
job as educators, not indoctrinators, seriously, and respect the
intellectual diversity that actually exists among the student
populations.
Jonathan Blanks|11.7.07 @ 11:41AM|#
THOMAS!!!
This is and should be prosecuted as the hate crime that it is.
I'm all for free speach, but no one has the right to offend
anyone.
No one has the right NOT to be offended. It runs completely counter
to the idea of free speech. How in the world can you reconcile "not
being offended" and the protection of speech? The idea that speech
requires protection is granting that someone is going to be
offended by speech.
Free from intimidation? I can grant you. Free from being offended?
Ridiculous and impossible.
|11.7.07 @ 11:56AM|#
No one has the right NOT to be offended. It runs completely
counter to the idea of free speech.
I meant intentionally offending someone, NOT inadvertently
accidently offending someone, i.e. not a hate crime. Because the
noose is well known to offend, it qualifies as hate.
|11.7.07 @ 11:59AM|#
This piece doesn't offend me at all, and it's a reach to say it
depicts any obvious references to the Jim Crow South. Even if it
did, it's not in the sort of context to be 'threatening'.
I'd say that guy (working for a government agency) wearing black
face and dressed as a prisoner is offensive, at least in a clueless
sort of way. *That guy* really should know better. It doesn't mean
much more to me than that, though.
Guy Montag|11.7.07 @ 12:01PM|#
Orwell must be spinning in his grave. Well, probably just
spinning even faster, considering all the other crap going on in
public universities.
Nope, he isn't. I just checked the Orewllwebcam from the NSA feed.
However, the cameras at George Orwell Plaza in Barcelona are
showing folks milling about.
Guy Montag|11.7.07 @ 12:07PM|#
This piece doesn't offend me at all, and it's a reach to say
it depicts any obvious references to the Jim Crow South.
Didn't Southern White kids play on tire swings? I predect that
near-future research at some expensive private school that can't
win at football, will show that the ropes used for tire swings in
the South were symbolic of hanging nooses just like in George
Allen's old office. No doubt photographs of Confederate flags as
the backdrop to tire swings will be found in the archives.
Note: lamp posts are always exempt from racist implication because
lamp posts are what irish New Yorkers hanged black people from when
they protested against conscription during a war.
Jonathan Blanks|11.7.07 @ 12:12PM|#
Thomas:
intentionally offending someone is still fully protected by the
First Amendment and rightfully so. Political speech, by its very
nature, is controversial and potentially offensive. There is
nothing inherently wrong with trying to offend
someone.
If you can prove that an act was meant to intentionally intimidate
someone -- not just make them feel uncomfortable or upset them --
then again, I can give you some leeway. But just showing 'intent to
offend' does not fit any reasonable standard of a "crime".
Jennifer|11.7.07 @ 12:12PM|#
You haters are overlooking the Constitutional amendment which clearly states "the right of the people to be free of offense, shall not be infringed."
|11.7.07 @ 12:17PM|#
Isn't this a public University?
Personally, I would sue. This seems like a violation of 1st
amendment rights. If this were a private institution I would say
whatevr, but if it's a public university I wouldn't apologize and I
would be taking a very strong 1st amendment stand.
These "artists" are pussies. Grow a fucking spine and defend your
work. Make this an issue about censorship and the sanitisation
(sp?) of art in an institution that is supposed to allow creativity
and free expression.
|11.7.07 @ 12:17PM|#
I meant intentionally offending someone, NOT inadvertently
accidently offending someone, i.e. not a hate crime. Because the
noose is well known to offend, it qualifies as hate.
Damn Thomas, and I thought your original stupid comment was a great
parody of Juanita.
The Extispicator|11.7.07 @ 12:23PM|#
I'm perpetually offended by everything. Therefore, it is my constitutional right to force everyone to cease all communication immediately. Stop the Hate Crimes!!
J.R.|11.7.07 @ 12:23PM|#
"These "artists" are pussies. Grow a fucking spine and defend
your work. Make this an issue about censorship and the sanitisation
(sp?) of art in an institution that is supposed to allow creativity
and free expression."
They're not artists, they're students in an introductory art class
and are probably just trying to keep their heads down and get by.
They probably weren't trying to create great art, just get a
passing grade. Hell, the explanation of the intended symbolism
sounds like the kind of bullshit that art teachers eat up.
|11.7.07 @ 12:24PM|#
"I didn't think that it was racially motivated, but given
the magnitude that has taken place in this country...
Given the magnitude that has taken place? WTF?
Of course the Jena thing was of HUGE magnitude. The reverends
Jackson and Sharpton were there protesting.
CL|11.7.07 @ 12:24PM|#
Hodge is, without a doubt, far better than that abomination of a president we used to have, Jim Garland. But it appears he's regressing to a really shitty mean.
CL|11.7.07 @ 12:25PM|#
Miami is not a public university.
Yes it is. Either that, or a whole lot of Ohio taxpayers are losing
out on money for that in-state tuition discount.
|11.7.07 @ 12:43PM|#
They're not artists, they're students in an introductory art
class and are probably just trying to keep their heads down and get
by. They probably weren't trying to create great art, just get a
passing grade. Hell, the explanation of the intended symbolism
sounds like the kind of bullshit that art teachers eat
up.
Maybe so, but if they get penalized or punished by the university
-- especially for something that they got pre-approval for, they
should fight this hard. I would.
Jonathan Blanks|11.7.07 @ 12:47PM|#
Thomas:
see MWLfaNC (above). Certainly offensive to me. Was certainly
intended to provoke, and probably intended to offend.
But it is also certainly legal.
|11.7.07 @ 12:48PM|#
MU of Ohio is definitely a public university, and I agree with Chicago Tom. I would sue.
|11.7.07 @ 12:54PM|#
"Nothing conclusive has been decided as of yet,"
Mosley-Howard said. "We are conducting an investigation separate
from the Miami Police Department which is common in these
situations. In any situation that involves both the police and the
university, there could be two separate penalties."...
Whatever happened to looking at the situation, figuring out the
whole thing was a misunderstanding, and treating it accordingly (no
charges, penalties, apologies, etc.)? Didn't these fucking people
ever watch Three's Company?
|11.7.07 @ 1:05PM|#
"Miami University's Associated Student Government (ASG)
passed a resolution in an emergency session Thursday night to
respond to an artistic display found on Western Campus Tuesday that
included a tire swing and seven noose-like ropes."
Personally, I don't see why this would require the response of an
emergency session--an emergency drum circle probably would have
sufficed.
|11.7.07 @ 1:16PM|#
"We must all hang together or, assuredly, we shall all hang
separately."
-Benjamin Franklin
lunchstealer|11.7.07 @ 1:19PM|#
I think we need to have an emergency blog posting to discuss the possible racial implications of Taktix's post.
|11.7.07 @ 1:29PM|#
"You shifty ni---er! They said you was hung!"
"And they was right!"
-- Sheriff Bart
Guy Montag|11.7.07 @ 1:30PM|#
You haters are overlooking the Constitutional amendment
which clearly states "the right of the people to be free of
offense, shall not be infringed."
Isn't that only if you are a member of the faculty?
|11.7.07 @ 2:16PM|#
It's important for us to have good censors...
Finally! At long last a college administrator doesn't mince his
words and tells us what he really believes!
|11.7.07 @ 2:47PM|#
"I didn't think that it was racially motivated, but given the
magnitude that has taken place in this country..."
Given the magnitude that has taken place? WTF?
Haven't you heard? This country is in the midst of a magnitude
epidemic.
There's so much magnitude in this country right now that enormity
is just around the corner.
|11.7.07 @ 2:59PM|#
"You shifty ni---er! They said you was hung!"
"And they was right!"
-- Sheriff Bart
There's so much magnitude in this country right now that enormity
is just around the corner.
I am beginning to see what this is really about.
|11.7.07 @ 3:01PM|#
Pssh. Everyone knows that magnitude is, like, happening all around us and stuff. There's magnitude everywhere, dude. You cannot escape the magnitude.
|11.7.07 @ 3:06PM|#
I think you all may be mistaking magnitude for
largeish-ness.
"Magnitude" is what happens when Tom Selleck gets pissed off.
|11.7.07 @ 3:35PM|#
This is and should be prosecuted as the hate crime that it
is. I'm all for free speach, but no one has the right to offend
anyone.
Thomas, I find your comment offensive. You're under arrest.
VM|11.7.07 @ 3:37PM|#
"I'm all for free speech, but "
sure sign of a jackass talking. It is exactly the offensive speech
that needs protection, you dumbass fucking moron. It's the ability
to write critical things about politicians, religions, beliefs,
attitudes - all of which will be offensive to their respective
proponents. You gigantic vomitous mass.
Plus, that's a violation of the drinking game.
VM|11.7.07 @ 3:50PM|#
"Believe me on this, I know from whence I speak."
yes - out of your ass. Jeebus. everybody hier knows that.
(blush, lunch. blush. although this comment beats the other one,
grin)
|11.7.07 @ 4:06PM|#
Didn't these fucking people ever watch Three's
Company?
They need a good dose of the Three Stooges, if you ask me.
|11.7.07 @ 5:07PM|#
Sophomore at MU here, the school's reaction to this REALLY made me mad and ashamed to go here... thank you for mentioning this. I'm going to try to get a letter to the editor into the Miami Student
|11.7.07 @ 5:47PM|#
Any college official who participates in disciplining these
students should be sued under the First Amendment for violating
clearly-established constitutional rights, and denied any qualified
immunity defense under 42 USC 1983.
Even offensive, or sexist/racist, campus art is protected by the
First Amendment. See, e.g, Iota Xi Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity
v. George Mason University, 993 F.2d 386 (4th Cir. 1993) (racist,
sexist "ugly woman" skit was protected by First Amendment, despite
claims that it assaulted diversity and created a "hostile and
distracting learning environment" for women and blacks); Dambrot v.
Central Michigan University, 55 F.3d 1177 (6th Cir. 1995) (appeals
court with jurisdiction over Miami University of Ohio says that
racist campus speech by students is protected and that restrictions
on speech that turn on the subjective reactions of listeners are
unconstitutionally vague).
|11.7.07 @ 5:59PM|#
Well, here is the text of my letter to the editor of the Miami
Student. Now we just wait to see if it gets in or not:
I think the university community should be ashamed of the way the
administration treated the students who put up the art display on
Western Campus last week. The University Police took it down
without any legal basis whatsoever.
First of all, this display clearly had nothing to do with the Jena
six. Even if it did, however, isn't the fact that we have free
speech for even the lowest, most evil human beings what makes us
America? Even if these students were members of a secret neo-nazi
organization, dedicated to spreading their messages of hate across
the campus of Miami University, isn't that protected in this
country? And isn't this a publicly-funded university?
"Free speech can be offensive without context," says one university
official in the article the Miami Student published. This may be
true, but it doesn't justify censoring that speech! I don't think
anyone believes we should change the First Amendment to "Congress
shall make no abridging the freedom of speech, provided that speech
is in context and non-offensive…"
Banning or limiting free speech and other liberties, even with the
best of intentions, is how we become what we despise.
|11.7.07 @ 6:01PM|#
Oh yeah, and just for everyone's curiosity, here is the text of
an email sent out to all students and staff here:
"Miami's Institutional Response team wishes to update the community
on details and actions taken as a result of the Oct. 30 incident of
an art display on campus that included nooses. We are grateful for
the concern shown by so many members of the community.
Investigation
The three students who installed the display met with the president
and the dean of students to discuss the implications of their
actions; during the discussions they expressed their remorse. While
Miami police have investigated, at this time the incident has not
been designated a criminal act.
The School of Fine Arts has reviewed the situation and debriefed
the instructor of the course; It has determined that
a thorough review of protocol must be conducted
best practices will be put in place
sensitivity training will be available for all faculty
Communication
The president, dean of students and other Student Affairs staff met
with students, faculty and staff at the Center for Black Culture
and Learning throughout the day to discuss what happened.
Dr. Hodge spoke with Jan Miller, president of the Oxford chapter of
the NAACP, and briefed her on the incident and actions being
taken.
Outcomes/Next Steps
Materials are being prepared by The Center for American and World
Cultures, office of diversity affairs and the interim associate
vice president for institutional diversity for faculty and others
to use to engage the university community in thoughtful
conversations about the meaning of this incident, the issues
associated with it and steps we must take to make this a community
that respects and values all individuals.
The officers of Associated Student Government will hold an
emergency meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, to take up a
resolution concerning the actions and calling for university-wide
dialogue on issues of inclusion in this campus community.
Select members of the President's Executive Council (PEC) will meet
with concerned students on November 7 to discuss their concerns and
strategies and outline action steps to make this community one of
inclusion, and to prevent this from happening in the future.
--The Institutional Response Team"
Ska|11.7.07 @ 6:26PM|#
Fuck everything, we need a War on Magnitude right now. Who is
going to be the Magnitude Czar?
A university president talking about the importance of
censors......jeebus christ. Not quite as amazing as the Office of
Equity and blah blah blah eat a dick.
Didn't these fucking people ever watch Three's
Company?
Is this the one where Mr. Roper overheard Jack talking to Chrissy
about his "huge cock" - which ends up being a gigantic rooster?
|11.7.07 @ 8:26PM|#
"Materials are being prepared by The Center for American and
World Cultures, office of diversity affairs and the interim
associate vice president for institutional diversity for faculty
and others to use to engage the university community in thoughtful
conversations about the meaning of this incident, the issues
associated with it and steps we must take to make this a community
that respects and values all individuals.
The officers of Associated Student Government will hold an
emergency meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, to take up a
resolution concerning the actions and calling for university-wide
dialogue on issues of inclusion in this campus community."
Will they include KKK for an "university-wide dialog in the issues
on inclusion in this campus community"?
|11.7.07 @ 10:20PM|#
university-wide dialog
They have a monitor large enough to fit a university-wide
dialog?
|11.8.07 @ 12:02AM|#
"Materials are being prepared by The Center for American and
World Cultures, office of diversity affairs and the interim
associate vice president for institutional diversity for faculty
and others to use to engage the university community in thoughtful
conversations about the meaning of this incident, the issues
associated with it and steps we must take to make this a community
that respects and values all individuals."
I have a new game idea: Whoever can create the most upheaval and
work for their college campus in the next 6 months wins a trip to
some Reasonoid gathering or something.
Bonus points if you can document the number of work hours spent and
pay rates of the folks trying to address the issue.
thoreau|11.8.07 @ 12:09AM|#
The more I learn about universities from the inside, the less
surprised I am that this idiocy is being spearheaded by the office
of the President.
Some reading between lines: The Dean of Fine Arts apparently wants
to know more about how the project is approved. That could mean any
number of things, but there's at least a slight chance that the
Dean of Fine Arts is interested in learning something before
reaching a judgement. I know nothing about that school, but the
more I learn about universities the less surprised I am that the
administrator closest to the faculty would have the most guarded
response. (Of course, it's also possible that the Dean of Fine Arts
will do something idiotic, but will do it in the deliberate manner
that one would expect from a an academic Dean.)
|11.8.07 @ 9:15AM|#
Now the students involved are waiting while President Hodge and other university officials decide just what measures will be taken to penalize them.
The students should be ambushed when they exit the administration
building, knocked unconscious, and then beaten and kicked. Have we
learned nothing?
|11.8.07 @ 9:23AM|#
I don't get it. These students make art and are labelled
racists. Balko publishes a link to a web-site that says there is
not a single Phd in East LA, not one, and that New Orleans is now a
better place, and he is praised by all the numb-skulls over
here.
The world has tilted. Nothing makes sense anymore. I might start
agreeing with MikeP. I might start understanding Neu Mejican's
comments. I might embrace Joe as a kindred spirit. Well, no, not
that last one.
thoreau|11.8.07 @ 9:56AM|#
You'll have to be in higher education to appreciate this section
of the report that Nick Zingale quotes:
"Outcomes/Next Steps"
The word "outcomes" is a buzzword. Big time buzzword. But I'd only
heard it in the curriculum context. I'd never thought of it in
terms of PC incident response. But I guess it makes sense.
I'm looking for the word "assessment." Once that word appears,
we'll know it's reached the point of no return.
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