September 20, 2015
In Blog News
In its seminal statement on academic freedom, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) wrote:
[T]he first condition of progress is complete and unlimited freedom to pursue inquiry…. Such freedom is the breath in the nostrils of all scientific activity.
The University of Pittsburgh administration has elected to suffocate the freedom to pursue truth.
Let us set aside the breach of a signed contract.
Let us set aside the heavy hand of censorship at play.
Let us limit ourselves to the elementary question:
If the University believes that canceling my lecture is justifiable, why doesn’t it own up to its decision?
Why is the University administration transparently and shamelessly lying?
A large written and taped oral record exists of what happened.
The University knows this and doesn’t care.
It just brazenly lies.
Is this of concern to faculty and staff at University of Pittsburgh?
Apparently not.
One hopes that students – less jaded, less cynical, more idealistic than their elders – will demand an explanation.