Two thoughts on Board of Trustee candidates:
First, the Peegs buddy - Eric P. - wow - no thank you. What a waste of a candidacy. I'm sure his intentions are good, but his bio/information page shared on the BoT voting page are just silly. No way would I want to entrust him with legitimate responsibility. I know he thinks he's funny, and he kind of is about 1/3 of the time, but he should not be on the BoT.
Second, here's a bio and a piece of it that caught my eye : Margaret Menge. At first, I was ok, this is interesting - refocus on academics, hire more scholars, make IU an excellent (much better than today) academic institution. OK. I'm listening. Then, she nailed it with the following info:
"Overall, I’d like the board to set a different tone for IU. We shouldn’t tolerate a university climate in which professors, students and staff tread lightly, afraid of running afoul of other students or staff – so afraid that the pursuit of truth is cut short, questions are neither asked nor answered, and lively discussions in the classroom and in dorms never take place.
Specifically, I’d like to see the university embrace the principles articulated in what’s become known as the Chicago Statement on Free Speech. This document was produced by a faculty committee that was appointed by the president of the university in 2014 following a tumultuous year in which speakers were roundly shouted down on campuses across the country.
More than 70 universities, including Princeton and Ball State, have since signed on to the principles in the Chicago Statement and have issued statements of their own, letting all faculty, staff and students know that the answer to speech we don’t like isn’t harassment or bullying: It’s more speech."
Damn - do we need this dose of reality on our Board of Trustees. I scanned the other candidates, and well - OK - there's a few that look capable - but man, did I vote immediately for Margaret Menge! I know some will disagree, and others will support my choice. Isn't that a great thing - debate and agree or disagree? Go Margaret... help get us back to that kind of culture, and not the woke world of canceling those you disagree with that we're seeing today.
Link : https://alumni.iu.edu/events/trustee-election/biographies/margaret-menge.html
First, the Peegs buddy - Eric P. - wow - no thank you. What a waste of a candidacy. I'm sure his intentions are good, but his bio/information page shared on the BoT voting page are just silly. No way would I want to entrust him with legitimate responsibility. I know he thinks he's funny, and he kind of is about 1/3 of the time, but he should not be on the BoT.
Second, here's a bio and a piece of it that caught my eye : Margaret Menge. At first, I was ok, this is interesting - refocus on academics, hire more scholars, make IU an excellent (much better than today) academic institution. OK. I'm listening. Then, she nailed it with the following info:
"Overall, I’d like the board to set a different tone for IU. We shouldn’t tolerate a university climate in which professors, students and staff tread lightly, afraid of running afoul of other students or staff – so afraid that the pursuit of truth is cut short, questions are neither asked nor answered, and lively discussions in the classroom and in dorms never take place.
Specifically, I’d like to see the university embrace the principles articulated in what’s become known as the Chicago Statement on Free Speech. This document was produced by a faculty committee that was appointed by the president of the university in 2014 following a tumultuous year in which speakers were roundly shouted down on campuses across the country.
More than 70 universities, including Princeton and Ball State, have since signed on to the principles in the Chicago Statement and have issued statements of their own, letting all faculty, staff and students know that the answer to speech we don’t like isn’t harassment or bullying: It’s more speech."
Damn - do we need this dose of reality on our Board of Trustees. I scanned the other candidates, and well - OK - there's a few that look capable - but man, did I vote immediately for Margaret Menge! I know some will disagree, and others will support my choice. Isn't that a great thing - debate and agree or disagree? Go Margaret... help get us back to that kind of culture, and not the woke world of canceling those you disagree with that we're seeing today.
Link : https://alumni.iu.edu/events/trustee-election/biographies/margaret-menge.html