A newspaper reporter called
to ask me if Beverly and I would withdraw our financial support of UNLV
because Don
Snyder was chosen to be the acting president. I told the reporter that
we would not withdraw financial support because we had insulated our
donations from the overall use by UNLV and by the Nevada Higher
Education System by directing that the funds would
be used only to support the Black Mountain Institute, an international
center that supports creative writers and scholars.
Fortunately,
many, if not all of the departments or areas of specialization within
UNLV can be isolated from the overall inadequacy of the board of regents
and the school’s
leadership so that these “pockets of excellence” can flourish
regardless of the incompetence that surrounds them. I would urge that
any donor carefully earmark and control his or her money to keep it out
of the mainstream controlled by UNLV leadership and
management.
Wealthy donors should not seek to control the university but rather should use their influence to assure that competent people are appointed. You did not do that as chancellor and are now throwing a temper tantrum out of vanity and pique because you did not get your way. Your enthusiasm for Harter and Smatresk and the fact of hiring Ashley rather than continuing the search at that time suggest that you have little understanding of higher education or scholarship. Universities need to protect themselves from untoward external influences even if it costs a few dollars in the short run. It would be wonderful if your meddling provides a rallying point for the UNLV community including the isolated artsy-fartsy types at the Black Mountain Institute. William M. Epstein, Professor.
ReplyDeleteMore than strange that I am the only person to enter a comment. William M. Epstein, Professor.
ReplyDelete