As we move into the third decade of the 21st century I think we need to do some planning. I suggested a few weeks ago on a way for UA to renew itself with vigor and imagination. Establish a Commission for the 21st Century to study where we’ve come from, where we are, and what […]
October 25, 2020
Not too long ago I read an article, “After the Culture War,” by Barton Swain in his column on “Politics” in the WSJ, October 3-4. When I see the words “culture” and “wars” these days, or someone who actually calls himself a political something-or-another, or in this case a political writer, I usually turn to […]
June 21, 2020
This is the second piece in a series of Op-eds devoted to the subjects of integration, diversity, equity, and inclusion within the University communities of the nation but with particular emphasis on the University of Alabama. This is largely, obviously, since we are here, not in someplace like Boston, Seattle, or Miami. Much of what […]
June 8, 2020
I am going to make some suggestions on how UA, and many universities for that matter, can meet the financial and medical crises produced by the Corona virus pandemic and accompanying crashes all along the economic scale, from the Stock Market’s erratic behavior or perhaps to the forced bankruptcy of your local hair dresser. I […]
April 1, 2020
Did you know that “that slavery and racism are the foundations of American history?” How can that be? What happened to “all men are created equal” with liberty and justice for all? Democracy? The Vote? Liberty? Free Enterprise? Naw, forget all that claptrap. Here’s what our children need to be taught. In 2019 The […]
February 23, 2020
Mr. Booth was my Latin teacher from the seventh grade at The Pingry School in Hillside, N. J. My seventh-grade experience was about 1955, so Mr. Booth is long gone, but not forgotten. I remember Mr. Booth’s class as the first year of Latin we all had to take at a private, all boys prep […]
February 23, 2020
Normally I don’t pay as much attention to polls as perhaps others do. I once read that President Clinton made few decisions without a pollster taking the pulse of what the people felt about this or that issue. I don’t know if Bill Clinton was that wishy washy about simply doing what he thought was […]
February 1, 2020
First, let me state up front, and as loudly as a written column can be, that I admire and support our schoolteachers across the board, from K-12. On the other hand, there is no institution or activity that we are part of that can’t be improved. In that spirit, let me share with you a […]
November 16, 2019
Last week we challenged higher education’s goal of diversity rather than excellence in mission and teaching. Today, let’s rachet up the stakes a bit. Our nation today is engaged in a war for its very soul. I don’t want to exaggerate for the sake of notoriety or getting your attention, but a speech by Attorney […]
October 31, 2019
By now every Crimson Tide football fan knows that Coach Nick Saban thinks bragging on winning as “rat poison” among the team. He cultivates a winning spirit, one acquired by immense disciple and devotion to hard training and preparation, but he is also afraid that pride and bragging and feeling good about being No. 1 […]
January 19, 2021
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