Longtime listener! Welcome Tyler! Thank you for covering the Claudine Gay debacle. As a Black woman administrator who worked at University of Chicago for several years, I have seen these battles in my own realm and on campus. I agree that these institutions should better stand up for the DEI strides they are taking too. Unfortunately, from the inside, leadership's support is not strong for DEI. That's why I think they deny vs. defend these efforts. For example, UChicago created a reparations task force in 2021 that has met NEVER, yet has a website with a list of taskforce members, many of whom have resigned or graduated from the university. It's a literal joke. Lastly, I disagree with Tyler's assessment of Dr. Gay being a "mediocre academic." Her scholarship I found to be eye opening especially because it centers the Black experience in politics. I personally found your sentiment to be really hurtful and flippant. I don't know...there are so few Black women in power in the academy. I don't think Dr. Gay was perfect and by the time you get that high up, you probably are "playing the game," but I hope you understand why she meant a lot to Black women out there really struggling in the academy and hoping to rise and make a difference. As a collective, we (Black women) were really proud of her, imperfections and all. Hers was an unjust situation with no avenue for repair. She was literally a product of a Harvard education. I'm very happy I left UChicago. Despite the ongoing criticism from conservatives about it being a bastion of liberal lefties, inside it felt the opposite, still a sexist and racist white supremacy-focused place... Especially for staff who had no freedom of expression extended to us.
Longtime listener! Welcome Tyler! Thank you for covering the Claudine Gay debacle. As a Black woman administrator who worked at University of Chicago for several years, I have seen these battles in my own realm and on campus. I agree that these institutions should better stand up for the DEI strides they are taking too. Unfortunately, from the inside, leadership's support is not strong for DEI. That's why I think they deny vs. defend these efforts. For example, UChicago created a reparations task force in 2021 that has met NEVER, yet has a website with a list of taskforce members, many of whom have resigned or graduated from the university. It's a literal joke. Lastly, I disagree with Tyler's assessment of Dr. Gay being a "mediocre academic." Her scholarship I found to be eye opening especially because it centers the Black experience in politics. I personally found your sentiment to be really hurtful and flippant. I don't know...there are so few Black women in power in the academy. I don't think Dr. Gay was perfect and by the time you get that high up, you probably are "playing the game," but I hope you understand why she meant a lot to Black women out there really struggling in the academy and hoping to rise and make a difference. As a collective, we (Black women) were really proud of her, imperfections and all. Hers was an unjust situation with no avenue for repair. She was literally a product of a Harvard education. I'm very happy I left UChicago. Despite the ongoing criticism from conservatives about it being a bastion of liberal lefties, inside it felt the opposite, still a sexist and racist white supremacy-focused place... Especially for staff who had no freedom of expression extended to us.