The Academic Left at Work
By Marion Edwyn Harrison (04/20/07)
Somewhat Sophomoric Humor Leads to the Political-Correctness Executioner
The University of Rhode Island, a public - that is, mostly taxpayer-financed - institution, through its Student Senate, recognizes, declines to recognize and/or withdraws the recognition of, student groups. Collegiate or university recognition of a student group has become the prevalent practice while in bygone years many, probably most, such groups without formal recognition could include the name of the school in their name and/or function on campus. The University of Rhode Island is a true university - that is, a college and various graduate and professional schools, all accredited; as distinguished from the growing plethora of schools, Internet activities and virtual schools which style themselves a “university” when, in the proper and traditional sense, they are not even a college. (One in Washington, D. C. comes to mind: For decades it was The [such-and-such] School for Secretaries; now it has elevated itself to The [such-and-such] University.)
Young Democratic and Young Republican Clubs have existed in colleges and universities for decades. They often incorporate the school’s name in their name and usually function on campus. Thus, when I was a college student we had the University of Virginia Young Republican Club. Later I was President of the Young Republican Federation of Virginia. Neither had a formal connection with, or formally was recognized by, the University of Virginia or the Commonwealth/State of Virginia. Therefore, neither had to be concerned about possible censorship had a faculty or State authority sought to censor (as none did).
How times have changed! Student groups more and more are - indeed, usually must be - recognized by the school if they are to use the name, meet on the campus or grounds or otherwise “belong.” This often leads to guidance and/or interference, sometimes objectively warranted, sometimes not. More and more it also leads to liberal faculty interference as academe becomes - alas, has become - preponderantly liberal.
A recent example has arisen at the University of Rhode Island. The Young Republicans advertised an obviously satirical nominal scholarship for a “White, Heterosexual, American Male.” While one readily could criticize the attempted satire as at best sophomoric, at worst offensive, and in no way politically clever, it does implicate a First Amendment free-speech right.
However, the Student Senate, perhaps influenced in part by real or sublimal faculty liberalism, has chosen to demand an apology from, or, alternatively, to withdraw recognition of, the Young Republican Club. The University President, mindful of the First Amendment, has directed - thus far unsuccessfully - the Student Senate to back off. Leave aside the question of why one student organization, even though its membership be elected, should have authority over another. To what extent will the Faculty, doubtless preponderantly liberal as are most, support the President and the free-speech rights of the Young Republicans?
In view of the fact that billions of Federal and State taxpayers’ dollars go to universities and colleges, to what extent does the State of Rhode Island or the United States Department of Education take note of enforced political correctness in higher education? Judging from the perspective of my own experience in lecturing to law students at various universities and as president of my own law-school alumni, I suspect the answer is very proximate to, or just plain, zilch. Perhaps Federal and State authorities should keep away. In any event, as those portions of faculties interested in culture and/or politics become more liberal and activist, traditional or conservative students and faculty will continue to become respondents to accusations or persecutions from the politically correct.
At least the Rhode Island Faculty, so far as we know, has not intervened, much less written a letter as indefensible and reprehensible as that of 88 Duke University Faculty members, who, without waiting for the full evidence, condemned three students for crimes never committed (and for which letter the signatories, upon information and belief, have not apologized). If an institution as distinguished and academically proficient as Duke (from which two of my family graduated) can tolerate such leftist activism, one truly must search far and wide for faculties which comprise only a handful of extremists.
Marion Edwyn Harrison is President of, and Counsel to, the Free Congress Foundation
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