Chicago Tribune on Finkelstein
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> Doug Henwood quoted:
> >
> > According to the norms of academia, a professor denied tenure has the
> > right to a final year of teaching at the university that turns him
> > down. The watchdog of those rights is the American Association of
> > University Professors, the umbrella organization of college teachers,
> > which can censure a school found in violation of its ground rules.
> > Such a finding also can be the preliminary to a lawsuit against the
> > university by the faculty member.
> >
> >
> This "norm" surprised me: at every college or university I'm familiar
> with, if you don't get tenure in the Spring, you're gone. You don't get
> a "lame duck" year. Is this lame duck year common?
> >
> > Finkelstein said that, rather than filing a lawsuit, he intends to
> > fight the university's action with a hunger strike, and the attendant
> > publicity.
> >
> > "In the court of public opinion, I can win," Finkelstein said. "I
> > say: 'Let the people judge.'"
> >
>
> As much as I disagree with DePaul's tenure decision, I just can't
> support Finkelstein here. Academics shouldn't earn tenure via political
> theater.
>
> Miles
>
Ignacio Chapela got it that way, although he really has a sense of style. It also helps to be really smart and have the rules on your side. I have heard of situations where people who were right on the line had a decision reversed by putting up a fuss - it's not that rare.
His undergraduate teaching is especially good - he can get a 200 person lecture course engaged and interacting, having them report international news, and suggesting books. Chapela used to work at Novartis in Swizerland
After his tenure was essentially blocked by Jasper Rines, who has a large stake in an agricultural genetics company, he did outdoor teaching. Right before they gave him tenure, he had a two week demonstration where each evening people dressed their bicycles in streamers and we rode in circles around a large building nicknamed the 'molecular foundry' to draw attention to the role of private money in academia, and he brought in guests to give little talks, and even did a community slide show projected on that building. The last day of finals, the chancellor sent a note giving him tenure. In his situation, the process strongly favored him getting tenure because his department was nearly unanimous (his pubs were slightly sparse), and just this outside member in a key position blocked it despite conflict of interest.
Down the road this week, there is some theater by nonstudents that's sort of fun. They've been up there for 10 months: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/29/18444711.php
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