Spring Break
The Daily OrangeThe blog that bites: Popular philosophy professor attacks chancellor's diversity policies through personal Web site
By Eddie Jacovino
Posted: 8/31/07, 12:35 AM EST Section: News
One professor will probably cringe the next time he hears Chancellor Nancy Cantor herald her efforts to diversify the campus.
If it really bothers him, he'll go home and publish an essay on the Internet, criticizing her policies and the direction he thinks Cantor is taking Syracuse University.
That professor is Laurence Thomas, known for his eccentric and often unorthodox energy while lecturing on ethics and value theory in Philosophy 191, one of the most popular classes on campus since he came to SU in 1990. Thomas also maintains a Web log at www.moralhealth.com, where he criticized Cantor twice in the past week and a handful of other times in the last two years.
"If I write about something, it's about something that moves me," Thomas said in an interview. "I don't like the chancellor's policy on diversity. Some people like it; I don't."
In a post just before the end of the spring semester, he argued that Cantor promotes diversity just for diversity's sake. Thomas asked: If there's a lack of intellectual excellence, what difference does it make whether those involved are diverse or not?
On Tuesday, Thomas noted the difference between a university having a diverse population that interacts and one in which students separate into racial and ethnic groups. He says the latter is the case at SU.
Cantor denied many of Thomas' claims and said she never spoke with him about his public opposition. She said she was not aware of the blog and didn't read it until The Daily Orange gave her the Web address earlier this week.
James Duah-Agyeman, SU's director of multicultural affairs and chief diversity officer, would not comment before this story was published. He said he will craft a response to Thomas' arguments in the coming week.
By publicly criticizing Cantor and the university, the philosophy professor not only opens for debate his own arguments, but the faculty's ability to criticize the administration - which was precisely the topic of Thomas' entry posted on Aug. 24.
If it really bothers him, he'll go home and publish an essay on the Internet, criticizing her policies and the direction he thinks Cantor is taking Syracuse University.
That professor is Laurence Thomas, known for his eccentric and often unorthodox energy while lecturing on ethics and value theory in Philosophy 191, one of the most popular classes on campus since he came to SU in 1990. Thomas also maintains a Web log at www.moralhealth.com, where he criticized Cantor twice in the past week and a handful of other times in the last two years.
"If I write about something, it's about something that moves me," Thomas said in an interview. "I don't like the chancellor's policy on diversity. Some people like it; I don't."
In a post just before the end of the spring semester, he argued that Cantor promotes diversity just for diversity's sake. Thomas asked: If there's a lack of intellectual excellence, what difference does it make whether those involved are diverse or not?
On Tuesday, Thomas noted the difference between a university having a diverse population that interacts and one in which students separate into racial and ethnic groups. He says the latter is the case at SU.
Cantor denied many of Thomas' claims and said she never spoke with him about his public opposition. She said she was not aware of the blog and didn't read it until The Daily Orange gave her the Web address earlier this week.
James Duah-Agyeman, SU's director of multicultural affairs and chief diversity officer, would not comment before this story was published. He said he will craft a response to Thomas' arguments in the coming week.
By publicly criticizing Cantor and the university, the philosophy professor not only opens for debate his own arguments, but the faculty's ability to criticize the administration - which was precisely the topic of Thomas' entry posted on Aug. 24.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Michael
posted 8/31/07 @ 12:06 PM EST
Is this a news article or an editorial?
Post a Comment