The session—held this morning in Saddleback College's cavernous McKinney Theater—started with a few numbers by the college's Vocal Jazz Ensemble. These kids looked great and sounded great, too. I was impressed.
As usual, the Prince of Darkness (aka Tom Fuentes) served as the MC. He ended the session by playing a lugubrious video about returning vets that seemed to suggest that only vets are entitled to complain about anything, since they have been through hell and the rest of us are like pigs in clover.
Yeah, many vets have been through hell.
And exactly why is that, Mr. GOP?
Next time, I'd like to see a video that identifies the irresponsible, deceptive and stupid people who cause unnecessary and disastrous wars.
The Chancellor's remarks amounted to sustained finger-wagging. Evidently, Raghu thinks that, somehow, none of us is aware that times are tough and that people are losing their homes, their jobs.
Meanwhile, the people in the auditorium—instructors mostly—have jobs, good ones. "We need to count our blessings," said Raghu repeatedly.
We are undergoing a "major paradigm shift," said the illiterate Chancellor who has no clue where that phrase comes from but who nevertheless lectures us with it.
The "basic aid bubble" that we are living in will burst, fumed the Gooster. But some of us are living in denial about that, he said. He seemed to point his stubby finger at everyone, wagging it scoldingly. He lectured us about the politics of economic meltdowns. He demanded the emergence of new leadership, in California and in our colleges.
He once again mentioned Thomas Friedman's book, "The World is Flat."
I do believe it is the only book the fellow owns.
Yes, he really did this grade school thing with the word diversity. I especially like what he did with the letter S: "skin."
The T and Y stood for "turpitude" and "yuckiness," as I recall.
The Chancellor imagines that the value of tolerance obliges one to value the incompetent, the despotic, and the vainglorious.
No.
The benighted fellow confuses a rejection of his dark character and deeds with a rejection of him owing to his ethnicity. Again, no. Dissenters expect and demand decency. And so we oppose the conniving and unscrupulous Mathur. It's simple.
As you know, it wouldn't be a Chancellor's Opening session without one of Raghu's inane quotations. Read this one. Unfuckingbelievable. (See The Dash.)
Imagine a discussion of a passage from Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics or Kant's 2nd Critique. Maybe something about respect for others.
But no. Instead, we get New Age flatulence and paternalistic admonitions.
The Vice Chancellor entertained us mightily with a display of musicianship and technical whiz-bangery. His brief performance really was fun.
Later, he showed us a brief video of images of the 60s mostly—accompanied by Dylan's "The Times They are A-Changin'".
I think the point was that we Old Fogies have got to get on board with this Distance Ed thing, 'cause that's just the way it is, like it or not.
Yeah, that was the gist of it.
Keynote speaker Amanda Cox-Otto was very entertaining. Evidently, she was there to inform us that we are old and tired and need to get with the program or else get the hell out of the way. Guess so.
She gets points, though, for using the word "frickin'."
I'm not sure, but I think the theme of today's session was "Arbeit macht Frei." Or maybe: "be grateful you have a job and so don't be complaining about anything, especially not about your pay, you fucking, doddering idiots, you."
It was all pretty inspiring.
THE UNION LUNCHEON
The union (Faculty Association) luncheon was well attended.
Union Prez Lee H is usually a very effective speaker. This time, he didn't seem prepared. "He kinda sucks at this, doesn't he?" said someone at the next table.
I guess some of the old boys from IVC took Cox-Otto's "old and doddering" malarkey to heart, judging by their demeanor and drool. Wendy, who is neither old nor doddering, was amused.
Lee introduced this guy, some bigwig. For some reason, the fellow chose to break into a musical theater number. Not sure why. He was good, though.
Even Saddleback College's president seemed to get caught up in the wackiness. He grabbed those flowers and stuck 'em between his teeth. Well, no, but he was thinkin' about it.
The main event, I guess, was a brief presentation by the president of CTA, who did a decent job saying the usual things. "Blah, blah, blah," mostly. He announced that "The era of the apathetic voter has come to an end." He's got tickets to the Inauguration, and he's plenty proud of it.
Alannah asked him a good question. Something about what's gonna happen now to the Dept. of Education. "Blah blah blah," he said.
Spotted some old faces around the room.
Lewis was on hand to talk about the contract.
I hear that, despite Mathur and Fuentes' best efforts to screw things up, we still have enough trustee votes for approval of the new contract. Whew!
26 comments:
is that skin and intellect, or the skin's intellect? And what if the different individuals are really just all the same? would they be different if they valued intellect more than skin, or if they chose not to value differences at all?
What were T and Y?
In this down economy, I better start touching some more hearts, 'cuz I wanna be successful, and I'd really hate to start losing some things.
If my life will be better by giving than taking, in the end, isn't that just a less selfish way of receiving? And is this talking about making a difference in the lives of others, or was it talking about how to make change for the better in our own lives? I'm not sure where that quote was taking me...
Is it not "Dr. Cox-Otto?"
I still can't get over the prayer. Isn't it illegal?
What, no mention of Goo's assertion that the economic downturn is all due to advanced technology?
I like Lewis' jacket.
"The Dash" is Hallmark Card horseshit.
That's right. We are colleges. Why isn't the Chancellor reading from the classics? Why is he unaware of the real wisdom available? But all he knows is New Age crap. He is an embarrassment.
Liberal pinhead.
And after the words of dissent are spoken you all continue to receive your bloated paychecks and enjoy your paid vacations and health benefits. Parasites, the lot of you.
What do you do that is so benighted, Mr. Anonymous?
Paid vacations??? Where do we sign up for that?
Why do ignorant fools read this blog?
Most of us (Adjunct Faculty) are not paid if we do not teach during the summer. So a paid vacation it is not!
That picture of Tom Fuentes will forevermore be ripped off by me—with full credit, of course!
NOBODY has a "paid" vacation - we just work 10 months a year - two months unpaid "vacation" - right?
Gustavo, take it (the photo) with my compliments.
Next time, I'd like to see a video that identifies the irresponsible, deceptive and stupid people who cause unnecessary and disastrous wars.
Oh, you mean like those neanderthals John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam War?
I think that film has already been made Anon above - check out the excellent "Hearts and Minds."
Me thinks that one need not know the origin of a word in order to use it, as with the word “paradigm” and the “shift” thereof. Chunk’s flawed logic here is analogous to requiring drivers of cars to fully understand what actually occurs mechanically when they step on the accelerator, otherwise they shouldn’t be driving a car. All the driver really needs to know (in order to drive) is that the accelerator makes the car go forward. I sense academic snobbery Chunk. tisk, tisk!
Mr. Sunday:
I agree that, generally, one need not understand the origin of a word in order to understand the word itself. On the other hand, one who does not understand the origin of this particular phrase ("paradigm shift") ipso facto is unfamiliar with the book that famously used and coined it: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Such a person is ignorant of one of the most influential works in American culture in the last century. And so, you see, I am noting one more instance in a pattern here. The instance by itself proves little; it is the pattern that is disturbing.
Raghu is a poorly educated man, and he can generally be counted on to be ignorant of some of the most important developments and events of higher learning, and so he has no business running a college district.
"Me thinks"? You need to filter out these illiterates, Chunk.
Prayer at these functions is not illegal. The Supreme Court distinguishes between children and adults, and it regards college students as adults, who (arguably) can think for themselves. Hence, prayer at a public college is not prohibited, although, depending on the circumstances, it might nevertheless be offensive. In this matter, I believe that at least some of our conservative trustees are liable to appeal to the desires of the citizens of South County, perhaps most of whom approve (or would approve) of such prayer.
Chunk,
How do you know the fellow hasn't read the book? If it turns out he hasn’t, then so what? I’m sure if the fellow uses the phrase he understands the meaning. As far as I can recall, it’s been used a lot during the last few decades. So I guess according to you, one shouldn’t be allowed to use the phrase unless they’ve read the book? Thanks again for confirming 12:40’s point.
1:39, Isn’t the use of “Me thinks” Shakespearean?
“Raghu is a poorly educated man, and….”
Doesn’t the guy have a PhD? I’m assuming he does if he’s your college Chancellor. How can one have a PhD and be poorly educated at the same time? It just doesn’t add up Chunk. Is this your commentary about our system of higher education, one in which a student can spend many years and mucho bucks jumping through all the right hoops, scoring all A’s and B’s on papers and exams and still end up ignorant? So according to you Chunk, the whole education thing is just a big sham after all. Unless of course the PhD is within your same discipline, then it’s legitimate and only then, one has earned the privilege of using the phrase “paradigm shift.”
11:00,
Mathur does not have a Ph.D., but he does have a doctorate. Within Academia, perhaps the least respect (arguably, it is scandalous) higher degree is the Ed.D. (doctorate, not Ph.D., in Education), which Mathur acquired in one of the least respected institutions in the country: Nova Southeastern. (Check the US News and World Report rankings.) As anyone in Higher Ed will tell you, acquiring this degree does not establish that a person is well educated. Of course, this can be said about most advanced degrees, even respected ones.
That Mathur (like so many) misuses the philosophical notion of "paradigm shifts" suggests that he has not read the book/Philosopher with which the concept is associated.
As we have so often pointed out on Dissent, Mathur's memos and other writings are arguably illiterate, though his writing has improved over the years.
It is typical of "educationists" that they embrace New Age and essentially pseudoscientific self-help notions, and Mathur is no exception. You might want to search under "new age" on this blog. Mathur's history of embrace of psychobabble and New Age drivel goes back at least a dozen years.
Likewise Chunk I’ve heard your embrace of sour grapes with the fellow goes way back more than 15 years, even before he became your administrator. I’ve read about your little initiation/hazing incidents like when you tried and failed to get Larios to spank him for you. Intelligent as you are, why have you failed to grow up and out of those fraternity days when mumzy and daddy-war-bucks were flipping the bill and you always managed to get your way by throwing a temper tantrum? I know your type. The self-anointed who thinks others should canonize the ground you walk upon. Any reasonable person reading the pages of this rag can easily understand it’s only natural for you and your fellow bloggers (frat. pals) to blame the fellow for everything you perceive to be wrong with your college and your life in general.
Sour grapes? My dictionary says that sour grapes is "Denial of the desirability of something after one has found out that it cannot be reached or acquired." So, I'm denying the desirability of something? What would that be? I don't know what you're talking about. If you are suggesting that I sought an administrative position, you are very much mistaken and you will find no evidence for that notion. Further, I became an opponent of Mathur only after he and other unionists used union funds to get Holocaust-denier Frogue and the rest of the Board Majority elected (in 1996)--and then, together with Frogue, engineered his selection as interim President of IVC, an act that, incidently, was determined to be illegal by the courts.
Hazing incidents? I honestly have no idea what you are talking about. I have never communicated with Dan Larios (with the exception of a brief conversation at a party after he resigned), and so, naturally, I never tried to get Mathur spanked by him. I gather that Mathur had his enemies during the Larios era, but I was not among them.
I was never a member of a fraternity, and I am certainly not from a rich family who paid all the bills (I worked at gas stations, factories, construction sites). My father was an electrician, and I was the first member of my family to get a college education.
Evidently, you don't know "my kind." I think I know your kind, though: an gas-bag who doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.
Why is it so difficult to accept that Mathur has opponents because of his dark deeds, and not because of personal animosities or grudges? Over the years, I've often observed that "Mathurians" consistently attribute their own vices--greed, pettiness, dishonesty--to their opponents, finding it impossible to imagine that there are honest people in the world who expect and demand decency and who will fight for it, if necessary.
--R
How Much Fibrous Xylem Could a Marmota Monax Slough if a Marmota Monax Could Slough Fibrous Xylem?
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