Liberal Smith College Dumps Only Conservative Prof.

James D. Miller, assistant professor of economics, believes that the decision earlier this year to deny him tenure was based at least in part on his political beliefs. Other economics professors argue that the department remains committed to academic freedom. Recently students have circulated a petition in support of Miller.

Miller, who has taught economics at Smith for seven years, was reappointed in April 2000. Because his reappointment letter was "purely positive," Miller said he was shocked by the decision earlier this semester not to grant him tenure. By a vote of five to three with one abstention, members of the department recommended that the Committee on Tenure and Promotion deny Miller tenure. The Committee affirmed that recommendation, and the Grievance Committee has since decided to consider Miller's appeal.

The College's "Policy of Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure" states that decisions on reappointment, promotion and tenure are based on teaching, scholarship and service to the college.

"My belief is that I was denied tenure because I am a conservative Republican," Miller said.

Faculty members write letters to the Committee on Tenure and Promotion explaining their votes. Letters by faculty who voted against recommending tenure for Miller say that he has not done enough scholarship. Miller has written a book, Game Theory at Work, and six scholarly articles, one of which he wrote prior to his reappointment. Miller said he would understand this reason "If they said in April 2000 'Jim needs 10 [articles].'" Because the reappointment letter was positive and because "what has happened since then is that I basically came out of the closet as a conservative," he suspects the tenure decision was based on his political beliefs.

Two of the letters explaining no votes in Miller's case refer to criticisms he has made of academia, though neither gives this as a main reason for a no vote. One letter cites part of his book Game Theory at Work, and the other cites an article he wrote for National Review Online entitled "Campus Colors."

The latter states, "I would also refer the committee to a piece included in Jim's 'Journalistic Articles' packet: the Guest Comment on NRO entitled 'Campus Colors,' in which Jim says, among other things, that 'professors are mostly left wing,' that '(t)he large number of non-U.S. citizens in American colleges necessarily makes these schools less patriotic,' and that '(p)ractically the only way for a women's-studies professor to get a lifetime college appointment is for her to contribute to the literature on why America is racist, sexist, and homophobic.' I find it extremely disturbingly [sic] that this could be Jim's image of academia."

"The person wasn't disturbed that it was poorly written or illogically argued, but rather she was disturbed by the conservative political views expressed in the article," Miller said. "This article is criticizing colleges for being politically correct. ... This was used as a reason to fire me. I consider that an absolute violation of my academic freedom."

Others argue that academic freedom is alive and well in the economics department and at Smith.

"In my 23 years of employment at Smith College, I have witnessed the College at large, and the Department of Economics in particular, go out of its way to protect the academic freedom of all members of the Smith community. In our department, specifically, we have always had an unusually wide range of opinions on both economic methodology and political issues. We have 'agreed to disagree' for as long as I have been here, and we are able to work together because of this mutual respect and tolerance," said Karen A. Pfiefer, professor of economics.

"In my experience, academic freedom here means that each of us is free to argue for his/her methodological framework and to offer his/her political opinion on any topic inside or outside of the classroom, and that hiring, promotion, and tenure are judged on the basis of achievement in one's subfield of specialization, not on the basis of methodological or political differences. The other side of the coin is that no one of us may impose his/her view on colleagues, students, or anyone else, and that we are mutually obligated to honor the right of others to hold and express different views," Pfiefer said.

A report stemming from a spring 2002 "External Review of the Smith Economics Department" states, "The Economics Department should be proud that its members exhibit diversity in economic ideology and methodology. Students benefit from exposure to a range of opinions and approaches to the discipline."

Faculty up for tenure don't have "to pass some political litmus test - in fact, exactly the opposite," said Professor of Economics Andrew S. Zimbalist. At the same time, he believes it is important that an individual conducts an "open classroom" and doesn't allow his or her research to be colored or limited by political perspectives.

If a professor doesn't make it possible for students to raise their views or to disagree with the professor or "if his ideology so clouded his thinking that he wouldn't bring up counterexamples," that would be problematic, said Rachel M. Balsham '05. But while Miller "says a lot of things that are offensive - and I'm not even going to say that taken in context it is perfectly P.C., because it's not" - he does so to invite debate, she said. "I think that brings a lot to the class."

"It's pretty clear that he's conservative and controversial because of that. He doesn't fit in with the smith pedagogical norms at all," said Balsham.

She credits Miller with her decision to become an economics major. "I was so impressed with his approach to the material, his teaching. ... He makes things so clear in lecture that sometimes I don't take notes," Balsham said.

Jamey Borell '03 and Karin M. Kringen '03, who have each taken two classes with Miller, authored and circulated two petitions to President Christ and the Board of Trustees - one version for economics majors and those who have taken a class with Miller and one for other students - stating concern "that this decision will decrease the little political diversity that exists amongst the faculty at Smith College" and that "Professor Miller is a great professor and an asset to the Economics Department and the Smith College Community." Over 100 students signed the petitions.

"It's hard to point to a single professor besides Jim Miller that is an active conservative voice in the economics department," said Borell.

Politics aside, "We think he stands on his own merits," Kringen said. "He's just a really excellent teacher. He requires students to think critically."

They also point to his involvement in the school community. Miller has been involved in the Women for Financial Independence program, is the faculty advisor for the Smith College Republican Club and has agreed a number of times to participate in SGA-sponsored panels, they said.

Because the reappointment letter was positive and because "what has happened since then
is that I basically came out of the closet as a conservative," he suspects
the tenure decision was based on his political beliefs.

Show your true conservative self to a committee of people who probably
worship at the feet of Garafolo, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Mike Farrell, and
the rest of their cabal?

This guy is too stupid to get tenure anywhere.

(no flames...I'm in academia and have done all I can to disguise the ugly truth...
I'm conservative and culturally a Christian. Heck, I catch enough crap because
of things I can't help, like being white and male.)

...this decision will decrease the little political diversity that exists
amongst the faculty at Smith College

Poor deluded children.
Where has anyone in academia promoted POLITICAL diversity?

Well, maybe at places like conservative Hillsdale College where they will
invite speakers from across the political spectrum.

Dennis Prager, conservative Jewish radio show host, spoke at Stanford U.
a few weeks ago.
The next day the college paper did at least quote a student who attended Prager's
lecture as saying that Prager's viewpoints were something you just didn't hear
at Stanford.

Other economics professors argue that the department remains committed to academic freedom.

There's a spelling error here. What the 'other economics professors' argued was that the department remains committed to academic fiefdom.

It isn't really the issue. The problem is that the morons in this country continue to PAY LUMP SUMS to these lower-living instutions. That's the real issue. If people would get a freakin' clue and start sending their children to respectable institutions, as hard as they are to find, the problem would solve itself.

Unfortunately, with enough socialism and brain washing, people lose all logic and they don't realize that they are paying for nothing. Take taxes as a perfect example....

LOL! The professor -- who doesn't exactly hide her Marxist tendencies -- sure as hell was singing a different tune when she was originally denied tenure back in 1985 or '86.

I still remember when she just showed up in class and canceled it for the day, so that she could go off and pout somewhere. Yep, it was the afternoon right before a vacation and I missed an early ride home just to stay for that class.

My son went to school just up the street from Smith College. It has a nice campus. The female students all looked like they were having doubts about their gender and were worried about sexual 'self-expression' when I was visiting.

I knew a girl who went to Smith back in the 1960's. She was a cute girl with a conservative family. When she returned from Smith that summer she looked shell shocked. Frankly, she was upset because of the hazing on campus. She was required to sleep with a student from Amherst in order to be admitted to the sorority she was pledging. That experience unnerved her, and changed her dramatically.

In peronal opinion Smith is a garbage dump where Democrats have dumped their pretty and very naive girls for at least the last 50 years. Teaches them to 'grow up' or go lesbian in about two years.

That was what I was told at the time. Back in 1963. Shoot me for repeating a lie that was told to me way back when. The girl was really shell shocked and upset by the experience. She did not return to Smith but transferred to another college on the left coast.

I'm not shooting you, but I think that whoever told you those stories was full of, well, bullclinton.

For one thing, Smith has never had sororities -- it's an all-women's school and something like 98% of the students live on campus in houses that are far more like typical sorority houses than dorms, complete with living rooms, fireplaces, oriental rugs, dining rooms, etc.

There had to be some other reason that she transferred, but somewhere along the line, someone made up these stories.

Mr. Miller missed his big opportunity for tenure. What he should have done is lead a few anti-war demonstrations and call for the impeachment of President Bush for War Crimes.

He would have been a shoo-in and would be drinking champagne (French, of course!) this very night.

I do not think so. She was very upset about the whole experience. She was also very bright -- the daughter of a doctor -- not given to imaginative flights of fancy at all.

I chose to believe her story at the time. You will not pursuade me to change my belief in her now, over 35 years after the fact, just because you posted a few words on FR. Bye.

"If a professor doesn't make it possible for students to raise their views or to disagree with the professor or 'if his ideology so clouded his thinking that he wouldn't bring up counterexamples,' that would be problematic, said Rachel M. Balsham '05. But while Miller 'says a lot of things that are offensive - and I'm not even going to say that taken in context it is perfectly P.C., because it's not - he does so to invite debate, she said. 'I think that brings a lot to the class.'"

What on earth could he possibly say that is offensive? That he believes in Laissez-Faire Capitalism and doesn't believe in helping the poor with welfare state programs? And what does she mean "I'm not even going to say that taken in context it is perfectly P.C. because it's not"?

Sort of a combination of both. Before starting first year, if you know in advance in which house or on which part of campus you want to live, you can usually request it on the housing form. And, if necessary, you can move during the year. After the first year, you pretty much have free choice in where you want to live, although if too many people want the same house, you might get your second or third choice.

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