response to Harris -- Ivakhiv and Shaker

"The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the ‘state of emergency' in which we live is not the exception but the rule...There is no document of civilization which is not at the same time a document of barbarism. And just as such a document is not free of barbarism, barbarism taints also the manner in which it was transmitted from one owner to another. A historical materialist therefore dissociates himself from it as far as possible. He regards it as his task to brush history against the grain."
Walter Benjamin, "Theses on the Philosophy of History."

Harrisment (what universities should expect)

Adrian Ivakhiv

Sorry for the length of this, but it seems significant enough for everyone in academia to read & to ponder. It's a fragment of a speech given by Mike Harris a few days ago... which suggests the Tory revolutionaries are getting ready to start chopping university programs and departments and reassigning us elsewhere...

Should we avoid the rush and redesign ourselves now? Should the geographers & sociologists among us (not to mention philosophers, those dark-age dinosaurs) be encouraged to jump ship and fend for themselves with all the students clamoring at the walls of computer science departments? How else to ensure a good payoff on taxpayers' investments in our programs?

Adrian Iwachiw (Ivakhiv) Faculty of Environmental Studies / Science & Technology Studies
York University
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 15:35:27 -0500
From: Erika Shaker
Subject: Re: C4ED-L Wasted Courses!?

the speech in its entirety can be obtained from mike's media person at 416-325-7600. it was at the council of universities summit yesterday at the convention centre. the reference to certain "irrelevant" programs is as follows:

"who in the university system will decide to reduce enrollments or close progrmas when there are few jobs available in a profession, like certain professional or phd programs? for example, do we need 10 phd programs in geography, or 6 in sociology?

who is responsible for opening or expanding programs in fields where there are significant shortages, like computer science and software engineering?

our government respects the autonomy of universities in our education system. but i suggest that there are no avenues for change to rule out as we face the challenges of the next century.

we need universities on side as a willing partner in addressing questions about their future--questions that, to a large degree, should find their answers from within the system.

so this is where we find ourselves today. decisions must be made about ensuring good value for students and taxpayers in their investment in post-secondary education."