6 ms·

It's sad that this is this even a national topic of discussion instead of an internal investigation and change at the university itself.

• paulpauper 3y ago
  Harvard is a the most influential higher-ed institution and affects its president, which is its highest ranking member. there is no way it cannot be a national story. When Lawrence Summers resigned for comments he made in 2005 it was national news too.
  • JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    I think OP is saying it's sad it escalated due to incompetence from university leadership. As a result, we have a loud public precedent around donors and politicians calling shots at universities.
    • telotortium 3y ago
      As they should! Administration should definitely be subject to public scrutiny to the extent that it doesn't impinge on faculty and students' academic work or opinions. I would heavily oppose any consequences to a university resulting from a professors comments, including threats to withhold funding unless a professor is fired. But consequences to the administration should be on the table, including, in extreme cases, reducing funding to research at the university in a manner that doesn't target individual professors. Only then is there likely to be a moderating force that prevents university administrations from spiraling into political activism as they have done, especially over the past decade.