Like so many other academic institutions, The University of Oregon is twisting itself into a pretzel, trying to reconcile preferences for certain groups with the legal requirements of non—discrimination. It took UO a reported 5 year effort by a group of 70 people to announce that, among other things, its new "diversity" [doubletalk alert] policy would enforce a

"demonstrable commitment to cultural competency" in tenure and post—tenure reviews.

"Cultural competency" is another term requiring a doubletalk alert. Despite all the effoert put inot its policy, it is undefined. Of course, the president of the university, one Dave Frohnmayer, says

"To me it means that we are able to effectively reach all of the students who have demonstrated their competence to be in the university but for whom, because of cultural background, traditional techniques of teaching may not be as effective as others," he said. "A good teacher is always open, I hope, to ways to increase teaching effectiveness."

This is pathetically self—contradictory. The students have demonstrated a "competence" to be in the university, but they haven't the competence to learn there inаthe ways that other have always done. This sounds suspiciouly like a confession that the university has fatally compromised its admissions standards to pander to certain ethnic groups.

So the professoriate must dumb—down the way they teach in order to reach them.

Obviously, the solution to the problem is to raise the capabilities of minority students. Improve primary and secondary education so that students can continue to be able to read and understand college level material.

That would require courage and politically difficult truth—telling. So, instead, the university intends to institutionalize mediocrity ion the faculty and student body. Even more than already is evidently the case.

Hat tip: Lucianne.com

Thomas Lifsonаа 6 5 05