 |
 |
Editor:
I am outraged that the Committee of Eleven produced and distributed its irresponsible, unprofessional, and scurrilous document posing as the faculty's assessment of the president and provost. In publicly issuing this rump report, the committee has indicted only itself for lacking judgment and decency.
These are difficult days for public institutions, including universities - even excellent ones such as ours. In addressing the challenges we collectively face, we will surely disagree among ourselves on how to proceed. Nevertheless, even in disagreement we must make our way with mutual respect or we shall make our way not at all.
The kindest description that applies to the committee's report is that it is methodologically suspect. The design and administration of the questionnaire on which the report depends do not approach the standards one expects in serious social science. But if mockery of science is the objective, then the committee's document succeeds on all counts. Certainly, its reporting of anonymous remarks rippling with insults and diatribe must enable any fair-minded reader to see through the pseudo-science with which the committee would cloak its so-called findings.
Although we may continue strongly to differ on what road universities should follow into the future, there is at least one thing on which we might all concur. We can all be ashamed of the signatories to the report of the Committee of Eleven and ignore them ever hereafter.
John C. Maloney
professor of philosophy
philosophy department head
|
|
|