Bill Ayers denied emeritus status

[vaskidmark]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-ayers-denied-emeritus-20100923,0,5045265.story

University of Illinois Board of Trustees Chairman Christopher Kennedy (son of late Sen. Robert Kennedy) stated

"I am guided by my conscience and one which has been formed by a series of experiences, many of which have been shared with the people of our country and mark each of us in a profound way."

He said he could not confer the title "to a man whose body of work includes a book dedicated in part to the man who murdered my father."

So it's got nothing to do with Bill Ayers and the rest of his body of work.  It's all personal and about a book dedicated to Sirhan Sirhan.

(and by the way, isn't the phrasing usually, when applied to someone such as Ayers, "a piece of work"?)

stay safe.

ETA:  A bit more explanation  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/u-of-ill-denies-william-ayers-emeritus-status/

Apparently Chairman Kennedy's speech convinced the other Board of Trustees members to either vote NO or abstain.

In any case, I'm for the end result.

[RoadKingLarry]

(and by the way, isn't the phrasing usually, when applied to someone such as Ayers, "a piece of excrement"?)

FIFY

[dm1333]

It's all personal and about a book dedicated to Sirhan Sirhan.

It is personal, would you expect anything different from anybody else in this same situation?

[roo_ster]

It is personal, would you expect anything different from anybody else in this same situation?

I dunno, maybe also a more generalist condemnation of terrorism, terrorists, marxists, and unrepentant scum like Ayers?

[AJ Dual]

I was rather upset to read that Ayers had been denied.

Then I looked up the definition of "emeritus status" and learned it DOES NOT mean ".45 caliber hole in the skull." So at least I wasn't quite as upset as I was before.

[vaskidmark]

It is personal, would you expect anything different from anybody else in this same situation?

As a matter of fact, as the Chairman of the University's Board of Trustees I would expect a whole heck of a lot different.

Mr. Kennedy wears at least two hats here - one personal and one business.  His personal hat has no place in the decision-making process until and unless he announces that he is speaking on a personal basis and not as the Chair or member of the Board.  And even then, his personal opinion should not have any influence on the other members of the Board who were elected/appointed/annointed to conduct/advise/direct the business of the University.

Whether or not I agree with his personal opinion, I expect him to conduct the business of the University based on what is best for the University, not how he personally feels about a fetid piece of excrement.  I am pleased to announce that I agree with the decision that raising Ayers to the position of emeritus would not be in the best interests of the University, its mission, or the students, faculty and staff.  But my personal opinion should have as much influence as Mr. Kennedy's - none at all.

stay safe.

[Perd Hapley]

A quotation from the first article:

Barbara Ransby, a professor of history and African-American studies, wrote in an e-mail response to the Tribune...."It is a real threat to academic freedom, and the foundation of a democratic university, when we begin to make professional and institutional decisions based on personal or political sentiments, however strongly felt they may be,"

blown to bits by a quotation from the second article. 

“There is nothing more antithetical to the hopes for a university that is lively and yet civil, or to the hopes of our founding fathers for their great experiment of a self-governing people, than to permanently seal off debate with one’s opponents by killing them,” Kennedy said. “There can be no place in a democracy to celebrate political assassinations or to honor those who do so.”

[grampster]

Methinks Fellow Traveler Ayers reaped as he sowed.  I have always believed that what goes around comes around. This is a classic example of it. 

For those who think Mr. Kennedy abrogated his responsibility, I, on the other hand, see the irony of the smack down of Ayers.  Ayers gets exactly the wages due from his efforts, in a manner perhaps, as unreasonable or as unjustifiable as the actions he took that resulted, in the end, wound up as looking the gift horse in the mouth.

[Perd Hapley]

Methinks Fellow Traveler Ayers reaped as he sowed.  I have always believed that what goes around comes around. This is a classic example of it. 

He was terrorized? 

[grampster]

If he is not terrorized, he must be at least askeered.

Actually, someone in his position being denied his propers, might just believe it is terrorism.

[Perd Hapley]

If he is not terrorized, he must be at least askeered.

Actually, someone in his position being denied his propers, might just believe it is terrorism.

Are you saying the U of I board behaved stupidly?    Time for a beer summit.

[grampster]

Beer, beer, beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[grampster]

I was just thinking...Bill Ayers scruffy hair, disheveled clothing and dual hoops in his ears may have been cool in the late 60's and early seventies.  Now he just looks stupid...really, really stupid.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Sign of the times.  In other eras and other places, a guy like Bill Ayers would be admired in academia.  Now, not so much.

That's progress.

[TommyGunn]

Why this aging thug was ever associated with or employed by any university from the start is a mystery to me.


Well, maybe not really, given how far "LEFT" some in acadame have gone .... but .... 

[sanglant]

because there is a group of people in America who's only goal is to destroy there own country, yeah it's hard to swallow but the sooner people start realizing it the sooner it can be stopped.

[dm1333]

I agree with a lot of what is being said here, especially by vaskidmark and roo_ster, but I have no issues with Christopher Kennedys decision.  Maybe he should have recused himself in this case, but I can't fault him for being human.

I was just thinking...Bill Ayers scruffy hair, disheveled clothing and dual hoops in his ears may have been cool in the late 60's and early seventies.  Now he just looks stupid...really, really stupid.

Grampster,

You should stay out of my area of northern California, nothing but old gray pony tails, granny glasses and earings up here.  By the time I am done with this tour here I'll have lived 8 years in NORCAL, I think that is going to be enough! 

[230RN]

Mr. Kennedy wears at least two hats here - one personal and one business.  His personal hat has no place in the decision-making process until and unless he announces that he is speaking on a personal basis and not as the Chair or member of the Board.  And even then, his personal opinion should not have any influence on the other members of the Board who were elected/appointed/annointed to conduct/advise/direct the business of the University.

Why not?  Judges do it all the time.


Well, don't they?

[Perd Hapley]

It's been at the back of my mind, and I'm wondering why the U of I kept him around for twenty-some years, only to stab him in the back at this juncture.  Since Kennedy only recently joined the board, it's entirely possible that he has always felt this way about Ayers.  But what about the others?  Were they also just waiting for a chance to distance themselves from Ayers?  Maybe the election-year controversy over Ayers brought things to light about him that they had not known, had forgotten, or had ignored?

[vaskidmark]

Doubt if election-year anything had anything to do with the ultimate decision.  The positions are usually political appointments so low down on the patronage charts, and usually have an almost-lifetime tenure, that changes in the governor's seat do not effect current members - just new appointees.

Ayers came up for emeritus consideration in due course of time.  That his timing coincided with the appearance of Kennedy on the Board was just his karma.

That Kennedy declared him unfit for the honor was right and proper.  It's just that Kennedy took a personal stance on the lifetime achievements of a being who should not sully dog poo by being used to blot it off the street (IMHO).  Had Kennedy said that instead of "This man hated my relative" I would be applauding his decision to vote against emeritus status.

The reasons of the other members for voting "No" were not provided.  One can assume they were influenced by Kennedy's personal animus or by conscience or by right thinking all one wants to.

stay safe.

[Perd Hapley]

Doubt if election-year anything had anything to do with the ultimate decision. 

I referred to the controversy about Ayers in 2008. Most people hadn't heard of him before then. I could imagine a lot of his colleagues did not know about his past, or at least some of the darker details.

[brimic]

   
Bill Ayers denied emeritus status

He should have been denied 'oxygen consumer' status- a long time ago.

[Lee]

That's golden!   

I was rather upset to read that Ayers had been denied.

Then I looked up the definition of "emeritus status" and learned it DOES NOT mean ".45 caliber hole in the skull." So at least I wasn't quite as upset as I was before.