Stanley: I am struck by this line from your link to the “diversity” protest at the University of Wisconsin:
The invasion of the news conference was a planned event, egged on by University of Wisconsin Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Damon Williams.
Not even Mark Steyn or David Kahane could make something like this up. “Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate”? It’s still early in the morning here in Los Angeles, so I had to make sure I wasn’t dreaming when I read that. But no, there actually is such a position in mad, mad, mad, mad, Madison:
Damon Williams has been named vice provost for diversity and climate, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s chief diversity officer. He will start on Aug. 1.
Williams comes to the university from a position as assistant vice provost in the Office of the Vice Provost for Multicultural and International Affairs at the University of Connecticut-Storrs. There, he led initiatives, provided guidance, and consulted with the campus on issues of diversity and learning, recruitment and retention, strategic planning and enhancing campus climate.
He holds a doctorate in organizational behavior and management from the University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher and Post-Secondary Education and is nationally recognized in the areas of diversity, leadership and organizational change.
I like the bit about “enhancing campus climate,” but hesitate to inquire about the details. Co-ed showers and free soap for everybody? No wonder Glenn Reynolds is always talking about the higher-education bubble. When a major state university can afford to spend $150,000 a year on this job description, the end cannot be far off:
Williams will work closely with deans, directors and other campus leaders to promote the recruitment and retention of minority faculty, staff and students; create experiences that help all students to prepare for a world that is diverse, global and interconnected; and provide leadership in promoting a positive environment for the entire university community to live, learn and work.
But why stop there? Why not bump him up to Vice Provost for Diversity, Climate, Fairness, Tolerance, Compassion and Organizational Change? Of such humbug are future Democratic presidents made.
Bring back the trivium and the quadrivium, says me.
talk about a grievance set-aside job. This must be like a union no-show job that is really just a pay-off to the Left. What graft.
Maybe the Wisconsin legislature should look into defunding that position.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhere do you think all of those "angry studies" graduates find work? No rational private sector employer is going to bring those toxic people into his workforce, so the only alternative employment for them is government and academia.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"vice provost for diversity and climate"
We're doomed, there is no hope left
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"...to prepare for a world that is diverse, global and interconnected...."
The world is global? Who knew?
What a load of PC nonsense.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSome that sounds less wimpy than Purdue's "Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion". Fortunately public universities are flush with money, state governments are running surpluses, and the cost of lots of extra administrators is easily covered.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm disappointed that the "climate" in Vice-provost Williams's title appears to be metaphorical, and therefore somewhat redundant.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI just assumed he was in charge of making sure the administration and faculty all drove different colored Priuses.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm such a neanderthal that when I read Vice Provost William's email and tweet, I thought, "This guy should be fired." I think, though, we'll wait a very long time.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI have the feeling that in about ten years I'll be explaining to my grandkids what satire was and why it no longer exists.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWell you made me laugh but unfortunately I don't think that's all you're going to be explaining to the grandkids. Hopefully it will be hard for them to believe that people can be this stupid.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAnother item to add to my list of reasons not to move back to Wisconsin from Iowa.
As if the high taxes, toxic politics, higher cost-of-living is not enough already...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs someone who has been a post-doc teacher, and is now a prof who cannot find more than year-by-year positions, but who plugs along nonetheless grateful to have some kind of job, let me note:
For this money, you could hire three new professors, tenure track, although later on you'd have to budget more. So maybe two profs, and some savings put away.
Or, you could hire four or five new post-docs, and never have to budget more. That would translate into at least TWELVE more classes than currently offered per semester, and some young blood in the faculty lounges to boot. So which is better: four or five major departments actually teaching more of their subject areas, actually serving more students, or this one administrator? One who presumably spends most of his time badgering profs and students with stuff they all either a) already know or b) have legitimate political objection to.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen I read the "Climate" bit I thought "What's AGW got to do with it?"
Then I realized it was more like Twain's heaven for climate and hell for company.
Though, I think the Vice Provost got a little turned around there.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI also thought I was something to do with global warming. The title isn't quite as insane now that I know what it really means.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm confused. Isn't David Kahane a nom de plume for Michael Walsh?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI would love to bring back the trivium and quadrivium as originally conceived: People would have to study The Bible again, and anybody who could not play a musical instrument would be considered utterly illiterate.
I would rule in such a world. lol.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJudging by the OWS protesters soap isn't at the top of the list.
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