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Date Posted: Sat, 11/23/02 10:06am
Author: sunny
Subject: Talent vs. Credentials or being "adopted" in
In reply to: Steve Russell 's message, "Re: College Visit" on Sat, 11/23/02 9:12am

Your life makes a drammatic story, Steve .... sometimes ya just gotta ask was it all a coincidence, or maybe there was a destiny workin' there .... hmmm ... good you could pick up on those opportunities when they came along, though -- all too many might pass them up for one reason or another ....

From the university side, I think there is an old tradition, (going back to Roman times maybe?) of adopting the talented outsiders into the ruling class -- and I think it is the private "Ivy Leagues" that retain more of this noblesse oblige attitude (if anyone does these days) than the State schools can do no matter how good their research rep., etc.

Even tho its incredibly un-PC to say it, for me there's still a role for "the aristocracy" in championing quality over what's fashionable, perhaps because they can see a larger picture? or can afford to exercise their individual judgement and risk a mistake now and then ? .... don't know for sure, but wasn't it one of those early French observers who noted the terrible homogeneity and conformity of the mass culture that follows democracy .... if we replace an aristocracy with a 'meritocracy' we have to be sure we know what 'merit' is and sometimes I trust a quirky individual hunch more than a majority vote, in the arts anyway ....

just some thoughts,
sunny


>My two models for teaching at a research university
>were:
>
>My late wife Donna, who taught at an Ivy school
>(Cornell) without even graduating from the University
>of Texas, although she made good grades for three
>years.
>
>Joseph Cambell, who taught at one of the Seven Sisters
>(Smith, I think) without a PhD.
>
>In both cases above, and in my case, it was life
>experience and publications regarding same that
>created a non-traditional slot.
>
>That better schools depart from what we think are the
>rules all the time is an observable fact. Why is open
>to question.
>
>My own theory is that when a school has X amount of
>reputation they are free to take chances, both on
>students and faculty. They also tend to be run by
>pretty creative people.
>
>Lesser schools (in terms of rep) have institutional
>pressures to conform and the people in charge are more
>often drones.
>
>That's just one theory that might explain it.
>
>I know that I could never have gotten into UT-San
>Antonio as a student and the mucky-mucks kept telling
>me how lucky I was to be there teaching without a PhD.
>
>Skin says the JD equals the PhD, and he's right if you
>talk to law schools--that's why they changed the name
>from Bachelor of Law to Juris Doctor. But the name
>change has not had the desired impact outside of law
>schools. I am the only person in my department
>without a PhD, although there are at least 3 other JDs.
>
>Steve

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