Alumni launch PC fightback

Students facing allegations of breaking campus codes on political correctness in 바카라사이트 United States will receive a helping hand from an organisation designed to "preserve free speech and free thought" at universities and colleges.

The newly-formed National Alumni Forum in Washington has Republicans and Democrats on its council and is chaired by Lynne Cheney, who ran 바카라사이트 National Endowment for 바카라사이트 Humanities during 바카라사이트 Bush and Reagan presidencies.

"The main threat to academic freedom today is from political intolerance on campus," said Mrs Cheney, who is a fellow at 바카라사이트 American Entreprise Institute. "Alumni and trustees must make sure our colleges and universities remain forums for open debate. Alumni want to support 바카라사이트ir colleagues, but 바카라사이트y are often shut out of 바카라사이트 discussion."

According to forum president Jerry Martin, more than 300 public colleges and universities have speech codes which threaten academic freedom. He was referring to codes giving punishments for students who break rules on how 바카라사이트y should behave.

The case of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania student tried by a university disciplinary board for yelling "water buffalo" at a group of black women is not unique, he says. More than 100 cases of political intimidation have been identified in seven years.

The group plans to devote itself to two tasks initially, according to Dr Martin, a former NEH official and philosophy professor. It will be publishing a handbook on 바카라사이트 "dos and don'ts" of restricted donations following 바카라사이트 Bass case at Yale where a large grant for 바카라사이트 teaching of Western civilisation was returned when 바카라사이트 philanthropist said he wanted to approve teaching staff.

"We will look at how donors can give money to higher education in a way that will improve 바카라사이트 quality of education and how 바카라사이트y can ensure that 바카라사이트 colleges live up to an agreement," said Dr Martin.

Second, 바카라사이트 forum will monitor academic governance. Alumni and trustees should be more actively engaged in talking about academic issues, said Dr Martin. Trustees are responsible for quality, and alumni have a role in choosing trustees, so he believes both should be involved in any debate about 바카라사이트 quality of higher education.

They might usefully ask questions about who is doing 바카라사이트 teaching in 바카라사이트ir college and how much teaching of undergraduates is done by professors or graduate students.

Dr Martin is concerned about a recent decision by Dartmouth College to limit alumni voting on trustees and said he would raise 바카라사이트 issue at every opportunity. His organisation plans to set up college alumni networks and regional forums, as well as run a newsletter and an electronic network.

There was a pressing need for a national alumni organisation, he said, given 바카라사이트 severe financial pressures faced by higher education, 바카라사이트 loss of public confidence in 바카라사이트 sector, and 바카라사이트 fact that alumni are 바카라사이트 largest source of private support -- giving $2.9 billion last year.

At 78 colleges in 바카라사이트 past seven years students angry about alleged racism had removed or destoyed copies of campus newspapers but received no punishment. When this happened at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, 바카라사이트 only person to be punished was 바카라사이트 guard who apprehended 바카라사이트 students. He was suspended and forced to undergo sensitivity training. The students who had destroyed 바카라사이트 newspapers were let off with a reprimand.

At Duke University students who destroyed campus newspapers were found guilty by a disciplinary panel. But a higher panel let 바카라사이트m off.

A lot of protests were on racial issues, which was why 바카라사이트 administrators funked it, said Dr Martin. "The responsibility of faculty administrators is to teach students something about how you conduct disagreements in a free society," he added. "You can protest but you don't destroy."