Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Some Texas Tech faculty against Gonzales hiring
The Daily Toreador ^ | 7/28/09 | Alex Ybarra

Posted on 07/30/2009 1:55:00 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch

In response to a petition objecting to his hiring at Texas Tech University, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said while the petition's creator is "entitled to his opinion" he "respectfully" disagrees with it.

The petition opposing Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance's acquisition of Gonzales as a teacher, recruiter and guest speaker was signed by 70 Tech professors as of Monday, said petition creator Walter Schaller, a Tech philosophy professor.

Gonzales will teach a political science class of 15 students entitled "Contemporary Issues in the Executive Branch" and help recruit and retain minority students beginning Aug. 1, Hance announced in early July.

The nine-page petition, complete with citations and an appendix, calls attention to Tech's statement of ethical principles and the motto "Do the Right Thing." According to the petition, the hiring of a "good friend" of Hance's "cannot be seen as a commitment to ethical conduct."

Hance was unavailable for comment as he was out of the office until Tuesday.

Schaller also said he is troubled by Hance's involvement in hiring faculty, saying "his job is to raise money and deal with the legislature," and he questions Gonzales' ethical credibility.

"The idea (to hire Gonzales) came from Hance," Schaller said, "and it's very difficult to say no to the chancellor."

The petition highlights in detail Gonzales' controversies, or "ethical failings" as attorney general and White House legal counsel including that he frequently misled or lied to Congress about the firing of U.S. attorneys; rejected the Geneva Conventions; denied the Constitutional right of habeas corpus; and appeared to be more loyal to President George W. Bush than to the Constitution.

"Gonzales's appointment is a troubling example of a 'celebrity hire,'" the petition reads. "It is unclear what Gonzales has done that makes him deserving of employment at Texas Tech. Does he have a noteworthy academic record? Does he have a record of publishing in law reviews? Was his service to his country particularly distinguished?"

Gonzales said he is confident that at the end of his one year professorship, professors and critics will see that "my hiring has been a net gain for the university."

"We live in a country where, in the academic world, people can express publicly their approval and disapproval of various issues," he said. "What I'm focused on, is demonstrating that I'm serious about this teaching responsibility. I'm also serious about promoting diversity within Texas Tech. I hope that people will treat me fair and give me an opportunity to demonstrate that."

Schaller said he believes students will not be taking a good course with Gonzales as professor because "there's so much that he has to be silent about because there's legal issues that could arise if he were to tell the full truth."

In response, Gonzales said he will try to be as candid as possible during classes and that all the ethical questions have been reviewed by various authorities with no finding of wrongdoing.

"I just don't think he'll be honest in a way that a regular faculty member could be," Schaller said. "Too much is at stake. Too much is at stake in what he says. Anything he says can be in the New York Times the next day and Department of Justice, day after that. He's got a lot of secrets he just can't be forthright about."

Schaller said he understands that a binding contract has solidified Gonzales' position at least for the next year, but he hopes that these professors who have taken a stand against the recent hiring will resonate when his initial year is over.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: albertogonzales; bds; kenthance; racistleft; schaller; texastech; walterschaller
The petition was signed by professors (and former professors).
1 posted on 07/30/2009 1:55:03 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Clearly a bunch of anti-hispanic racist!


2 posted on 07/30/2009 1:58:28 PM PDT by Kartographer (".. we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Pure left wing politics and hatred for Bush.


3 posted on 07/30/2009 2:00:18 PM PDT by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WhyisaTexasgirlinPA

ping


4 posted on 07/30/2009 2:01:21 PM PDT by xsmommy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

So Bobby Knight was okay, but Gonzales is not?

hh


5 posted on 07/30/2009 2:03:02 PM PDT by hoosier hick (Note to RINOs: We need a choice, not an echo....Barry Goldwater)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hoosier hick

No, the same clown got up a petition against Knight as well.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/news/2001/03/20/knight_ap/

Philophy professors are 99% kooks.


6 posted on 07/30/2009 2:04:06 PM PDT by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Why do I get the impression that if we were talking about hiring ... say, for instance ... Janet Reno, everything would be all hunky-dory and the professors would be celebrating?


7 posted on 07/30/2009 2:07:15 PM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde (America: Home of the Free Because of the Brave)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
This is simply a matter of a bunch of irrelevant leftists beating their breasts to crow at how liberal they are. Liberalism is after all an illness.
8 posted on 07/30/2009 2:08:47 PM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Are they insane? To oppose the appointment of a former attorney-general of the United States on what are obviously political grounds reflects the dementia prevalent among faculty even in so-called conservative schools like Texas Tech.


9 posted on 07/30/2009 2:22:55 PM PDT by RobbyS (ECCE homo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
The sand fleas/dirt monkeys of tt complaining?

Yawn.

10 posted on 07/30/2009 2:34:10 PM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

These Tech professors have been ringing their bells too much (or maybe not enough?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I-4XS3XtZQ


11 posted on 07/30/2009 2:36:13 PM PDT by Rebelbase (Obama--POtuS.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Trajan88
"The sand fleas/dirt monkeys of tt complaining? Yawn. "

Aggie, I presume?

12 posted on 07/30/2009 3:02:36 PM PDT by Ranald S. MacKenzie (Its the philosophy, stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Ranald S. MacKenzie

You are informed... Class of ‘88 to be exact.


13 posted on 07/30/2009 3:05:22 PM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch

Actually Texas Tech is pretty conservative. Last years commencement speaker was Karen Hughes.


14 posted on 07/30/2009 3:06:02 PM PDT by DainBramage
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SwinneySwitch
"I hope that people will treat me fair and give me an opportunity to demonstrate that."

And I hope that before he's allowed to teach, someone will give Gonzales some English lessons, at least teach him the difference between adjectives and adverbs.

15 posted on 07/31/2009 10:21:52 PM PDT by Redbob (W.W.J.B.D.: "What Would Jack Bauer Do?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson