How Northwestern faculty derailed retired general's global studies job

[UK2K]

Northwestern University struck a deal with Karl Eikenberry last year that he believed would be a capstone to his career as a global citizen with military, diplomatic and academic credentials. The retired three-star Army general and former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan would move from Stanford University to Northwestern to become the first executive director of a new global studies institute, backed by the largest single donation in the university's history.

The deal, announced in November, fell through months later, after a surprising debate erupted about Eikenberry's qualifications and his views on the value of the humanities and social sciences as elements of "soft power" in U.S. foreign policy. The dispute at the elite private university in north suburban Evanston reflected the power of faculty dissidents as a check on university administrators, as well as conflicting views on the value of military and diplomatic experience for advancement in academia.

Forty-six faculty members signed a letter in February describing Eikenberry as a "non-academic career military officer" who was a bad fit for the job. An online petition emerged to oppose Eikenberry's appointment.

"An ex-U.S. general will likely think about international politics in terms of war and from the perspective of the U.S.'s interests, and the research agenda will be negatively skewed as a result," wrote Charles Clarke, a Northwestern graduate student and one of the petition's backers. "Instead, why not appoint someone who will encourage research that is less belligerent and tainted by U.S. bias?"

I know, right? Forget taking the class and debating anything you may think he's incorrect about... nah, assume because he was in the military he only sees global policy as who the US can steamroll next.

Karl Winfrid Eikenberry (born November 10, 1951)[3] is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from April 2009 to July 2011. He is currently the Oksenberg-Rohlen Distinguished Fellow and Director of the U.S. Asia Security Initiative at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center. He is also a professor of the practice and is an affiliated faculty member at the FSI Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) and the The Europe Center at Stanford University.[4][5]

[QUOTE]~ 3* General
~ US ambassador to Afghanistan (chosen by Obama)
~ Director of US Asia Security Initiative
~ Graduate of West Point
~ Masters in East Asian Studies from the JFK School of Government
~ Masters in Political Science from Stanford
~Studied in Hong Kong at the UK Ministry of Defence Chinese Language School, earning the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Interpreter

[NumberSix]

I'm just waiting for the day that these idiots realize "wait, college/university is western/white/colonialism. We shouldn't go to college/university at all".

[UK2K]

I'm just waiting for the day that these idiots realize "wait, college/university is western/white/colonialism. We shouldn't go to college/university at all".

But then they'd have to be adults after high school.

[senelcoolidge]

It's like $500,000 a year to go to that school. what a freaking joke these places have become.

[Akrazotile]

But then they'd have to be adults after high school.

Bingo.

College has become an absolute farce.

Which is why my nascent business startup will not be hiring based on degrees, but rather practical workplace qualifications.

It's almost here!

[DeuceWallaces]

Where did he get his PhD? Seems like he would be very qualified for another role in this new institute.

Also not clear how his initial appointment was made.