The Fora: A Higher Education Community

General Category => The State of Higher Ed => Topic started by: spork on September 07, 2019, 10:37:47 AM

Title: University Scandals
Post by: spork on September 07, 2019, 10:37:47 AM
A combination of a few thread topics from the old fora. Unfortunately much of what gets posted here will involve sex, money, or both.


MIT Media Lab's attempt to conceal money from Jeffrey Epstein (https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-an-elite-university-research-center-concealed-its-relationship-with-jeffrey-epstein). I bet Ito (Media Lab director) will be gone within a week, if he hasn't been told to resign already.

DoE fines MSU $4.5 million for letting Nassar prey on students and athletes (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/05/us/politics/michigan-state-larry-nassar.html).
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: Scout on September 07, 2019, 01:32:13 PM
Ito's already gone

https://www.businessinsider.com/mit-media-lab-director-joi-ito-resigns-new-yorker-epstein-2019-9
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: mamselle on September 07, 2019, 08:25:36 PM
Can we combine this thread with pedanticromantic's on the same topic?

(I didn't check whose was first).

M.
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: ex_mo on September 10, 2019, 07:26:23 AM
I posted this in another thread, but this long article in Politico about Liberty is a lot to absorb.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914

Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: spork on September 10, 2019, 08:41:15 AM
Quote from: ex_mo on September 10, 2019, 07:26:23 AM
I posted this in another thread, but this long article in Politico about Liberty is a lot to absorb.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914

First time I ever heard of a university employee feeling the need to purchase a burner phone to avoid surveillance.
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: Aster on September 12, 2019, 09:07:29 AM
And now Falwell is demanding criminal investigations over Liberty employees who shared emails with journalists. This seems more than a little megalomanic.

Quote
Falwell said in an exclusive interview that in the coming days the FBI will review university documents at the Lynchburg, Va., campus. He accused former colleagues of stealing school property in the form of emails and then sharing them with reporters in an effort to damage his reputation.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Our attorneys have determined that this small group of former board members and employees, they're involved in a criminal conspiracy, are working together to steal Liberty property in the form of emails and provided them to reporters," Falwell Jr. said in a phone interview.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/460699-jerry-fallwell-jr-calls-fbi-to-investigate-criminal-conspiracy-at-liberty
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: mouseman on September 12, 2019, 04:36:46 PM
Quote from: Aster on September 12, 2019, 09:07:29 AM
And now Falwell is demanding criminal investigations over Liberty employees who shared emails with journalists. This seems more than a little megalomanic.

Quote
Falwell said in an exclusive interview that in the coming days the FBI will review university documents at the Lynchburg, Va., campus. He accused former colleagues of stealing school property in the form of emails and then sharing them with reporters in an effort to damage his reputation.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Our attorneys have determined that this small group of former board members and employees, they're involved in a criminal conspiracy, are working together to steal Liberty property in the form of emails and provided them to reporters," Falwell Jr. said in a phone interview.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/460699-jerry-fallwell-jr-calls-fbi-to-investigate-criminal-conspiracy-at-liberty

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, private attorneys cannot "determine" that individuals are involved in criminal activity. However, I guess that he really wanted to say is that he has declared it to be criminal activity and therefore it is.
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: spork on September 13, 2019, 02:43:39 AM
More about Epstein/MIT: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation (https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation).
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: Hibush on September 13, 2019, 04:28:48 AM
Quote from: spork on September 13, 2019, 02:43:39 AM
More about Epstein/MIT: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation (https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation).

In a somewhat less sleazy scandal at the Medial Lab, CHE has an article*  (https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/201900910-MITmedialab-food-computer)on how they have oversold their science to donors and industry investors. In this case, the technology seems to be a non-working toy version of tech that has been in use for four or five decades. There is some juicy commentary on this research-funding model (https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1171895657872941056) by a scientist from the industry that this "innovation" was supposed to "disrupt".  She says their development model makes sense when when you see that "The Media Lab's leadership catered to a superiority fetish in exchange for cash (https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1171931939080691713)."

*Hype vs reality at the MIT Media Lab by Nell Gluckman CHE Sept 11, 2019 (https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/201900910-MITmedialab-food-computer)
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: polly_mer on September 13, 2019, 06:22:42 AM
Harvard has now announced $9M from Epstein: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/harvard-says-it-received-millions-epstein
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: Thursday's_Child on September 13, 2019, 07:16:22 AM
Quote from: mouseman on September 12, 2019, 04:36:46 PM
Quote from: Aster on September 12, 2019, 09:07:29 AM
And now Falwell is demanding criminal investigations over Liberty employees who shared emails with journalists. This seems more than a little megalomanic.

Quote
Falwell said in an exclusive interview that in the coming days the FBI will review university documents at the Lynchburg, Va., campus. He accused former colleagues of stealing school property in the form of emails and then sharing them with reporters in an effort to damage his reputation.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Our attorneys have determined that this small group of former board members and employees, they're involved in a criminal conspiracy, are working together to steal Liberty property in the form of emails and provided them to reporters," Falwell Jr. said in a phone interview.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/460699-jerry-fallwell-jr-calls-fbi-to-investigate-criminal-conspiracy-at-liberty

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, private attorneys cannot "determine" that individuals are involved in criminal activity. However, I guess that he really wanted to say is that he has declared it to be criminal activity and therefore it is.

This is just another scare-tactic, and a despicable one, designed to maintain control by inducing still more fear.  Actually reminds me of the old "Just you wait until your father gets home!".
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: ex_mo on September 13, 2019, 07:23:57 AM
Quote from: Thursday's_Child on September 13, 2019, 07:16:22 AM
Quote from: mouseman on September 12, 2019, 04:36:46 PM
Quote from: Aster on September 12, 2019, 09:07:29 AM
And now Falwell is demanding criminal investigations over Liberty employees who shared emails with journalists. This seems more than a little megalomanic.

Quote
Falwell said in an exclusive interview that in the coming days the FBI will review university documents at the Lynchburg, Va., campus. He accused former colleagues of stealing school property in the form of emails and then sharing them with reporters in an effort to damage his reputation.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Our attorneys have determined that this small group of former board members and employees, they're involved in a criminal conspiracy, are working together to steal Liberty property in the form of emails and provided them to reporters," Falwell Jr. said in a phone interview.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/460699-jerry-fallwell-jr-calls-fbi-to-investigate-criminal-conspiracy-at-liberty

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, private attorneys cannot "determine" that individuals are involved in criminal activity. However, I guess that he really wanted to say is that he has declared it to be criminal activity and therefore it is.

This is just another scare-tactic, and a despicable one, designed to maintain control by inducing still more fear.  Actually reminds me of the old "Just you wait until your father gets home!".

Since when are emails "property" of an institution? I suppose I am coming from a public context where my emails are (technically) a matter of public record and could be requested through public records laws but...wow.
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: apl68 on September 13, 2019, 08:23:08 AM
Quote from: Hibush on September 13, 2019, 04:28:48 AM
Quote from: spork on September 13, 2019, 02:43:39 AM
More about Epstein/MIT: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation (https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation).

In a somewhat less sleazy scandal at the Medial Lab, CHE has an article*  (https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/201900910-MITmedialab-food-computer)on how they have oversold their science to donors and industry investors. In this case, the technology seems to be a non-working toy version of tech that has been in use for four or five decades. There is some juicy commentary on this research-funding model (https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1171895657872941056) by a scientist from the industry that this "innovation" was supposed to "disrupt".  She says their development model makes sense when when you see that "The Media Lab's leadership catered to a superiority fetish in exchange for cash (https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1171931939080691713)."

*Hype vs reality at the MIT Media Lab by Nell Gluckman CHE Sept 11, 2019 (https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/201900910-MITmedialab-food-computer)

A TED Talk emperor is found to be a nudist.  Who would have thought it?
Title: Re: University Scandals
Post by: apophenia on September 13, 2019, 11:03:33 PM
Quote from: apl68 on September 13, 2019, 08:23:08 AM
Quote from: Hibush on September 13, 2019, 04:28:48 AM
Quote from: spork on September 13, 2019, 02:43:39 AM
More about Epstein/MIT: https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation (https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2019/09/13/mit-president-thanked-jeffrey-epstein-donation).

In a somewhat less sleazy scandal at the Medial Lab, CHE has an article*  (https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/201900910-MITmedialab-food-computer)on how they have oversold their science to donors and industry investors. In this case, the technology seems to be a non-working toy version of tech that has been in use for four or five decades. There is some juicy commentary on this research-funding model (https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1171895657872941056) by a scientist from the industry that this "innovation" was supposed to "disrupt".  She says their development model makes sense when when you see that "The Media Lab's leadership catered to a superiority fetish in exchange for cash (https://twitter.com/SarahTaber_bww/status/1171931939080691713)."

*Hype vs reality at the MIT Media Lab by Nell Gluckman CHE Sept 11, 2019 (https://www.chronicle.com/interactives/201900910-MITmedialab-food-computer)

A TED Talk emperor is found to be a nudist.  Who would have thought it?

Astounding, his combination of hubris and weaselliness:

"I have a pretty good handle on where this field is going," Harper said. "So I talk about that. And because I'm so clear on that vision, I think people misinterpret that as reality."