Lawrence Summers as Martin Luther

Tech Central ^ | 24 March 2005 | Arnold King

[shrinkermd]

There are some interesting parallels between the state of the Catholic Church prior to the reformation, as recounted by William Manchester, and the state of the professoriate today. When the Harvard Faculty conducted its Diet of Worms and voted "no confidence" in its President, Lawrence Summers, perhaps this was equivalent to excommunicating Martin Luther.

[shrinkermd]

Certainly worth a read if you pay for college

[redgolum]

Bookmark

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm still trying to get past the "parallel."

[mabelkitty]

Damn, you beat me to it.
What the hell???

[anniegetyourgun]

There Summers stands, apologizing....he can do no other.
LOL!

[ken21]

many american universities succumbed to the pressures of unions in the 1990s and reduced teaching loads from 3 courses per term, to 2.

meanwhile, taxpayers supporting universities have no tenure and increased their productivity.

[solzhenitsyn]

I agree. I just happen to be reading a history of the Reformation, and I'm a little past the part where Charles Miltitz approached Luther on behalf of the Pope, seeking a reconciliation, and Luther responded, "I am willing to do everything and bear everything, but as to a retraction, don't expect it from me." That doesn't sound like Lawrence Summers. And Summers has no reason to fear torture and death for his words.

[T.L.Sink]

Victor Davis Hanson has an excellent article in the 3/14
National Review which puts the Summers' issue in the
larger academic context. It's a great commentary and
gives some astounding insights into academe.

[redgolum]

Read the article, and still a bit confused.

I do agree that the university system is corrupt. A professor once told us "Look, the required electives are a game you have to play to get where you want to go" when I asked why I had to take a multicultural credit. A degree is the necessary pain most have to go to get any type of economic success.