administration

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When the University President Endorses the “Indoctrination” Narrative (multiple updates)

For some reason, Renu Khator, the longtime president of the University of Houston and chancellor of the University of Houston System, has felt the need to remind her faculty that “our responsibility is to give the ability to form their own opinions, not force a particular one on them. Our guiding principle is to teach them, not indoctrinate them.” (more…)

Latest Surprise Firing at Australian Catholic University

In the latest of a series of actions that appear to be an attempt prove itself an employer of last resort, Australian Catholic University (ACU) has fired philosopher Stephen Finlay, the former director of its Dianoia Institute, which it abruptly shut down last year, despite the fact that it announced at the time that Finlay would have a position in its Institute for..

A Christian University’s Unchristian Treatment of a Tenured Philosophy Professor

A tenured associate professor of philosophy who had received ratings of “excellent” in her annual reviews each year for the past decade, whose classes are always full or overloaded, who teaches extra courses, and who gets great student reviews in those courses, has been fired. (more…)

How Is Your Administration Spying on You?

The administration at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has been secretly video-recording at least one of its professor’s courses. (more…)

Dear University President, You Could Run Out the Clock

“It’s been shocking how impoverished, craven, and imprudent the leadership of the Anglophone’s wealthiest and flagship universities have been this past year.” (more…)

The Demand for Philosophers

Last week I was part of a panel invited to discuss “The State of Philosophy: Challenges, Threats, and Strategies” at the Eastern Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association (APA). (more…)

Speech, Campuses, Antisemitism (guest post)

“If we don’t resort to censorship, we need to think more about the responsibilities of all actors involved with this difficult speech… This suggests an important role for colleges: helping students to exercise these responsibilities rather than simply trying to control them through speech codes.” (more…)

That’s Not How Layoffs/Redundancies Work, Sussex

The University of Sussex is reportedly attempting to lay off a philosophy lecturer while at the same time advertising a new position to teach the very same courses he does. (more…)

A Philosopher’s Role in the Texas A&M Debacle (updated)

Texas A&M University will be paying Kathleen McElroy $1 million as part of legal settlement over the university’s botched efforts at trying to hire her, and then trying to not hire her. (more…)

Philosopher Ann Cudd to Lead Portland State University

Ann Cudd, currently Provost, Senior Vice Chancellor, and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh, has been named the next President of Portland State University. (more…)

Blended and Independent Departments of Philosophy

Some universities and colleges have departments just for philosophy (“independent” departments), while others have departments that include philosophy and other disciplines, such as “philosophy and religious studies” or “philosophy and history,” or “humanities” (“blended” departments). (more…)

Potemkin U. (guest post)

“We are mired in inevitably betraying and ignoble practices, obliged to pay mindless obeisance to useless cant or to perform pantomimes of actually important values made ridiculous through endless, unanswered repetition…”

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What a Cancellation Looks Like (guest post)

“Most readers will find what happened to this professor horrifying and wrong…” (more…)

Save Philosophy at Bloomsburg

“In its desperate need to scapegoat something other than its own misadventures overbuilding, over-spending on everything but education… BU finds itself unable to fulfill its central mission: educational opportunity across that wide swath of disciplines that define a university.” (more…)

Letter Protesting Midwestern State University’s Treatment of Nathan Jun (updated)

There’s currently an effort underway to gather signatures for a letter in support of philosopher Nathan Jun, who resigned from his tenured professorship at Midwestern State University following the university’s maltreatment of him in regard to freedom of speech and medical-related issues. (more…)

University to Faculty Concerned about Covid: “Beg”

“We are discouraged from “sharing Covid data that is not related to the course.” Presumably, nattering on about the state’s overburdened hospitals, worn-down physicians, and increasing death counts might constitute “pressure,” and faculty “should not pressure students to get vaccinated or wear a mask.” The most we can do is “encourage.” In practice, these guidelines..

Concerns about Institutional Credit for Public Philosophy

When it comes to professional advancement, such as tenure and promotion, more and more philosophy departments are giving faculty credit for public philosophy—usually as service, but sometimes, depending on its form, as research or teaching. Does this institutionalizing of public philosophy come with problems? (more…)

University of Dallas Names Philosopher as Next President

The Board of Trustees of the University of Dallas, a Catholic university in Texas, has announced that philosopher Jonathan J. Sanford will be the school’s next president. (more…)

Notre Dame President and Philosopher Contracts COVID-19 after White House Visit

John Jenkins, president of the University of Notre Dame and member of the univerity’s Department of Philosophy, has contracted COVID-19 after visiting the White House at the end of last month for the ceremony announcing the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. (more…)

Philosophers On Reopening Colleges and Universities in a Pandemic

Six philosophers discuss various issues related to the operation of institutions of higher education this fall, in this edition of Philosophers On, guest edited by Lisa Fuller. (more…)