All I said was Finances And Government or FAG for short. What? What!?!
Posted on 02/21/2005 8:42:05 AM PST by freespirited
The University of Nevada at Las Vegas's president announced on Friday that a student's discrimination complaint against an economics professor was unwarranted because it violated the professor's academic freedom. The decision by the president, Carol C. Harter, in favor of the professor, Hans-Herman Hoppe, reversed a committee's recommendation that he serve a one-week unpaid suspension and receive a letter of reprimand.
"I believe professors are entitled the freedom to teach theories and to espouse opinions that are out of the mainstream or are controversial," Ms. Harter said in a statement released on Friday. "Whether anyone in the university agrees or disagrees with Professor Hoppe's theories or his opinions is not ultimately relevant."
The UNLV controversy began in March 2004, when Michael Knight, a senior who has since graduated, complained to administrators that Mr. Hoppe had made homophobic statements during a lecture in his "Money and Banking" course.
To illustrate the concept of "time preferences," Mr. Hoppe cited homosexuals as one group whose members prefer to spend their money immediately instead of saving it for the future. Mr. Hoppe mentioned elderly people and young children as two other groups also prone to such behavior.
In his lecture, both Mr. Hoppe and Mr. Knight agree, the professor said homosexuals tend to spend more readily because they are not thinking about starting a family and so do not feel they must save money to raise children or buy homes.
According to Mr. Knight, Mr. Hoppe preceded his remarks by saying, "I've been known to not be so politically correct." Still, Mr. Knight said, other students were laughing and, as a gay man, he felt uncomfortable.
"I took his statement to mean that homosexuals do not have any family values," said Mr. Knight. "As a gay male, I was offended, I felt he was stereotyping in general. ... Not all homosexuals are that way."
Mr. Knight filed a complaint with university administrators, which led to the committee's decision against the professor. In a nondisciplinary "letter of instruction," dated February 9, the university's provost advised Mr. Hoppe that his comments had created "a hostile learning environment because they were not qualified as opinions, theories without experimental/statistical support, topics open to debate, or otherwise limited" (The Chronicle, February 14).
In response, Mr. Hoppe, who has been represented by the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in the dispute, demanded that the letter be removed from his personnel file. He also requested a public apology from UNLV and a paid one-year sabbatical, saying the controversy had been damaging to his health.
Ms. Harter's statement did not include an apology or any indication that Mr. Hoppe would get paid leave, but she did say that the letter had been removed from his file and that the university considered the matter to be closed.
Hilarie Grey, a spokeswoman for the university, reiterated Ms. Harter's statement, and declined to comment on how the university planned to handle Mr. Hoppe's additional requests.
In a brief e-mail message, Mr. Hoppe said the situation was "not resolved." He referred any other questions to his lawyer, who did not respond to telephone calls on Sunday.
Another faculty member agreed that the issue was far from over. According to William M. Epstein, a professor of social work, Mr. Hoppe's experience is representative of larger problems at the university.
"What happened is a symptom of a poor administration here and a very weak faculty," said Mr. Epstein. "Many people who are accomplished at UNLV have retired or left the place largely because they didn't like the tenor of the management and the lack of respect for scholarship."
Ms. Grey also declined to comment on Mr. Epstein's views, explaining that "it's against our grain to comment on personnel matters."
The dispute struck at a time of increased scrutiny of controversial comments by academics. The University of Colorado System is investigating a professor on its Boulder campus who compared September 11 victims to Nazis. And the president of Harvard University, also an economist, stirred up a firestorm with comments on why there are not more women in science and mathematics.
For his part, Mr. Knight said he was "shocked and disappointed" by the university's decision but did not plan to pursue the matter further.
"There's a difference between academic freedom and academic responsibility," said Mr. Knight, who now lives in Seattle and works for a travel company. "I think UNLV made this decision because of political pressure, and they didn't want any more drama from the whole issue."
What a sissy.
Freedom of speech cuts both ways.
He [Mr. Hoppe] also requested a public apology from UNLV and a paid one-year sabbatical, saying the controversy had been damaging to his health.
The accuser. I think the prof was just defending himself.
Yes, that's true ... but now he needs a year off with pay because he's been involved in a little dust-up?
... snicker. This drama queen created the whole problem because of some non-existent slight.
"Mr. Hoppe [was] represented by the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in the dispute..."
That's got to be a first.
He's simply defending himself. Clearly you've never negotiated. You want X you ask for X + 100. If they give you anything from X+1 on, you win.
You left off the ants...can't have molasses and dirt without ants.
The rump rangers know their life expectency averages 43 yrs. So, spend away.
as a gay man, he felt uncomfortable.
given sexual preference, I would think he would be use to discomfort.
I think the prof was making an absurd request for time off, etc. in response to an absurd charge. He seems like quite a character. Using the ACLU to fight the charges of a liberal is brilliance.
as a gay man, he felt uncomfortable.
given sexual preference, I would think he would be use to discomfort
Personally, I dread going to proctologist.
I see. In my profession (mother), I don't have to negotiate much. I just give orders :-).
"Mr. Hoppe cited homosexuals as one group whose members prefer to spend their money immediately instead of saving it for the future... elderly people are also prone to such behavior."
Hey professor ... where do you get off insulting us old folks this way. Who do you think you are? And another thing ... don't say 'prone' to old people ... it makes us nervous.
I didn't want to cause actual pain or injury, just discomfort. Sticky and gritty would be hell for me. Maybe some of those black sugar ants that don't sting would do well just to give that creepy crawly feeling.
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