Draw a Larger Circle Yale
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The Professor, the Donors and a Clash at Yale
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To the Editor:
Re "At Yale, a Historic Program on Power Gets a Lesson in Politics" (front end page, Oct. ane):
As a historian, a high school instructor and a Yale alumna, I was dismayed to read that Yale seems to have bowed to donor pressure on the curriculum of its Brady-Johnson Program in M Strategy.
I am grateful to Prof. Beverly Cuff for continuing up for academic liberty, scholarly integrity and a commitment to excellent, unbought instruction — values foundational to the education I received as an undergraduate and graduate educatee in history at Yale.
Peter Salovey, the president of Yale, has since asserted in a statement to the faculty "Yale's unwavering commitment to academic freedom." While this is far amend than a Yale administrator's earlier dismissive statement you quoted, suggesting that an outside advisory board dominated by donor-selected members was just not Professor Gage's "cup of tea," Mr. Salovey's broad generalizations seem to say the right things while falling short of offering explicit assurance of how he will right the violations of bookish freedom Professor Cuff had to fence with, and ensure that "free inquiry and academic liberty" are not, in fact, for auction.
As a former pupil of hers, I know that Professor Gage is a generous and inspired instructor, a vivid scholar, and committed to a variety of voices and idea in Yale classrooms. The critical questions she raises deserve better from a schoolhouse whose aspirational motto is "lite and truth."
Emily Pressman
Middletown, Del.
To the Editor:
Universities that accept donations for academic programs should non exist surprised when the donors' worldview inevitably collides with academic freedom.
The Grand Strategy plan itself is antithetical to today's diversity politics. Yale is naïve in wanting to take it both ways: take a $17.5 1000000 endowment from two Republicans so mold One thousand Strategy to fit leftist, progressive ideals.
A truly independent plan cannot be underwritten by outside interests.
Betty J. Cotter
Shannock, R.I.
To the Editor:
Prof. Beverly Gage has resigned as manager of the famed Thousand Strategy program at Yale, challenge political interference from donors to the program. One thousand Strategy had traditionally centered on high-level policymakers and their theories of statecraft. Ms. Gage paid more attention to domestic social movements, and some donors objected.
While such movements have some influence on foreign policy, they get much more attending in domestic policy, where Congress listens much more to interests outside government — as information technology is doing in the current struggles over the Biden agenda.
In national security, yet, policymaking is tightly centralized. Presidents dominate, and they tin usually human activity with input from simply a handful of cabinet secretaries and White House staff.
Stance Debate Will the Democrats confront a midterm wipeout?
- Mark Penn and Andrew Stein write that "but a broader course correction to the centre volition requite Democrats a fighting run a risk in 2022" and across.
- Kyle Kondik asks how likely a Autonomous comeback volition be in an election year where the odds, and history, are non in their favor.
- Christopher Caldwell writes that a recent poll shows the depths of the party'due south troubles, and that "Democrats accept been led astray by their Trump obsession."
- Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fright that Democrats confront electoral ending unless they shift their messaging.
Then Professor Gage has a point, merely in seeking to broaden the Yale course, she is up confronting the elitist nature of foreign policy.
Lawrence M. Mead
New York
The author is a professor of politics at New York University.
Kyrsten Sinema's 'Self-Indulgence' and 'Shenanigans'
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To the Editor:
Re "Sinema Stars in Her Own Film," by Maureen Dowd (column, Oct. 3):
The self-indulgence of Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona goes beyond inscrutability; information technology's a form of narcissism that is destructive not just to her, but also to her constituents, the Democratic Party and the well-being of the nation every bit a whole.
Her shenanigans increase the likelihood of depriving the Democrats next year of command of the Business firm and the Senate. If the latter occurs, hopefully she will conduct herself more responsibly as a member of the minority than she has while holding the residual in the slender majority.
Marshall H. Tanick
Minneapolis
To the Editor:
If Maureen Dowd thinks that Senator Kyrsten Sinema'southward behavior is "disquieting," she should see information technology from here, the state Ms. Sinema purportedly represents, by people similar me and my family unit, who campaigned for her, wrote messages on her behalf seeking donations and planted big bright signs with her name emblazoned on them.
It might brand a charming and interesting story within the Beltway to write most her unpredictable behavior and apparel choices, nigh someone who might be called a colorful iconoclast and just manifestly goofy, but from here it'southward nothing short of frightening and appalling.
What's most galling isn't her flamboyance, as distasteful and inappropriate as information technology sometimes has been. It's that much of what she's proverb and doing is in straight contrast to what she told u.s. she believes and would do while campaigning on issues ranging from the minimum wage to the filibuster.
Equally a retired journalist, I'one thousand especially angry that she refuses to practise interviews because it'due south part of her job to explain to constituents and the state what she's doing and why.
Greg Joseph
Sun City, Ariz.
Hazing and Attack on Campus
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To the Editor:
Re "Sexual Set on Accusations Sour More Students Against Fraternity Row" (news commodity, Oct. 2):
Kudos to the dauntless students who are finally demanding a alter from the social construction created by Greek organizations.
Your article details how students are taking a page from the Me Too move and Black Lives Matter, and demanding changes and the abolition of fraternities on campuses beyond the state. It is important to note that sororities have also been responsible for physical assaults and deaths of students.
As a psychologist and expert in hazing, I have seen corruption cases from all areas of Greek life at a variety of schools, including Ivy League institutions, state schools and historically Blackness colleges and universities.
Peer-on-peer violence, including sexual assault, occurs throughout Greek organizations, regardless of race, gender, location or class.
Students across the land no longer want to be held hostage by institutions that protect perpetrators who accept successfully hidden backside "a lawmaking of silence."
Susan Lipkins
Port Washington, North.Y.
The author is the author of "Preventing Hazing: How Parents, Teachers and Coaches Can Terminate the Violence, Harassment and Humiliation."
Bike Chaos in New York
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To the Editor:
Re "Europe's New Cycling Capital, or a Pedestrian'due south Nightmare?" (Paris Dispatch, Oct. three):
The chaos between cyclists and pedestrians in Paris is on display every day in New York City. Cyclists hither seem to take an attitude that they are environmentally "green" and that the rules of the route do not apply. To them, a red lite or a stop sign is something to ignore.
Many people I know believe that they are more likely to dice from being hit by a bicycle than from Covid or any other disease. Time for traffic control to do something well-nigh this ever increasing trouble.
Daphne Philipson
New York
Messi's Goal: A Reminder of 'Beauty and Magic in the World'
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To the Editor:
Re "Messi Is Worth Every Euro for P.S.G." (On Soccer column, Sept. 29):
With all of the bad news swirling effectually these days, what a ray of light Rory Smith gives u.s.a. with his portrait of that great artist known as Messi and his goal for the ages.
It's non just a snapshot of a moment in time on a soccer pitch, but as well a reminder that there's withal beauty and magic in the world, and that the humdrum tin can become the spectacular in just a matter of seconds, if only we propel ourselves forward with a artistic burst and an eye toward lifting upward our teammates (or swain man) to attain something swell — and that feeling of freedom and accomplishment that comes with it, that feeling that anything is possible.
Thank you, Mr. Smith, and cheers, Lionel Messi.
Andrew Sherman
New York
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/opinion/letters/yale-professor-donors.html
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