Posted on 10/20/2002 7:21:48 PM PDT by TheMole
Author and UCSD professor Quincy Troupe has resigned as the state's first official poet laureate after admitting that he lied on his résumé about having a college degree.
"I deeply regret my ill-advised decision to include inaccurate information on my curriculum vitae," Troupe said in a statement released by Gov. Gray Davis' office last night. "While I attended Grambling College, I never earned a college degree."
Quincy Troupe
Troupe, 62, has been a professor of creative writing and Caribbean literature at UCSD since 1991. He could not be reached for comment last night.
The discrepancy was discovered during a routine background check in preparation for Troupe's confirmation as poet laureate by the state Senate Rules Committee.
"It's a shame," said Steve Maviglio, the governor's spokesman. "The guy was extremely talented, a great poet and loved by his students. But he did falsify his application."
Davis accepted Troupe's resignation with regret. The appointment was made June 11.
In the statement released by the governor's office, Troupe said he will "now look forward to turning my full attention to continuing to teach and develop students at UCSD, to developing literary and music programs in the San Diego community and to writing books."
But Troupe's claim of a degree from the Louisiana college may jeopardize his position with UCSD, said James Langley, vice chancellor for external affairs.
"This would constitute a violation of the faculty code of conduct, and as such, he will undergo a formal review," Langley said. The punishment, he said, "could be as simple as a reprimand, or it could include a recommendation for dismissal."
Troupe has sometimes been described as simply having attended Grambling State University in Louisiana. Elsewhere, as on a UCSD faculty Web site, he is listed as holding a bachelor's degree from Grambling.
Langley said Troupe informed UCSD officials of his situation this week. He backed out of a scheduled reception Thursday at the Faculty Club entitled "Quincy and Friends," for "personal reasons," said a UCSD spokeswoman.
Troupe is scheduled to speak today at the university's open house, but it is unknown if he will do so.
Numerous public figures in recent years have been discovered to have lied about their credentials. Most recently, a top corporate official, the first woman to head the U.S. Olympic Committee and a Notre Dame football coach have resigned after similar discoveries about their academic credentials.
Troupe would have been the state's first official poet laureate, a post that carried a $10,000 honorarium to give readings across the state and raise the profile of poetry among schoolchildren.
In his statement, Troupe said:
"Having been named Poet Laureate of the State of California was one of the high points in my career. I am honored and privileged to have served in that position, albeit for a short time. It was never my intent to disappoint any of all the wonderful people who have been enormously supportive of me and who have expressed such pride in my appointment."
Maviglio said the governor's office has not determined how Troupe will be replaced – whether they will pick one of the other two finalists, Francisco X. Alarcon, 48, of Davis, and Diane DiPrima, 67, of San Francisco, or begin a new process.
David Antin, a UCSD visual arts professor and poet who has read with Troupe, called the discrepancy "a minor lie," and said he didn't see what relevance it has to his designation as California's poet laureate.
"It doesn't seem to me that it affects his reputation as a poet, which is very strong."
In his statement, Troupe said "I realize that my appointment ... was made because of my 40 years of achievements in literature, poetry and the arts, as well as my performance as an educator, cultural and community activist. Nevertheless, I am resigning my appointment as Poet Laureate, effective immediately."
Doris Alvarez, principal of the Preuss School at UCSD, a school for low-income students whose parents did not go to college, said students and faculty are very disappointed. "I do know he has a great reputation," she said.
She added, however, "I certainly think we would not want students to think this is all right. We want to teach honesty and talk a lot about students doing the right thing. Certainly misrepresenting yourself is not the right thing."
Troupe is the author of 13 books, including six books of poetry.
Among his most recent works are "Take It to the Hoop, Magic Johnson," a children's book; "Miles and Me," a memoir; and a collection of poems titled "Choruses," all published in 2000.
Some of his other works across three decades include, "James Baldwin: The Legacy," "Giant Talk: An Anthology of Third World Writing," "The Inside Story of T.V.'s Roots," and poem collections that include "Skulls Along the River" and "Embryo."
Troupe came to UCSD in January 1991 after spending 20 years in New York City, where he taught at the College of Staten Island and Columbia University. He had previously taught at Ohio University and UCLA and USC.
Troupe has said his first effort as a writer was an "awesomely bad" novel, but some who read it suggested he switch to poetry. Reportedly, one who did so was the French existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, whom Troupe had met through friends while in France.
"He told me I should try to write poetry to clean up my prose, and I did, and that started me writing poetry," Troupe said in a 1992 interview with The San Diego Union. "I found that I loved poetry. It was a wonderful discovery for me. In my life, there have been three great loves: literature, writing and playing basketball."
The man falsified his academic credentials and therefore is unqualified to teach at the college level. He's not even qualified to teach high school. It's a shame that public funds are being used to subsidize this individual.
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Some contend that a Cinquain's the thing,
or a Haiku, with its Yan and Ying;
I pondered a Sonnet,
then said, "Fie upon it!"
| And instead send this Limerick |  |
I roll by de waves mon.
De biggest blunt you have ever seen mon.
I burnt it bright and smoked it down mon.
Oh no mon! I passed out on the sand mon! On my big blunt mon! Oh $hit mon, me dredlocks are on fire mon!
Eiiiiieeeeeiiieeeee!!!!!!!
(C)Copyright - 2002 - isthisnickcool Ph.d - Freeper College Graduate - Professor of creative writing and Caribbean literature
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