MUSLIM REFORMER TALKS ABOUT US REP ILHAN OMAR A very worthwhile article on Islam and Islamist and Muslims of various stripes..
WHY BIDEN WINS IN 2020 BY JOSEPH CURL OF WT
INTERESTING OUTLOOK FOR 2020 ELECTION
NORWAY AND THE CLINTONS -- HAPPY COUPLE
GENESIS OF KEYNES' INFLUENCE, PAST TO PRESENT
ABOUT BOEING 737
JORDAN PETERSON STRIKES AGAIN.
SALOVEY EMBARRASSES ALL ALUMNI PLUS THIS FOLLOW UP: Plus, note this letter to the editor in the WSJ, responding to Salovey:
I agree with Mr. Salovey that free speech and inclusion aren’t mutually exclusive, but I think he misrepresents some of the events that unfolded last year. In particular, he claims that the “Yale Daily News, the oldest daily student newspaper in the country, filled its pages and opinion columns with voices that diverged in every conceivable way.”A mob that represented, almost certainly, a fraction of the student body was allowed — even encouraged — by the Yale administration to intimidate and bully those who disagreed, and faced no consequences (except rewards) for doing so. Is Salovey the worst university president in America? Well, there’s stiff competition for that slot, but he’s got to be in the top 3. But the fact that he’s weaseling on this now suggests that the tide may be turning.
What Mr. Salovey doesn’t realize is how difficult it was to find such voices. Many students privately expressed their dismay at the protests, yet very few of these students were willing to express these views in the pages of the YDN when I reached out to them. They told me they were worried about being ostracized by their peers, and they were perplexed that the administration had refused to take any disciplinary action against the protesters who cursed out Nicholas Christakis in the Silliman College courtyard. In other words, many students were worried that there wasn’t a respectful climate of reasoned debate on campus, not that Yale was making any kind of institutional effort to suppress free speech. Mr. Salovey’s argument, well-intentioned though it may be, ignores this crucial distinction.
Aaron Sibarium
Chevy Chase, Md.
Mr. Sibarium was the opinion editor of the Yale Daily News for the past academic year.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS:
AN EMAIL FROM YALE PRESIDENT PETER SALOVEY:
To the Yale Community,
I am writing about the actions I have taken in the wake of revelations regarding an ongoing FBI investigation into an admissions fraud scheme that targeted universities nationwide, including Yale. Dozens of people have been charged with federal crimes. These individuals allegedly bribed athletic coaches and standardized testing officials, or accepted the bribes, to deceive the admissions offices of universities. These dishonest and criminal actions are an affront to our community’s deeply held values of fairness, inclusion, and honesty. I am therefore initiating a number of actions to make sure we understand the full impact of this criminal scheme on our university and to protect our admissions processes in the future.
The FBI investigation has revealed that a Yale coach gave bogus athletic endorsements to two students, one of whom was admitted to Yale College. (For more information, please see this FAQ.) When applicants sign their applications, they attest that the contents are true and complete. Although I do not comment on specific disciplinary actions taken with respect to an individual student, our longstanding policy is to rescind the admission of students who falsified their Yale College applications.
The ongoing federal investigation has publicized wrongdoing by one Yale coach who participated in this scheme; however, I have decided that we must conduct our own searching review in order to learn whether others have been involved in activities that have corrupted the athletic recruitment and admissions process. We will retain external advisors to assist us. They will be asked to recommend changes that will help us detect and prevent efforts to defraud our admissions process. As part of this review, we will specifically examine the practices of commercial admissions consultants, whose work is conducted out of the view of admissions officers.
Since her arrival on July 1, 2018, and before we knew of the federal investigation or its findings, Director of Athletics Victoria Chun independently had begun to put in place new policies and procedures regarding the oversight and assessment of our coaching staff. The goals of her initiatives are to ensure that student-athletes receive an excellent education at Yale and to enhance the quality of our athletic programs. In addition, going forward, Ms. Chun will conduct a review of coaches’ proposed rosters of recruits before they are sent to the admissions office, and situations in which a recruited athlete fails to make a team will receive close scrutiny. These measures will help prevent opportunities for undermining the fairness and integrity of the Yale College admissions process.
Ms. Chun is working with Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Jeremiah Quinlan to implement a code of conduct for athletic recruitment. They also will design even more robust training for all coaches to ensure they understand our recruitment procedures and the ethical expectations involved in supporting student-athletes in our admissions process.
Athletics is part of the educational mission of Yale College. Under the Ivy League model, those who play on our varsity teams are student-athletes, and “student” comes first. Our sports teams engender pride among our whole community, and I have often said that we bask in their reflected glory, bringing the Yale College community closer together. The athletics program, including the varsity teams, is also an important part of the Yale College educational experience; students better themselves by playing their sport. They learn self-discipline, how to work as part of a team, how to subordinate individual ambition to a group accomplishment, and how to be resilient in the face of failure. These skills are important in every area of life, including academics.
As we proceed with these first steps, we may find that more actions are necessary. I will not spare our university any scrutiny that will help us to be better and bolster the integrity of our community.
C.S.LEWIS AND UNIVERSITIES.
