HAY GUYS REMEMBER ACADEMIC FREEDOM?

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UCI UNHIRES LIBERAL LAW SCHOOL DEANThe Chancellor thought the Regents would block it, so he said, and that the fight would somehow tarnish the new law school. Chancellor Drake, that's your job. You are supposed to argue with the Regents on behalf of UCI. What is it, exactly, that you DO here

Comments

[godforesaken]

surely there is a more mediocre candidate out there. congrats, chapman.

here's the official word (from http://www.chancellor.uci.edu/)

Dear Colleagues:

Over the past several months, UC Irvine has been conducting a
nationwide search for the founding dean of our school of law. Last
week, we made an offer to Duke Professor Erwin Chemerinsky, an
eminent academician, legal scholar and commentator. The offer was
contingent on approval of the UC Regents, which we expected next
week.

I subsequently made the very difficult decision that Professor
Chemerinsky was not the right fit for the dean's position at UC
Irvine. I informed him on Sept. 11 that we were rescinding our offer
and continuing the recruitment process. This matter has been the
subject of extensive media coverage over the last 24 hours, much of
which has been characterized by conjecture and hearsay.

I made a management decision - not an ideological, political or
personal one - to rescind Professor Chemerinsky's offer. The decision
was mine and mine alone. It was not based on donor pressure or
political pressure; it was based on a culmination of discussions -
over a period of time - that convinced me we could not effectively
partner to build a world-class law school at UC Irvine. That is my
overarching priority.

My decision was absolutely not based on Professor Chemerinsky's
political views; they are, in fact, quite similar to my own. Nor was
this a matter of "academic freedom." UC Irvine - and I personally -
staunchly support and defend freedom of speech and the expression of
a wide range of viewpoints on our campus; nowhere is this more
important than at a public university. In fact, there are individuals
here with political views far more liberal than Professor
Chemerinsky's who conduct research, teach and serve in senior
administrative positions.

Independent thinking and autonomy are essential qualities that we
seek in our law school dean. As academic leaders in guiding roles,
however, we must also strive for a level of objectivity and balance
that will inspire open discussion and empower our students to be
courageous in seeking the truth. And we must ensure that our broader
goals are not overshadowed by issues, personalities and polarization.
My priority is the long-term success of our law school and this truth
was fundamental to my decision.

I am confident that our search process will ultimately result in the
appointment of a founding dean who will work with my colleagues and
me to achieve our vision for the law school. I will keep you updated
as the recruitment process evolves.

Michael V. Drake, M.D.
Chancellor

christ, what an asshole

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The fact that he has to use "partner" as a verb while explaining his cowardice and treachery is... telling.

Also: I used to work with someone named Wampler.