What caught my eye about the story of the rejection of Juan Cole’s appointment by Yale (the focus of Michael’s posting below) was the matter of how Cole ended up as the top choice of the search committee charged with filling the position.

According to one professor, the process was rigged, and it was thanks to senior professors who found Cole’s scholarship sub-standard that he was rejected.

Kudos to the integrity of Yale’s hiring practices in this instance. Cronyism all too often trumps standards in today’s academy.