The Minerva Consortium

[marct]

Hi Sam,

I found the article disturbing based on the meetings and audience. DOD, is attempting to use a hierarchical model to reach academia and by going through the University presidents hopes to achieve some objective. Yet University presidents are basically figure heads who are seeking funds.

Well, I suspect he already had an in with that group given that he used to be one. While university presidents may be figureheads, they do have influence on some policy decisions, especially if there are great wacks of money involved.

Why didn’t they invite the top researchers in the disciplines they want to see completed? It wouldn’t take a genius to roll up the names of the top researchers in specific disciplines. Oh, wait they are trying to repair the discord that exists. I can just imagine my University President going down to the gray beards in liberal arts (R1s are heavily populated by aging baby-boomers) and saying forget the 60s lets go place nice with the Army. Oooh. That might be fun to watch….

Yeah, I can just imagine his talking with Hugh, David and Katherine !!!!

Actually, his best bet is to establish a series of "independent researcher" funding awards for social scientists who have been marginalized in the academy (by guess who?) and for junior faculty and PhD students working in the areas.

Minerva? The virgin goddess of warriors? Virgins and warriors are few and far between on our campus.

Total misunderstanding of the root meaning of "virgin" - technically it means "unowned by a man" and she certainly was that .