Posted on 02/12/2008 7:40:58 AM PST by smartin
Equivalent. Again, they have to meet the same admission criteria as anyone else, which are rather stringent, and they have to meet the same academic standards once admitted.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/939911.html
Nichol resigns as William & Mary president
By Jane Stancill, Staff Writer
Former UNC-Chapel Hill law dean Gene Nichol, a forceful liberal voice and an occasional lightning rod, resigned abruptly today as president of the College of William & Mary in Virginia.
In a letter to William & Mary supporters, Nichol said he was informed Sunday by college leaders that his contract would not be renewed in July. He then decided to step down immediately, and, in a parting shot, said he refused an offer of “substantial economic incentives” to remain quiet about the reasons for his departure.
He said he made four decisions that stirred a furor at the public college in Williamsburg. One involved moving a cross in a historic chapel used regularly for secular college events, citing principles of separation of church and state. Nichol never recovered fully from the cross controversy.
He also refused to ban controversial speakers and performances from campus on two occasions. And he worked to diversify the campus through a new scholarship aimed at poor students.
“As the result of these decisions, the last sixteen months have been challenging ones for me and my family,” he wrote in a letter. “A committed, relentless, frequently untruthful and vicious campaign — on the internet and in the press — has been waged against me, my wife and my daughters. It has been joined, occasionally, by members of the Virginia House of Delegates — including last week’s steps by the Privileges and Elections Committee to effectively threaten Board appointees if I were not fired over decisions concerning the Wren Cross and the Sex Workers Art Show. That campaign has now been rendered successful. And those same voices will no doubt claim victory today.”
The Sex Workers Art Show is the traveling show that stirred criticism when it came to Duke University recently.
Nichol said he would return to the faculty of William & Mary’s law school.
In a letter that was passionate and scathing, he acknowledged that he had not been a perfect president. But he was indignant about an offer from college leaders that he hinted was hush money.
“I add only that, on Sunday, the Board of Visitors offered both my wife and me substantial economic incentives if we would agree ‘not to characterize [the non-renewal decision] as based on ideological grounds’ or make any other statement about my departure without their approval,” he wrote. “Some members may have intended this as a gesture of generosity to ease my transition. But the stipulation of censorship made it seem like something else entirely.”
Nichol was dean of UNC’s law school from 1999 to 2005. In 2000, he was a finalist for the chancellor’s position that eventually went to James Moeser. UNC-CH now has a search committee looking for a replacement for Moeser, who will retire this year.
I am sure there is a post waiting for him at another fine University when he is ready to spread more of his socialist tripe.
Then again, why leave a cushy law school job where you can whine and moan and bitch with your fellow leftists?
MIT finds that it’s yield among women is lower than that among men; in other words, a higher percentage of the men that it accepts actually take them up on it and show up (i.e., “matriculate”) than that of the women it accepts.
Here’s the problem with the removal of the Wren Cross. The idea was to make the chapel more inviting to those of non-Christian religions so that they felt more comfortable using it.
Why? The chapel was built as a Christian chapel by Christians. I can understand that Jews and Moslems and others would feel uncomfortable worshipping in the face of a cross. But then, why was the solution removing the cross? Why wasn’t the solution “go raise some funds and build a mosque and a synagogue like the Christians did to build a chapel”? Why was the solution “Let’s change the Christian chapel to a non-denominational worship space”?
Oh well ... he learned that Virginia isn’t Massachusetts or California.
Take a hike weasel!
I think this is the guy that set John Edwards up with the “poverty center” at UNC-CH
Thanks for posting. The university’s termination of this little whiner gives us some hope for higher education, and I will keep this place in mind when my kids apply to school.
Thanks for the info. I still don't believe that even a public university (which is largely paid for with tuition) is subjected to all of the limitations we citizens have placed on our government. Governments coerce citizens to obey the rules with the threat of jail. Public universities can't make that threat.
Conversely, it does give the taxpayers a say in what happens and what taxpayer money is used for. In this case the W&M BOT was called up to the Virginia legislature and asked to explain themselves. I used to be a professor at a large land grant university. Believe me, the state legislature gets into every aspect of university operations.
No, that's our job, here at UVA. After all, Jefferson is the "Father of the University of Virginia" (per the words inscribed on gravestone at Monticello).
Supposed rivalry aside, WM is a great school. My sister transferred from UVA last fall and absolutely loves it at WM. I'm happy to hear that Nichol is gone. Hopefully the next president will focus on more practical matters, like dealing with WM's understaffed Financial Aid office and remedying the on-campus housing shortage.
The main street in Williamsburg is called Duke of Gloucester Street. The College is at the west end of the street. And yes, it is a lovely walk in the late afternoon.
Thanks much for the ping. And thank you GOD! :) After reading this slimeball’s letter, I am convinced that he is a man of the same sincerity of one who tries to convince others that aborting children is for the good of those children.
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