Posted by Jonathan Adler:
Illinois Faculty Respond to the *Tribune*:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_07_05-2009_07_11.shtml#1246854654
Larry Ribstein has [1]posted a copy of a lengthy open letter from
several prominent members of the University of Illinois School of Law
faculty responding to the Chicago Tribune's breathless coverage and
editorializing on the University's response to political pressure to
admit unqualified applicants. It concludes:
The Tribune�s �clout goes to college� stories have all been about
the abuse of power of University administrators and politicians.
Newspapers also wield a great deal of power, and like all power,
theirs too can be abused. Such is the case here. The Tribune should
publicly apologize to those whom it has unjustifiably demonized. We
are not so naïve as to expect this. Criticism such as this more
often evokes anger than it does guilt. Indeed, we were advised
against publishing this letter � �the Tribune has more ink than you
do,� we were told. Yet �ink� is only as good as its content. What
say you, Tribune? Can you own up to your mistakes and at least
express remorse for unjustifiably damaging the distinguished
careers that took lifetimes to build?
[Note: If you're going to comment on the substance of the letter,
please read the whole thing before posting a comment.]
As I noted in my [2]prior post, many of those commenting on this story
seem shocked that a state-funded educational institution is subject to
political pressure from state officials -- surely this cannot be news
to folks at the Tribune! Yet there has been more criticism of the U.
of I. than of the politicians who sought special treatment. Why is
that?
References
1.
http://busmovie.typepad.com/ideoblog/2009/07/a-response-to-the-tribune.html
2. http://www.volokh.com/posts/1246217747.shtml
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