Oohie-poohie PC smell at IUPUI

In addition to consistent blogging on the Thomas Klocek scandal, I've been keeping an eye at other PC atrocities within American academia. There is no shortage of material, by the way.

Here's another one. Apparently the unhappy story of Professor William Bradford seems to be finally gaining some momentum. Bradford is a non-tenured law school professor Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. IUPUI for short, but students and faculty commonly refer to it as (no I'm not making this up) as "Oohie-Poohie." And there is a flow of ca-ca coming from there.

Non-tenured professor. Just like Klocek at DePaul.

In late June I came across this Volokh Conspiracy post, which brought me to this Indianapolis Star column by Ruth Holladay.

Here is an excerpt:

In March 2004, he said, he was told during a review that someone described him as "uncollegial."

That's the new kiss-of-death buzzword. "Faculty seeking to get rid of others claim they are not collegial," Bradford said.

Bradford wrote a defense of the flag after 9/11 -- one that hung in the school lobby until some faculty objected.

He refused to sign a letter sent by (Fellow IUPUI Professor of Law Florence) Roisman defending Ward Churchill. He's the Colorado professor who called victims of 9/11 "little Eichmanns."

Roisman would not comment specifically on Bradford's collegiality or lack thereof. She denied his politics was the issue.

Professor Henry Karlson, a respected senior faculty member, finds Bradford collegial and more. "He's perhaps the finest young man we have recruited."

But, yes, there is a problem. "Some members of the faculty, for reasons I cannot ascertain, are trying, for lack of a better term, to drive him away."

Students have voted Bradford their favorite teacher.

(Another IUPUI law professor Mary Harter) Mitchell long has been an anti-war activist. She did not return three calls on Friday.

Roisman said she is a proud member of the left. "I am a person of very progressive politics," she said. "Everybody there would tell you I am the most to-the-left person (on the faculty.)"

In winter 2003, Roisman made news for objecting to a tree with ornaments in the school lobby. After it was removed, she successfully lobbied against a new display -- an Indiana winter scene.

Then-Dean Tony Tarr weathered that storm, then resigned in 2004.

The new, interim dean is Susanah Mead, a longtime faculty member.

On Friday, Mitchell and Roisman threw a party for Mead. Only women faculty and staff were invited. Mead acknowledged she heard some rumblings about sexism.

Bradford laughed. "If a male dean came in, and only male faculty held such an event, can you imagine the outrage?"

There he goes again -- being uncollegial.

There's more: Bradford, who as noted before, refused to sign the Roisman "Oohie-Poohie" letter supporting Ward Churchill. Bradford, unlike Churchill, actually is a Native American. Professor Bradford is also an Army veteran who fought in Desert Storm and Bosnia.

"Professor X" has written two articles in the last week for FrontPage Magazine about the Bradford case. They are here and here. Yes, the PC pressure within academia is such that Professor X has to use a pseudonym.

One of the more chilling items in the articles is this: Professor Roisman has filed an ethics violations charge at "Oohie Poohie" with the school's vice chancellor, William Plater. Why? Because Bradford talked to Ruth Holladay of the Indianapolis Star.

This is why we need an Academic Bill of Rights.

Three words describe what I think about "Oohie Poohie" Stink. Stank. Stunk.

Professor Florence Roisman can be e-mailed at froisman@iupui.edu
Professor Mary Harter Mitchell can be e-mailed at macmitch@iupui.edu
Vice Chancellor William Plater can be e-mailed at wplater@iupui.edu

As always, please use such information with respect and responsibility.