"Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
John Marzan ·
Oct 29, 2011 at 10:27am
Haha, Mickey Kaus, funny as always.
Financially strapped colleges merge departments, lose cancer researchers–but keep expanding their bloated diversitocracies (from John Leo with assists from Mike Adams and Heather Mac Donald). Sample:
- UC Berkeley’s new vice chancellor for equity and inclusion, Gibor Basri, has 17 people working for him in his immediate office, including a “chief of staff,” two “project/policy analysts,” and a “director of special projects.” Says Mac Donald: “The funding propping up Basri’s vast office could support many an English or history professor. According to state databases, Basri’s base pay in 2009 was $194,000, which does not include a variety of possible add-ons, including summer salary and administrative stipends. By comparison, the official salary for assistant professors at UC starts at around $53,000 ….
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Comments :
Oct '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
Perhaps the OWS folks should apply for positions in the institutions that produced their collective mindsets. Then again, while they decry the system, they were so willing to take part in....The promises of easy accumulation of wealth ad nauseum.
Let them move into the basements of the Universities that produced them for recompence or restitution of fees.
Give mom and dad a break, as well as the rest of the population. They made the choices, let them accept the responsibility.
Edited on Oct 28, 2011 at 10:45pmDec '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
wilber forge: ...
Let them move into the basements of the Universities that produced them for recompence or restitution of fees.
Give mom and dad a break, as well as the rest of the population. They made the choices, let them accept the responsibility. · Oct 28 at 10:40pm
Edited on Oct 28 at 10:45 pm
I think this is a brilliant idea, but c'mon, wilber. The basement? These are free thinkers! These people love the open air, the sky for a ceiling, the stars at night... They don't need no stinkin' roof over their heads. Have them occupy the nearest campus quad.
If nothing else, I imagine it would generate discussions between students and educrats about private property versus common spaces, how capital is created and distributed in a free market versus a command economy, etc. Students should get the full flavor of how their money is redistributed now, instead of 10 or 20 years from now when they become taxpayers in the top brackets.
Aug '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
Another example of the need for an "eye roll" button. "Oh, those crazy Lefties! What will they think of next?"
If a Conservative made this up as parody, nobody would believe. The Left literally is it's own self-parody.
Dec '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
Steyn commented about this sort of thing last week. In public schools the administrator/teacher ratio is quite frightening.
May '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
Was this Basri fellow the guy who felt compelled to inject himself into the College Republicans "Affirmative Action Bake Sale" a few weeks ago to dry the tears of the tender shoots who were so... offended that these nasty Republican students try to illustrate a point about the inherent inequality of affirmative action?
Good job, Berkeley. Money well spent.
Oct '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
These diversicrats are analogous to the zampolit or politruk in the Soviet Red Army . . . the political officers responsible for ideological indoctrination, monitoring ‘attitudes’ and guarding against counterrevolutionary sentiments. One imagines that every untenured professor fears the arbitrary standards they enforce. Since these Diversity Commissars need to demonstrate some useful purpose now and again, they have a vested interest in stoking and stroking a certain number of grievance-producing students.
Jun '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
Forgive the following digression that this sorry topic brings to mind. I attended law school in the early seventies. Even then most of the faculty had never actually practiced law--now it's much worse.
Our most beloved professor was a tall Texan named E. Wayne Thode, who taught torts and civil procedure. He had practiced actual law for many years. With his Texas drawl he enthralled his classes with his knowledge, sense of humor, analytical brilliance, all combined with good old common sense (the first day of class he gave us what he considered the single most important thing we should know: "Never sue anyone who can't pay if you get a judgment against them.") He was a giant among pygmies, and a teacher's teacher.
He died a few years after I graduated. His memorial was attended by hundreds of former students, all of whom felt about him as I do.
Are there any Professor Thode's left? I have the impression that men like him toil on in the private world to avoid becoming subject to the Basri's of the academic world.
Edited on Oct 29, 2011 at 12:34pmOct '11
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
tabula rasa:
Are there any Professor Thode's left? I have the impression that men like him toil on in the private world to avoid becoming subject to the Basri's of the academic world. · Oct 29 at 12:31pm
For secured transactions and bankruptcy I had a crusty old guy named J.J. White. He grew up on a farm in Iowa and flew fighter jets in the Air Force. Our textbook was co-authored by Liz Warren, "a woman who's never seen a debtor she didn't love", and he'd make jokes about her the whole period. He would frequently get complaints about his politically incorrect comments (he called one Jewish kid's yarmulke a "thinking cap"), and if you didn't know the answer as to why a certain bankruptcy provision existed, you just had to say "stronger lobbyists" and cynical stories would start flowing from his lips. 5% hated him, and everyone else loved him, including the people he'd pick on. Everyone took him at least once for the experience, including every alum for the last 30 years.
Edited on Oct 29, 2011 at 1:58pmOct '11
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
There are so many people that look at diversity offices symbolically, rather than for what they actually are, which is especially problematic since diversity is a result, not an action. No-one wants to be seen as "decreasing diversity". Even "minority recruitment office" would be better, since that's what it essentially is.
And since when did a position with the word "equity" in the title appear outside the business school or technology transfer office? Also, John Leo's the man, he's probably been the greatest hand in getting FIRE into the public eye.
May '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
After a career at the University of California I can assure you that the ranks of Basri-ite bureaucrats are legion. Would that he were an unusual case. Sadly, he is a commonplace.
Aug '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
"Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
How about the Occupy Cal group? Especially since they're complaining about tuition increases and that janitors get laid off before anyone in Basri's office will. My guess is that Occupy Cal will never criticize the costs of Basri's office because then they'll feel the wrath of the Racism & Tolerance Police.
Dec '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
This short piece describes the academic crime of the century. Over the last 40 years tens of thousands of papers on relevant useful topics have not been published because funding was absorbed into the hideous banal fantasy of quota-based/diversity studies. On top of this, intellectual extortion by these funding sucking parasites against anyone on campus who might challenge their ridiculous obsessions has damaged the careers of thousands of able honest professionals. The contribution to our society that might have been made in the last 40 years if we had not been burdened with this lunacy is heart breaking to contemplate.
Somewhere there is an assistant professor who has an idea in his head which is more important then anything Steve Jobs ever did. That assistant professor will be black balled by the parasites described in the article and not get tenure. His reputation damaged, his career disrupted, he may not have the fortitude to bring his idea to full exposition. Humanity will pay for the lack of this one idea.
Academia is too valuable to be wasted on quota-based affirmative/diversity lies. It really is time to bring this awful farce to an end.
Oct '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
This is really no different from the fat bishops supported by the church throughout the middle ages. Where's our Robin Hood clad in Lincoln green who will take a generous cut of that salary in exchange for a "tour" of Sherwood Forest?
"Nay, good Gibor, call'st thou this a coil? Methink it rather a coil to write a book of knowledge in full fair hand, only then to see your wife, your babe, and eke your chattel starve for lack of good meat or grain. Come then, take good cheer; give thou us a contribution for this fair feast, and then will we give such support as is most meet for our brother scribe and his family."
Edited on Oct 29, 2011 at 11:48pmOct '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
Only for a reason does the title go from perfectly descriptive—your fine suggestion, which they were once called—to something esoteric and imprecise. Dr. Basri is Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion. His PhD in astrophysics is hardly necessary to run a recruitment office but useful when elevating to “Vice Chancellor” level, which then justifies a high salary and numerous stratified subordinates.
Most important is the “for Equity and Inclusion” part of his title. A recruitment office at least has measurable output. When does one have enough “inclusion”? Beyond feel-goodedness, what does it mean? There’s a never ending sub-division of the body politic which cleaver social engineers can manipulate, finding or creating sub-elements that are not yet “included.” That’s all before one asks “what does equity mean in practical terms when it comes to human diversity.” No, there is no exit strategy in the war for inclusion and equity. Which is precisely the point of the diversity lobby: we are here forever, endlessly leveraging a Liberal fetish into really well-paid jobs with no definable output for which to account.
Edited on Oct 30, 2011 at 1:24amOct '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
James Gawron:
Over the last 40 years tens of thousands of papers on relevant useful topics have not been published because funding was absorbed into the hideous banal fantasy of quota-based/diversity studies.
Somewhere there is an assistant professor who has an idea in his head which is more important then anything Steve Jobs ever did. That assistant professor will be black balled by the parasites described in the article and not get tenure.
Academia is too valuable to be wasted on quota-based affirmative/diversity lies. It really is time to bring this awful farce to an end.
I accept for sake of argument the first sentence, although supporting empirical evidence would help. I share your views in the last two sentences. The middle part is a bit jumbled. Jobs created wealth by producing profitable, popular products. The idea of your assistant professor may be important, but won't ever be in that category—no need to conflate that with Apple’s achievements. Blackballing is a different phenomenon from research being squeezed-out by fetishistic diversity quotas. The former is more about individual justice; the latter broad socio-economic impact. They relate but require word-limit challenged differentiation.
Edited on Oct 30, 2011 at 1:38pmJun '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
HVTs
Only for a reason does the title go from perfectly descriptive—your fine suggestion, which they were once called—to something esoteric and imprecise. Dr. Basri is Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion. His PhD in astrophysics is hardly necessary to run a recruitment office but useful when elevating to “Vice Chancellor” level, which then justifies a high salary and numerous stratified subordinates.
...
Which is precisely the point of the diversity lobby: we are here forever, endlessly leveraging a Liberal fetish into really well-paid jobs with no definable output for which to account.
QBF and HVT: Superb comments. So nauseating to have to constantly have these lesser minds control so much of our lives and our children's lives. The higher ups of this system have gamed the system so effectively that we actually have an anti-American Marxist as president -- to rule over our take-down and funded by us, not selling the hanging rope to them but giving it to them for free.
Just think about how they handle Clarence Thomas and Herman Cain -- people whom they claim to represent and support -- instead of helping them, they have managed to convince people they are the enemy.
Oct '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
The personal history and conservative positions of Cain and Thomas contravene their foundational beliefs—their ethos, even their worldview. This is a big problem if my earlier analogy is correct and they function as modern day Political Commissars—inculcating and enforcing Liberal orthodoxy regarding race in particular and minorities in general. They hate Cain and Thomas in the unique and vicious way that the Orthodox of any faith reserves for apostates. It is similar to Palin and women’s groups ... the kind of hate that makes it OK to mock and ridicule her daughters, for instance.
Dec '10
Re: "Somebody could make an issue of this! If not Republicans, who?"
HVTs
Jobs created wealth by producing profitable, popular products. The idea of your assistant professor may be important, but won't ever be in that category—no need to conflate that with Apple’s achievements. Blackballing is a different phenomenon from research being squeezed-out by fetishistic diversity quotas. The latter is more about individual justice; the former, broad socio-economic impact. They relate but require word-limit challenged differentiation. · Oct 30 at 2:20am
You must understand that the University System is a market system no different then the Corporate System. It is just that the payoffs and the investments are much more long term with the University System. Tenure was to provide a long term platform for those who wished to build a point of view of formidable foundation. It has been perverted into a breeding ground for left wing political hacks. This is a disaster. The price of University Education is higher and higher but the quality is lower and lower. Imagining Jobs to be more valuable then he was won't make up for the long term corruption of a major American Institution. More Obamaland fantasy as we head over the cliff.