"If there are Republicans powerful enough to scotch the hiring of a well-known liberal dean...

[DeepModem Mom]

we need to know who they are..."

LAT: 'Fess up, Chancellor Drake
The climate for free speech will remain chilled, and the political atmosphere poisonous, for as long as we don't know why the UC Irvine leader unhired Erwin Chemerinsky in the first place.
September 18, 2007

So, all's well that ends well, right? Not so fast.

UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake — who hired well-known law professor and commentator Erwin Chemerinsky to be the founding dean of his new law school on Aug. 16, unhired him on Sept. 11 for opaque reasons connected to Chemerinsky's political speech, then announced his rehiring Sept. 17 — wants to "put recent events behind us." I'll bet. It's not every week that 695 of your employees accuse you of attacking "the integrity, reputation, and morale of faculty, staff and students alike," or that respected law professors from across the political spectrum call you "disgraceful" and worse.

But even though Chemerinsky has now been hired back, the story is far from over as far as public interest is concerned, for at least two reasons:

1) We still don't know why Drake fired his new law dean in the first place. This would be a mere personnel mystery, if it weren't for the fact that...

2) Drake, while never giving a sensible reason for the dismissal, did tell people that it had to do with the content of Chemerinsky's political speech (specifically an Aug. 16 Op-Ed in the L.A. Times), and to the "pressure" and "opposition" he was receiving from unnamed Republicans. If an Op-Ed can truly get an academic — even an administrator — fired, then that's a data point about the erosion of our free-speech climate that we deserve to know about.

And if indeed there are Republicans powerful enough to scotch the hiring of a well-known liberal dean, we need to know who they are, and how exactly they wield their power, so that we can prepare ourselves for next time, or take measures to reduce improper influence.

And perhaps most relevantly, if a chancellor is just using the chimera of powerful Republicans to justify his own sloppy handling of a personnel decision, we need to know that too, because we're paying his salary....

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-welch18sep18,0,6217945.story?coll=la-home-commentary

[Richard Steele]

1. K&R

[babylonsister]

2. Here's a related article:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x308070

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Thanks! Frightening: "outside forces whom he did not identify." nt

[babylonsister]

4. The good news is, he has been reinstated. Bizarre-here's another link:

(to a link:D )

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1826931

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Interesting. He DOES sound reassured.... nt

[kurth]

5. Nah, what we've got here is failure to communicate

"Let me say that we had — and I'll let Erwin respond after I finish talking — but we had an in-depth conversation about our working relationship going forward in creating this new law school. And that it was a conversation that was highlighted by all of the areas of disagreement — Freudian slip — all the areas of agreement and excitement that we had together. And there are a few areas that needed to be adjusted or tuned but, as I said, our agreements were overwhelming, and we were able to resolve any areas of miscommunication." blah blah

[cascadiance]

6. I would expect Jon Elliott to talk about this tonight on his show...

He talked at length about the initial firing a week ago with Marjorie Cohn, and has talked to Mr. Chemerinsky in the past on his show. Might be interesting to tune into.

[babylonsister]

9. Stewart? was a repeat, there's a new show tomorrow with Greenspan. nt

[HughMoran]

8. I want to know who these people are

These people are dangerous and we need to keep an eye on them.

[Neecy]

13. let's see...

I think this would be a fairly good guess.


http://www.commondreams.org/views01/1213-05.htm

[Hissyspit]

10. Academics should be writing MORE op/ed pieces.

Especially over the past 7 years.

This chilled academic freedom environment is disgusting.

And administrators wonder why they have a bad name and can't get the faculty to do what they want them to do.

[BrotherBuzz]

11. The same republicans are powerful enough to allow the logic challenged John Yoo

to be hired at Bolt up at UCB.

I want names, too.

[whoneedstickets]

12. Follow the Money....$$$

Money talks in Higher ed these days. Find the wealthy alumni group with an agenda and you have your culprits.

[Cha]

15. Good advice..isn't that

always the way?

[enid602]

14. maybe

Maybe the same folks stung an Idaho Senator and a Florida Assistant Attorney General?