Amy Gutmann got amazing press because she was able to kiss the behinds of mega-donors, and she made out quite well herself. The supposedly tough press went limp when it came to her. Her charm offensive worked.
I cannot feel sorry for Liz Magill because she had a great opportunity to tell those phony right-wing Republican Congresspeople where to shove it, and she blew it spectacularly. A lamb led to slaughter. She doesn’t deserve to lead a great university because she did not stand up for anything. She rolled over and let them beat her up. What kind of leader is that?
And she is still a tenured professor at Penn. Not a bad booby prize.
I wonder how Amy Guttman would have handled it. Probably the same.
Of course, the Palestine Writes had a right to have a conference at Penn. After all, 30 professors signed off on it. Only one hitch… Mark Lamont Hill, known vocal Jew hater , and Roger Waters , same, were included. So now you have gone beyond literature, suffering, oppression, history into out and out hate. Forget the speech. If you see what Amy Wax has done where black students are concerned, we are looking at threatening behavior. That has no place on campus, nor do swastikas, etc etc. Demeaning a person’s identity for their race or religion has no place at Penn.
I do feel Magill got a bad deal. But like it or not, a president’s role is to rope in donors and keep the money coming. When that stops , the person at the top leaves. It is shameful, but it pays for many programs at Penn. Well, you know all that.
I can't be objective at the moment. On Thursday at 7 PM, Penn sent a rejection to my Florida grandson's application for Early Decision. He's the class valedictorian; Merit scholar semi-finalist; as a Freshman, tutored seniors in math; on his HS track team; has a job during non-school hours; overcame the death of his mother (breast cancer) when he was 5. Just a great kid. And, in addition to his grandfather being a Penn grad, his uncle and aunt (two of my kids) are Penn grads as well. "Maybe his high school wasn't well respected," you ask? Two other kids from his school were accepted.
Dan, for the most part your analysis in the "Barbarians at the Gate" blog is spot-on. I would add only the following: the striking difference between Harvard's trustees and faculty support for President Claudine Gay and the absence of such support from Penn's trustees and faculty for President Elizabeth Magill speaks volumes. The silence of the faculty (until after the "coup") is particularly shocking. I sincerely hope their silence will not return to haunt them, given that the "barbarians" are now emboldened to insert themselves in curricula and faculty personnel decisions. Gresham Riley
If speech falls in a forest (school, social media, traditional media) and nobody hears it (because they’re only listening to the Jewish/Palestinian/Republican/Democratic/Rich/Not Rich point of view) does it make a sound (create dialogue or conversation)?
From reader John Owens:
I was under the impression that Box supported Liz and resigned with her. So at least one trustee had some backbone.
From reader Len Lear:
Amy Gutmann got amazing press because she was able to kiss the behinds of mega-donors, and she made out quite well herself. The supposedly tough press went limp when it came to her. Her charm offensive worked.
I cannot feel sorry for Liz Magill because she had a great opportunity to tell those phony right-wing Republican Congresspeople where to shove it, and she blew it spectacularly. A lamb led to slaughter. She doesn’t deserve to lead a great university because she did not stand up for anything. She rolled over and let them beat her up. What kind of leader is that?
And she is still a tenured professor at Penn. Not a bad booby prize.
I wonder how Amy Guttman would have handled it. Probably the same.
From reader Flora Cornfield:
Of course, the Palestine Writes had a right to have a conference at Penn. After all, 30 professors signed off on it. Only one hitch… Mark Lamont Hill, known vocal Jew hater , and Roger Waters , same, were included. So now you have gone beyond literature, suffering, oppression, history into out and out hate. Forget the speech. If you see what Amy Wax has done where black students are concerned, we are looking at threatening behavior. That has no place on campus, nor do swastikas, etc etc. Demeaning a person’s identity for their race or religion has no place at Penn.
I do feel Magill got a bad deal. But like it or not, a president’s role is to rope in donors and keep the money coming. When that stops , the person at the top leaves. It is shameful, but it pays for many programs at Penn. Well, you know all that.
Nicely, nicely done, Dan.
Great piece Dan
Shared to Facebook!
I can't be objective at the moment. On Thursday at 7 PM, Penn sent a rejection to my Florida grandson's application for Early Decision. He's the class valedictorian; Merit scholar semi-finalist; as a Freshman, tutored seniors in math; on his HS track team; has a job during non-school hours; overcame the death of his mother (breast cancer) when he was 5. Just a great kid. And, in addition to his grandfather being a Penn grad, his uncle and aunt (two of my kids) are Penn grads as well. "Maybe his high school wasn't well respected," you ask? Two other kids from his school were accepted.
Dan, for the most part your analysis in the "Barbarians at the Gate" blog is spot-on. I would add only the following: the striking difference between Harvard's trustees and faculty support for President Claudine Gay and the absence of such support from Penn's trustees and faculty for President Elizabeth Magill speaks volumes. The silence of the faculty (until after the "coup") is particularly shocking. I sincerely hope their silence will not return to haunt them, given that the "barbarians" are now emboldened to insert themselves in curricula and faculty personnel decisions. Gresham Riley
If speech falls in a forest (school, social media, traditional media) and nobody hears it (because they’re only listening to the Jewish/Palestinian/Republican/Democratic/Rich/Not Rich point of view) does it make a sound (create dialogue or conversation)?
Good one, Dan ... as usual.