Marquette Arts and Sciences dean search F-up

[Lennys Tap]

Except that their published policy, in writing, states exactly the opposite.

oops?

The world has enough bigots.

What ever happened to teaching the ways and values that Jesus Christ taught, and not the ways of some moron in a white hat and his buddies?

The Pope is a moron in a white hat and the college of Cardinals are "his buddies" in bigotry? That's an even handed, non judgemental stance. Almost sounds like bigotry.

[LA]

In what universe does the Catholic Church teach this?

extra ecclesiam nulla salus. No salvation outside the church.

I had a theo prof at MU tell me Ganhi was in fact in hell because of this.

[Lennys Tap]

extra ecclesiam nulla salus. No salvation outside the church.

I had a theo prof at MU tell me Ganhi was in fact in hell because of this.

1. One priest saying something doesn't make it the Church's official position even if he says it in Latin.

2. Who the hell is Ganhi?

[groove]

2. Who the hell is Ganhi?

A big-time power forward recruit who refused to play for Marquette (or any other Catholic university) back in '63.  But back then it wasn't a guards game.

[LA]

Groove is right. Ganhi was big time. So was Gandhi

[Toodles1980]

My wife is a professor at Marquette and is very close to this search, and she has stated, that this is in fact a donor issue. There is no debate among the search committee that research was done and Father Wild signed off on the decision. A donor threatened to with hold money due to her hire and Father Wild decided to rescind the offer with no input from the search committee. Although apparently last night at the Pere Marquette Awards Fr. Wild did state he feels the teachings of the Catholic Church and Pope are wrong when it comes to homosexuality, and that the current stance comes from a misinterpretation of the Bible. There is also concern that Marquette has opened itself up to a lawsuit because it's own non-discrimination policy clearly states that sexual orientation will not be used in determining a candidates qualifications. I'm not a legal expert, but know people in the law school who have stated this could come back to bite them.

For those of you criticizing Dr. O'Brien's CV, have you actually read her books and articles, or does the fact that "Queer" and "Sex" enter the names a lot make you feel that the articles aren't of academic quality? I ask this honestly, because while the titles are attention grabbing, having not read the articles I feel unable to judge their merits, but trust the search committee in doing their job on this front, unless someone can prove otherwise.

[Ari Gold]

I actually haven't read her CV and am just going off of what I was told by someone involved in the process.

I wonder though if she was so woefully under qualified why she was offered in the first place?

Then clearly you aren't able to make a logical decision in this matter. You're free to fly off the handle and make an ass of yourself

Here is her CV
http://www.soc.washington.edu/users/affiliate/obrienj_CV.pdf

Anyone want to explain how professors in the A&S would be able to respect their dean when her writings include: We’re Here, We’re Queer, Let’s Go to IKEA, Desexualizing Prison Rape, Wrestling the Angel of Contradiction: Queer Christian Identities and Phone Sex, Fantasy and Disembodiment (just to name a few)

CLEARLY you're misinformed about the search committee. This woman was in no way qualified to be dean. Had anyone on the committee decided to vet her (like using F-ING Google), she would have never made it to an offer

[MerrittsMustache]

The big question everyone seems to be ignoring is whether or not this means MU is laying the groundwork to drop the women's basketball program.

(Seriously, how had no one made that comment yet?)

[GGGG]

Then clearly you aren't able to make a logical decision in this matter. You're free to fly off the handle and make an ass of yourself

Here is her CV
http://www.soc.washington.edu/users/affiliate/obrienj_CV.pdf

Anyone want to explain how professors in the A&S would be able to respect their dean when her writings include: We’re Here, We’re Queer, Let’s Go to IKEA, Desexualizing Prison Rape, Wrestling the Angel of Contradiction: Queer Christian Identities and Phone Sex, Fantasy and Disembodiment (just to name a few)

So you don't think this constitutes "scholarship," even though another Jesuit university promoted her twice and granted her tenure???

Excuse me for not taking your opinion seriously.

[Ari Gold]

So you don't think this constitutes "scholarship," even though another Jesuit university promoted her twice and granted her tenure???

Excuse me for not taking your opinion seriously.

Excuse me for not taking "We're here, we're queer, Let's go to Ikea" seriously. Just because she was promoted doesn't mean her writing was any good.

[d6]

Anyone want to explain how professors in the A&S would be able to respect their dean when her writings include: We’re Here, We’re Queer, Let’s Go to IKEA, Desexualizing Prison Rape, Wrestling the Angel of Contradiction: Queer Christian Identities and Phone Sex, Fantasy and Disembodiment (just to name a few)

CLEARLY you're misinformed about the search committee. This woman was in no way qualified to be dean. Had anyone on the committee decided to vet her (like using F-ING Google), she would have never made it to an offer

Why wouldn't a professor be able to respect a dean because of these titles?  For instance, "Desexualizing Prison Rape" is something that would cause a lack of respect?  Rape is considered an act of power and examining how that power exists in a prison setting is, while maybe not your cup of tea, a worthwhile exploration.  As someone who has read a number of CVs, I would hesitate to call this one lacking. In your argument, it seems that the titles of the work determine their worth.

[Henry Sugar]

This is where I could not disagree with you more. Her CV is incredibly mediocre.

It's not like she was a lesbian biologist who has solely written on biology. Her published works range from blatant gay activism to something you'd see in Cosmo. She had a complete lack of administrative experience. This isn't hiring a professor, this is the dean of the largest college in the University.

What exactly makes her CV "incredibly mediocre"?

Instead of regurgitating Dr. McAdams' position, I actually took the time to read through her CV and didn't find it particularly weak.  She's published, she's edited, she's been a keynote speaker, she has been a Journal referee, she's the president of her regional organization, and she is a chair and director of different administrative committees.

But honestly, I have no idea what the key themes or discussion points are in the context of the Sociology world.  Nor do I know what the key journals are, or the important Association meetings in sociology.  Frankly, I doubt anyone here does either.

The areas of her study are clearly documented throughout her CV in her articles, books, and lectures.  None of it should have been a surprise to anyone.  Both the quality level of her scholarship and the content of her scholarship should have been well understood before offering the position.

[Hards Alumni]

Then clearly you aren't able to make a logical decision in this matter. You're free to fly off the handle and make an ass of yourself

Here is her CV
http://www.soc.washington.edu/users/affiliate/obrienj_CV.pdf

Anyone want to explain how professors in the A&S would be able to respect their dean when her writings include: We’re Here, We’re Queer, Let’s Go to IKEA, Desexualizing Prison Rape, Wrestling the Angel of Contradiction: Queer Christian Identities and Phone Sex, Fantasy and Disembodiment (just to name a few)

CLEARLY you're misinformed about the search committee. This woman was in no way qualified to be dean. Had anyone on the committee decided to vet her (like using F-ING Google), she would have never made it to an offer

So basically, you are saying that published articles, if they are controversial, make her unqualified.

just checking.

[Toodles1980]

So you don't think this constitutes "scholarship," even though another Jesuit university promoted her twice and granted her tenure???

Excuse me for not taking your opinion seriously.

Not only did she get a full professorship at another Jesuit university, it was Seattle University which requires a statement of faith and is considered (by faculty) significantly more conservative than Marquette, and yet they determined her to be qualified for full professor, and (apparently) gave her glowing recommendations for the position of dean.

Excuse me for not taking "We're here, we're queer, Let's go to Ikea" seriously. Just because she was promoted doesn't mean her writing was any good.

So have you read this piece to determine it's academic quality, or are you just basing it on your own personal opinions of the title? Honest question here.

[GGGG]

Excuse me for not taking "We're here, we're queer, Let's go to Ikea" seriously. Just because she was promoted doesn't mean her writing was any good.

The entire reason professors get promoted is due to the quality of their scholarship.  Sorry that the title doesn't thrill you.

[LON]

Excuse me for not taking "We're here, we're queer, Let's go to Ikea" seriously. Just because she was promoted doesn't mean her writing was any good.

I always knew it was gay to shop at IKEA...

/obligatory'd

[LA]

Professor Gold, does reading her CV from 2007 and making assumptions about her abilities based on some provocative titles make me an expert? Now that I have read it am i granted your permission to comment?

By your standards the entire search committee made up of faculty from the very university from which you hold a degree is completely incompetant? People that actually took the time to read her work rather than judge the titles.

[shiloh26]

Just because she was promoted doesn't mean her writing was any good.

Wait, what?  Why do you think they promoted her? 

[StillAWarrior]

Then clearly you aren't able to make a logical decision in this matter. You're free to fly off the handle and make an ass of yourself

Here is her CV
http://www.soc.washington.edu/users/affiliate/obrienj_CV.pdf

Anyone want to explain how professors in the A&S would be able to respect their dean when her writings include: We’re Here, We’re Queer, Let’s Go to IKEA, Desexualizing Prison Rape, Wrestling the Angel of Contradiction: Queer Christian Identities and Phone Sex, Fantasy and Disembodiment (just to name a few)

CLEARLY you're misinformed about the search committee. This woman was in no way qualified to be dean. Had anyone on the committee decided to vet her (like using F-ING Google), she would have never made it to an offer

A few things...

First, the CV you linked is more than three years old; I strongly suspect that the MU search committee had a newer CV.  Second, whoever said she had a complete lack of administrative experience was incorrect; she's been a department chair for eight years.  I don't work in academia, so I don't know if that is typical for a newly-minted dean, but it's certainly not a complete lack of experience.  Third, it's foolish to attempt to judge the quality of someone's scholarship by the title of an article.  Her particular area of study is not my cup of tea, but I'm not going to say that her scholarship is sub par because I don't like the titles of her articles.  Similarly, I'm not going to say her scholarship is sub par because I don't agree with her views.

I know very little about this woman.  If her teachings/positions/scholarship is contrary to the Catholic Church's teachings, then I think she probably should not have been offered the job.  But as someone who focuses his professional life on employment and discrimination issues, I will be very interested to see how this works out.

[DJO's Pump Fake]

I am not embarrassed in the least the MU pulled the offer.

I am embarrassed that she even made it to the end and was offered the position in the first place.  That is where the real shame in this story comes from.

[Hards Alumni]

I am not embarrassed in the least the MU pulled the offer.

I am embarrassed that she even made it to the end and was offered the position in the first place.  That is where the real shame in this story comes from.

why is that exactly?

[mu-rara]

While I happen to disagree with Catholic teaching on homosexuality, I don't have a problem with a Catholic University hiring according to that teaching.  Hiring her, than backing away is what is wrong.  This was a total FU on Fr. Wild's part.  If he wasn't willing to back this hire 150% he should not have made the hire.  He was warned about that.

Remember, this is a University that changed a mascot with no pressure to do so, to bow to the Altar of political correctness,  but then treats a real person with so little regard.

WWJD: if she was truly qualified, he would have hired her.  While I would be driven nuts by the A&S faculty, and their political leanings, I am sure they would not  have forwarded an unqualified candidate.

[Ari Gold]

Lemme address all these in one:

Have I read the CV? more than you'd assume and more than just her titles. I have read some of them that I had access to via Google Reader and Google Scholar. Now, I don't totally object to her writings if she was going to be hired as Phil/Sociology professor. Thorough analysis of phone sex is Not my cup of tea, or however you want to say it  But MU was going to select this person as the Dean of the Largest College. I echo MUFan. And I still struggle to believe that some professors in the college would be able to accept/respect a dean with that CV.

Her writings that were very much against the Catholic Church's teachings and advocated gay marriage should have disqualified her much earlier in the search (regardless of personal opinions)

[PBRme]

Father Wild has a responsibility to provide solid leadership of the University.  It is clear that this hire will be a distraction at the very least and a major headache for the alumni relations.  He has to operate in the real world where this will cause problems in fundraising, and public relation problems.  This was not vetted properly at all.  Marquette will be better served in total by the next candidate in line even if she is the 1A candidate of the 1 and 1A choice. 

[MUfan12]

Another angle to consider on this-

Would there have been more uproar had she been officially hired, and all this information came to light?

I haven't figured that one out yet.