This sort of plain-spoken statement seems to becoming a more common response to complaints about faculty who express themselves offensively, and my understanding is that this is now the recommended course of action by the AAU, as it has been by the AAUP since McCarthyism if not earlier. In my view it’s a much more sensible approach than pursuing disciplinary actions, as UO did against Prof Shurtz. And it has the added benefit of using the First Amendment for its intended purpose – promoting open discussion no matter how repugnant to those with power – rather than violating it.
From InsideHigherEd here:
Indiana University at Bloomington will not terminate Eric Rasmusen, professor of business economics and public policy, for the “stunningly ignorant” views he expressed on social media. So said Provost Lauren Robel this week amid calls that Rasmusen be fired.
Rasmusen “has, for many years, used his private social media accounts to disseminate his racist, sexist and homophobic views,” Robel wrote in a statement. “When I label his views in this way, let me note that the labels are not a close call, nor do his posts require careful parsing to reach these conclusions.”
‘Not a Close Call’
At the same time, “We cannot, nor would we, fire Professor Rasmusen for his posts as a private citizen, as vile and stupid as they are, because the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbids us to do so,” Robel said. That’s “not a close call,” either.
Brilliant. The memo from the Provost made my week.
And to Eric Rasmusen on his portrayal of women and minorities — “well, just bless your heart!”
“…as it has been by the AAUP since McCarthyism if not earlier.”
With the 20/20 power of hindsight though, McCarthy was right. Warren? Bernie? A pink rose by any other name would smell as sweet…
I am too stupid to know what the “pink rose’ statement means.
I must be intellectually vacuous.
Is there a collegiality index that is available to game? And how is collegiality behind closed doors measured for departments?
Dog, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” is surely not beyond your ken. It is a quote of THE bard, after all, and even has its own Wikipedia article.
And the “pink” reference was to “pinko”, which is surely before both of our times. I am not the word-smith that our dear William was, apparently.
I was trying to say that it is damn near impossible to claim, in 2019, that the socialists and communists are NOT active in our government and society. They even table at the end of 13th sometimes, near the DuckStore!
Ay, in the catalogue ye go for men;
As hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs,
Shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves, are ‘clept
All by the name of dogs: the valued file
Distinguishes the swift, the slow, the subtle,
The housekeeper, the hunter, every one
According to the gift which bounteous nature
Hath in him closed.