Universities face pressure to vet ex-Trump officials before hiring them

[riversedge]

I hope they have a VERY hard time finding jobs!!





Universities face pressure to vet ex-Trump officials before hiring them

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2021/01/23/trump-appointees-universities/

Richard Grenell, a former Trump administration official, speaks to reporters at the White House in September. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

Marisa Iati and Lauren Lumpkin



Jan. 23, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. CST

There is a long tradition of political appointees moving into academia — former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice returned to Stanford University as a professor, ex-CIA director Robert Gates was a dean and then president at Texas A&M University, and former secretary of health and human services Sylvia Mathews Burwell is president of American University.

But in recent months, some students and faculty have argued colleges should apply more scrutiny to former Trump officials looking to make similar transitions.

The backlash was swift at Carnegie Mellon University in June when the school announced former Trump official Richard Grenell was hired for a one-year fellowship. In an open letter to university administrators, critics said Grenell, who served as acting director of national intelligence and ambassador to Germany, “has a well-documented record of sexism and support for racist political movements.” Criticism grew in November when Grenell falsely claimed that voter fraud had cost Donald Trump a second term.


Carnegie Mellon officials defended the hire but formed committees to study both Grenell’s appointment and the university’s hiring procedures. In one letter to the community, campus leaders acknowledged tension between the institution’s embrace of free expression and “diversity as a core value.”

Similar disputes are playing out at other universities. A petition circulating at Harvard University demands that the school vet Trump administration officials “for their role in undermining” democracy before they are invited to teach or speak on campus. In the District, an open letter from Georgetown University faculty asked the administration to develop standards for Trump appointees before extending invitations to campus. A George Washington University student argued in a column that the school should reject job applications from Trump officials...........................................................................................................................................................

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Damn right. People weren't vetted for the offices that rump nominated or selected in his admin.

anyway, it was pure and simply a huge gravy train, and I am still waiting for the many other shoes to drop, of the massive graft and misspent funds by the $billions to be unveiled. I just hope that (1) I know that Biden wants to concentrate on his adimin. and accomplishments, but the law must be upheld, justice must be meted out, and lawbreakers must pay a price. We must install confidence in government, especially if one whole party (the gop) won't honor the law, won't respect the law and uphold it, as they so eagerly and willingly attempted many times over the last 3 months.

[Irish_Dem]

2. University fellowships going to Trump officials. Faculty and students will not be thrilled.

With a down turn in the economy, fellowships may be limited anyway.