Below is an update NAS sent to "Argus" volunteers (named after the person in Greek mythology who had many eyes and was always watchful) today. If you'd like to become an Argus volunteer and help hold your college to higher standards, email Ashley Thorne. We appreciate your help!
Thank you for your continued support as a National Association of Scholars Argus volunteer! Here's a look at how your efforts have helped increase accountability in higher education.
Thanks for watching!
With your help, we've been able to shed light on stories at colleges and universities around the country! Thanks for keeping a diligent watch on the campus(es) you chose.
Over the past few months, NAS has reported (usually breaking the story) on a variety of issues. Some themes emerged.
One is the perpetuation of racial preferences. At Brooklyn College, a faculty member called on colleagues to "correct the lily-white imbalances of the Dean's Search Committees." The day after NAS wrote about this, the New York Post covered the story in "Lily-White Prof-Panel Slam." Then at Quinnipiac University, the president announced his intention to make sure that the person hired for the position of diversity director would be a "high quality African-American."
Another theme is sustainabullying. We found that universities are now assessing faculty members' work in and commitment to sustainability. In "The Sustainability Inquisition," we looked at their rather startling questions. Recently two Argus volunteers attended and reported on a webinar on sustainability education which counseled participants to use manipulative psychotherapeutic techniques to influence people to act sustainably.
We've also followed up on previous stories, including Florida Gulf Coast University's mandatory sustainability course, CSU Chico's apparently illegal diversity plan, and an astronomer turned down for a position at the University of Kentucky ostensibly because he was seen to be "potentially evangelical."
Check out these and our many other Argus-based articles on our website at Always Watching: The Argus Project.
Thank you again for helping to foster intellectual freedom and the pursuit of truth in our colleges and universities.
Argus volunteers help the National Association of Scholars keep an eye on what's happening on college campuses. They look at publicly available resources pertaining to campuses of their choice, document what they find, and send it to NAS for review. NAS then investigates and may publicize the issue in an article on www.nas.org. NAS is happy to attribute those who provide story tips, or to honor the preference of those who choose to be anonymous. If you know of anyone who may be interested in being an Argus volunteer at a particular college or university, please ask him or her to email Ashley Thorne.
