Academic Integrity

Whitewash at Columbia covers the grievance, and apparent cover-up, of Jewish students claiming discrimination by the University, particularly, the Arab Studies Department. One might question why Columbia feels the need to create an ad hoc committee to investigate the grievances. After all, find a university that doesn't prominently display and celebrate its committment to diversity and scream at any potential attack on academic freedom. If the school truly embraces diversity and academic freedom, then there would be no need to investigate any allegations of descrimination, for there would be none.

It seems that Columbia decided that the committee to investigate the alledged grievances was made up of at least 3 of 5 persons who were either in the Arab Studies Department, or had very close ties to the faculty. This certainly gives the impression of a stacked deck, whether in reality it was or was not. Columbia certainly did itself no favors in its committee selection.

My advice to my children has long been to regurgitate the Professor's viewpoint if you want to get good grades. If you want to fail, then study the question, get the facts and openly disagree. The advice is cynical, but I became convinced years ago, when I was in academia, that integrity and honesty could very often be very rare virtues.