From the Academy

Stout Tyrannus

A few months ago, as I reported in this page, the Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors published the findings of the AAUP’s academic freedom committee on the case of Professor Frank Richardson, at the University of Nevada. Anyone who has happened to read my book Academic Freedom will remember, I think, that the treatment of Dr. Richardson by Dr. (of Education) Minard Stout, president of the university, was perhaps the most shocking abuse of a university president’s power in recent years. Dr. Richardson temperately and good-naturedly stood up for decent standards in a university; for that, President Stout discharged him. Well, the AAUP Bulletin published in full, in its last number, the amazing dialogue between President Stout and Professor Richardson, which is printed in part in my book. One has only to read that conversation to realize that an ignorant bully can become president of a state university in this country.

RK

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Russell Kirk

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Stout Tyrannus

A few months ago, as I reported in this page, the Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors published the findings of the AAUP’s academic freedom committee on the case of Professor Frank Richardson, at the University of Nevada. Anyone who has happened to read my book Academic Freedom will remember, I think, that the treatment of Dr. Richardson by Dr. (of Education) Minard Stout, president of the university, was perhaps the most shocking abuse of a university president’s power in recent years. Dr. Richardson temperately and good-naturedly stood up for decent standards in a university; for that, President Stout discharged him. Well, the AAUP Bulletin published in full, in its last number, the amazing dialogue between President Stout and Professor Richardson, which is printed in part in my book. One has only to read that conversation to realize that an ignorant bully can become president of a state university in this country.