UNC-Chapel Hill Got Off Easy. Texas A&M’s recent hiring scandal shows the costs of opposing campus wokeness are rising.

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | October 2, 2023 | Maria Servold

[karpov]

If there’s one thing journalism schools should know by now, it is not to hire professors based on their DEI credibility, as such moves will likely lead to conflict. But in a world where news outlets seek to promote advocacy over objectivity, such hirings are not surprising.

UNC-Chapel Hill’s debacle with Nikole Hannah-Jones in 2021, while illustrating the point, is not nearly as absurd as the new peak of ridiculousness reached at Texas A&M University (TAMU) in August. As has been widely reported, the institution was forced to settle with former New York Times editor Kathleen McElroy for $1 million, after her hiring process became … complicated. What began as a braggable hire for the university turned into a resignation and a $1 million court settlement, leading many to wonder why American universities are more interested in head-hunting for progressive, DEI-friendly activists than in finding “normal” journalism professors who can teach students to report and write accurately and fairly.

UNC’s instance of a publicly celebrated hire gone awry could be dismissed as a fluke; two instances should concern anyone interested in the state of journalism education, especially when millions of dollars are involved.

In June, TAMU announced it had hired former NYT senior editor Kathleen McElroy to run its revamped journalism program. McElroy—an outspoken proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices—had previously led the journalism department at the University of Texas-Austin.

According to Texas Scorecard, McElroy was part of the Council for Racial and Ethnic Equity and Diversity at UT, a program that advocates for equity-based hiring practices, among other things.

In a 2020 column for UT’s student newspaper, The Daily Texan, McElroy argued for tracking the racial demographics of faculty members.

[econjack]

One Washington Post veteran said that young reporters think the paper “should not be reflecting both sides, but what they see as reality,”

And therein is why people no longer trust the media, and rightly so. The MSM has become little more than op-ed for an agenda that many of us believe doesn't belong in reporting the news. I really don't care what they think. I want to make that decision myself based upon an equitable presentation of the facts.

[libertylover]

why American universities are more interested in head-hunting for progressive, DEI-friendly activists than in finding “normal” journalism professors who can teach students to report and write accurately and fairly.

The writer is a little out of touch. It's been a while since "journalists" reported accurately and fairly, if ever. See Tagline.

[dfwgator]

If I were a college student today, I’d seriously consider going outside of the US.

[MissEdie]

My daughter is a high school freshman. Her two of her top three college choices are 1. Cambridge University 2. The University of Norway in Oslo. She is only looking at one US school as of right now, and that’s Yale. She’s considering Yale only because her favorite high school science teacher is an Alum and he told her she has the intellect and work ethic to be successful there.

[dfwgator]

The thing is, British Universities are maybe even worse than US ones in terms of PC.

[FlipWilson]

Umm, all of these practices are soon going to die. After affirmative action admissions got shot down, the weaker sister, hiring, doesn’t have any leg to hide behind much less stand on.

[BobL]

“And therein is why people no longer trust the media, and rightly so.”

Oh, they do trust the media - numerous examples: Trump ‘colluded’ with Russia, Global Warming will kill everyone, Gun Control will lead to less crime, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was ‘unprovoked’, No significant cheating in the 2020 election, Covid ‘vaccines’ actually work.

The list is virtually endless.

[texas booster]

Texas Ping, the Best State in the USA!

A ping out to the Texas Ping list, founded by Windflier.

Troubles in the Journalism Dept at Texas A&M. It's what they get for stealing a leftie from UT ...

Another special Texas summer edition for your perusal.

As always, please FReepmail me if you want on or off the Texas Ping list.

Blessings, and stay cool!

[djstex]

Thanks for the ping!

[Tell It Right]

She’s making Aggie fans hate the name “McElroy” about as much as Longhorns fans do. LOL

[L,TOWM]

Welllllllll....

Not so fast perhaps...

You need to remember what got hired over the last 50 years, tenure, departmental support, faculty selection, and selection of MA students to PhD programs (future college instructors). Schools that have departments run by a gay Dean are going to skew gay for a long, long, time... same for latino run departments, black run departments, female run departments...

[Rusty0604]

Thanks!

[outinyellowdogcountry]

Thanks!

[subterfuge]

Does the article ever make a point?

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

I don’t have any child units, but if I had a college-entry-aged son or daughter seeking professional credentials, I’d be terrified. I can’t think of another word.

[Albion Wilde]

bump