AP: Prof. Critical of Creationism Resigns Post

[mcscajun]

Dec 7, 10:58 PM EST

Prof. Critical of Creationism Resigns Post

By JOHN MILBURN
Associated Press Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- A University of Kansas professor who drew criticism for e-mails he wrote deriding Christian fundamentalists over creationism resigned Wednesday as chairman of the Department of Religious Studies.

Paul Mirecki stepped aside on the recommendation of his colleagues, according to Barbara Romzek, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

"This allows the department to focus on what's most important - teaching, research and service - and to minimize the distractions of the last couple of weeks," Romzek said in a statement after receiving Mirecki's resignation.

Contacted by The Associated Press, Mirecki declined to comment about his decision, only saying he was still a member of the university faculty and planned to continue teaching.

On the Net:

University of Kansas: http://www.ku.edu

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CREATIONISM_PROFESSOR?SITE=KVUE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[xchrom]

1. musn't be controversial.

oh wait -- that's the purpose of pushing creationism.

[ps1074]

2. Is this the same professor that was beaten recently?

First they beat you...

Then they fire you...

What's next?

[mike_c]

9. they didn't fire him, just asked him to resign the chairmanship....

Probably did him a favor if his department is anything like mine....

[izzybeans]

3. Spineless. Asking him to step down. Sheesh.

Now anytime some outside political group wants to pressure KU all they need to do is yell, "Boo!".

Jumping to the defense of their colleague aren't they?

[ixion]

4. academics defend a colleague? I don't think so...

at least not by judging what I've seen from the social constructs of academic social life. It's a vicious, petty bit of infighting that goes on behind the educated facade.

Remember the Monty Python skit 'The Bruces'? It was from the 'Matching Tie and Handkerchief' album. It was a bunch of professors sitting in a bar going over the new rules for the coming semester. Here's a clip, but in a very funny way it provides insight into the social lives of academics:


Fourth Bruce: No. Right, I just want to remind you of the faculty rules: Rule One!

Everybruce: No Poofters!

Fourth Bruce: Rule Two, no member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abos in any way at all -- if there's anybody watching. Rule Three?

Everybruce: No Poofters!!

Fourth Bruce: Rule Four, now this term, I don't want to catch anybody not drinking. Rule Five ...




I think it's a pretty accurate representation. :evilgrin:


The whole skit is here:
http://www.library.adelaide.edu.au/guide/hum/philosophy/philos_bruce.html


on edit: correct the name of the record. :-)

[izzybeans]

5. I'm observing some academic "hurt feelings" passing through

the listserve at the moment. I might post this as my take on the subject. It's perfect!

izzy.

[ixion]

6. cool, glad you liked it

it was always one of my favs. :hi:

[megatherium]

7. Academic battles are so vicious because the stakes are so small,

or so they say. In my experience, some departments are pretty mellow, people get along fine. But some departments can be a living hell for their faculty. Where I teach my own department is fine, but I have had to deal with some pretty nasty characters in other departments. We have a professor who immediately tests the authority of anyone who chairs a committee she serves on. This happened to one of my colleagues, a more senior prof, who resorted to bellowing at her. That shut her up for the rest of the semester. She has a history of filing grievances against her colleagues, so I decided to put up with her snotty behavior until she realized she wouldn't get her way. In another department, the chair of the department lied to colleagues about pay increases; he was giving his buddies all the money regardless of research productivity of his faculty.

The problem with academia is that the process of getting a PhD then becoming a professor can really feed the ego; some professors ar every narcissistic. Other professors have sharp elbows and don't care about anyone or anything but themselves and their own program. So the largest department in the college lobbies shamelessly for more positions, over departments clearly short-handed, and use their political muscle (from having more faculty) to their advantage.

Sometimes the stakes are high: tenure battles can be ugly. Most of the time, the process is mellow, a professor clearly deserves promotion and tenure, and there are smiles all around. Sometimes, however, one of the unpleasant senior faculty will decide that the junior faculty member is in the way or otherwise unworthy -- and the senior member will backstab or even lie to the junior faculty to prevent the junior faculty member from doing things to improve their case for tenure. I've seen this happen more than once.

But I should say I mighty glad I'm in academia. It's interesting, stimulating work, and I have some great colleagues who are good friends.

[ixion]

10. yeah, I thought about pursuing a career as a professor

who knows, maybe someday I will. I was in college for seven years because I enjoyed the stimulating environment. I guess I was exposed to some jaded profs over time who sort of turned me off on the whole idea, but that's not to say I wouldn't consider it again at some point. :-)

[mmonk]

8. darn intellectuals

they shouldn't be in our universities anyway.

[Canuckistanian]

11. The Eggheads are ruining America

With their elitist ivory-tower "thinking" and their arrogant know-it-all attitude.

What do they know that we don't?


(I think that covers all the cliches)