MOVING TO FRONT FROM OCT. 30--SOME NEW INFO IN THE COMMENTS
What a disaster. (Those who didn't read the relevant posts by Chris Pynes last week might take a look.)
(Thanks to Jonathan Kramnick and David Sackris for the pointer.)
UPDATE: From a knowledgeable source (not a philosophy faculty member):
[The story] does not mention that a number of the faculty who are being fired have tenure (including -- I believe but am not certain -- a philosopher, and including some who have been at the school for decades).
The context for this story is troubling. The new president of the university started this past August. Today's announcement must have been in the works for weeks, at minimum; there's simply no way the president could come in and make a good faith effort at preserving faculty or departments before turning to the task of preparing to fire so many people. It's entirely plausible that he was brought in specifically to gut various departments. He claims the university is struggling financially and needs to cut costs. I'm not a member of the Rider chapter of the AAUP, but my understanding is that they disagree with that assessment. Although time is short, I'm sure the union will attempt to push back. I circulate this story in part because expressions of support from like-minded faculty at other institutions may help roll back these changes.
Comments are open for more information, details, ideas.
