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Street{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} \par {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname City}}Petersburg{\*\xmlclose}, {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname State}}VA{\*\xmlclose} {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname PostalCode}}23805-2207{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} \par (804) 732-8993 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9069451 {\fs24\cf2\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 cestronach@comcast.net}{\fs24\cf2\insrsid2760548\charrsid9069451 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\fs24\insrsid2965980 {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname date}{\xmlattr\xmlattrns0{\xmlattrname Month}{\xmlattrvalue 4}}{\xmlattr\xmlattrns0{\xmlattrname Day} {\xmlattrvalue 5}}{\xmlattr\xmlattrns0{\xmlattrname Year}{\xmlattrvalue 2009}}}April 5}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 , 2009{\*\xmlclose} \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 \par }{\fs22\insrsid2760548 \par }{\fs24\insrsid2688546 Dr. Charles W. Steger \par Office of the President \par 210 Burruss Hall \par Virginia Polytechnic Institute and {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname PlaceType}}State{\*\xmlclose} {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname PlaceType}}University{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} \par {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname City}}Blacksburg{\*\xmlclose}, {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname State}}VA{\*\xmlclose} {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname PostalCode}}24061{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} \par \par Dear Dr. Steger,}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 \par }{\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }{\fs24\insrsid2688546 I am writing on behalf of t}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 he Virginia Association of Scholars}{\fs24\insrsid2688546 (VAS). We are a group of nearly 300 scholars, mostly current and retired faculty members, who live in {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname State}}Virginia{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose}. }{\fs24\insrsid16454425 More than a dozen of us}{\fs24\insrsid2688546 }{\fs24\insrsid16454425 are members}{\fs24\insrsid2688546 }{ \fs24\insrsid16454425 of}{\fs24\insrsid2688546 the V}{\fs24\insrsid16454425 irginia }{\fs24\insrsid2688546 T}{\fs24\insrsid16454425 ech}{\fs24\insrsid2688546 faculty.}{\fs24\insrsid8921028 The VAS, founded in the 1980s,}{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 is }{\fs24\insrsid8921028 an}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 affiliate of the National Association of Scholars, an organization of college and university faculty and independent scholars}{\fs24\insrsid16454425 }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 dedicated to upholding high academic standards and traditional scholarship. The NAS and VAS }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 oppose}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 the politicization of a cademia and pressure to promote "poli}{\fs24\insrsid2688546 tical correctness" therein. We}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid2760548 endorse the concept of colorblind procedures in admission and retention of students and in hiring and promotion of faculty.}{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 \par \par On behalf of our members, I am writing to express our strong opposition to the }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 requirement}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 that faculty members display their commitment to "diversity" and }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 to }{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 put that commitment into action to qu}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 alify for promotion, tenure, or}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 merit pay. Our reasons are as follows: \par }{\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\b\fs24\ul\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 The proposal threatens academic freedom.}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 Excellent teaching and an effective research record have}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 traditionally been at the heart of tenure and promotion decisions. Requiring that professors demonstrate a commitment to diversity will introduce a consideration unrelated to }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 teaching and }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 scholarship}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 .}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 Faculty will be encouraged to eschew critical areas of research that bear no obvious relation to diversity. Worse, the directive will chill pursuit of important areas of research that might be challenged as inconsistent with the diversity mandate. \par }\pard \ql \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0 {\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 For example, what will become of faculty whose work includes research into controversial issues, such as sex differences in personality or abilities? As the expulsion of Lawrence Summers from his Harvard presidency makes clear, many consider the mere discussion of the se topics incompatible with insuring that both sexes feel equally welcome on campus. Formalizing the diversity commitment as proposed would give faculty good reason to fear that such }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 inquiry}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 would dim their promotion and tenure prospects. Thus, the proposa l would undermine the university's most important mission: the pursuit of knowledge. Rather than advance scholarship, it would encourage ignorance about certain subjects by encouraging faculty to choose research pursuits based on consistency with this pro posed mandate rather than importance to their discipline. \par }\pard \ql \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0 {\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\b\fs24\ul\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 The proposal is based on current fashion rather than scientific evidence.}{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid2760548 VAS members understand that "diversity" is a popular concept on campuses nationwide. As scholars, we are also aware that co nvincing evidence to support claims of its educational benefits is lacking. For every study that purports to show the benefits of diversity, one can point to evidence that students learn just as well in non-diverse environments. \par }{\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 Further, this is not solely a matter of easily measured outcomes such as test scores. The proposal is not easily re}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 conciled with the work of Stepha}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 n and Abiga}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 i}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 l Thernstrom, both VAS members}{\fs24\insrsid9069451 ,}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 and }{\fs24\insrsid9069451 a }{\fs24\insrsid9531711 retired }{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 Harvard professor}{\fs24\insrsid9069451 and retired senior fellow of the Manhattan Institute, respectively}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 . They report that graduates of decidedly }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 non-diverse institutions, for example}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, have striking career success: \par }\pard \ql \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0 {\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\i\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 Is it merely coincidental that historically black colleges, which account for only a sixth of total black college enrollment, produced 43 percent of the 1995 congressional black caucus, 39 percent of the black officers in the U.S. Army according to a 1996 survey, and fully a quarter of black MacArthur "genius" grant}{\i\fs24\insrsid8720654 ees in the last two decades?}{\i\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 }{\i\fs24\insrsid8720654 O}{\i\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 f the ten undergraduate institutions responsible for the greatest number of blacks who went on to earn Ph.D's in the years 1992-96, nine were black colleges}{\i\fs24\insrsid8720654 . }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 (1) \par \par Similarly, VAS member Patricia Hausman has examined }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 the question }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 whether the representation of wome}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 n on a}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 science faculty correlates with }{\fs24\insrsid8720654 enrollment}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 of female students}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 in science courses}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 . Her findings do not }{ \fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 s}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 upport a relationship with the percentage of women on the faculty, nor suggest that a same-sex mentor is important. (2) In fact, of the fields for which she cou ld obtain data, computer science had the most women faculty. Yet this field saw the most precipitous drop in participation of female students}{\fs24\insrsid7164163\charrsid7892321 d}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 uring the very years that the percentage of women faculty was rising. \par }{\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 It is not difficult to see why efforts t o demonstrate that diversity enhances learning have been at best inconsistent. Conceptually, one is hard-pressed to describe a mechanism by which students' ability to master mater}{\fs24\insrsid9531711 ial would be impacted by the gender}{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 , race, sexual orientation}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 , or class origins}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 of their classmates or professors. \par }\pard \ql \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0 {\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0\pararsid8720654 {\b\fs24\ul\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 The proposal is particularly ill-suited to certain disc}{\b\fs24\ul\insrsid16454425 i}{ \b\fs24\ul\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 plines.}{\b\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 In the experience of VAS members, proposals such as this often sound good until the realities of implementation are considered. The sciences are a case in point. After tea}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 ching university physics for forty }{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 years, it is unclear to me how I or my colleagues would satisfy the proposed requirements. Exactly how does one demonstrate a commitment to diversity while teaching }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 subjects such as calculus, cosmology, or evolutionary biology}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 , where the content is abstract, theoretical, and/or concerned with nonhuman organisms? This is not the only problem relative to the sciences. The very basis for placing so much emphasis on diversity is foreign to the philosophy of science. \par }\pard \ql \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0 {\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 \par }\pard \qj \li360\ri360\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin360\lin360\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 Diversity advocates argue that individuals of different "background}{\fs24\insrsid9531711 s" (understood to mean race, gender}{\fs24\insrsid8720654 ,}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 sexual orientation}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 , and class}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 ) bring different experiences to the classroom. This reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of science. The purpose of the scientific method is not to incorporate the different life experiences of students or of scientists. }{ \b\i\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 It is to do the opposite: to remove personal experience from the process. }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 Once this is understood, arguments that diversity considerations should be }{\fs24\insrsid16454425 factors}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 in promotion and tenure can be seen for what they are: not just unwarranted, but wholly inappropriate. \par \par None of this is to deny a place for analyzing certain research da}{\fs24\insrsid9531711 ta by characteristics such as gender}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 , race, etc. However, it is hardly necessary for V}{\fs24\insrsid11092307 irginia }{ \fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 T}{\fs24\insrsid11092307 ech}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 to institute a diversity mandate to insure that such analyses are performed when relevant. \par }{\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid2760548 {\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 As faculty members and independent scholars, VAS members appreciate the pressure that administrators feel to conform to popular notions. Nonetheless, we }{\fs24\insrsid8659405 firmly believe}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 that institutions must resist these pressures when evidence of efficacy is absent. This is all the more important in cases such as this, where what may sound good in theory would create unintended problems in practice. \par \par Accordingly, }{\fs24\insrsid8659405 the }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 V}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 irginia }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 A}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 ssociation of }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 S}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 cholars}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 }{\fs24\insrsid8659405 urges }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 V}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 irginia }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 T}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 ech to}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 abandon }{\fs24\insrsid8659405 its requirement that, in order to prosper, faculty must demonstrate attachment to the doctrine of diversity}{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 . }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 Such a p}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 olicy }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 , if implemented, is likely to cause V}{\fs24\insrsid11092307 irginia }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 T}{\fs24\insrsid11092307 ech}{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 to degenerate in to an Orwellian society dedicated to thought control with enforcement procedures mimicking those found in a Franz Kafka novella.}{\fs24\insrsid8659405 We make this request because, like you, its president, we, as friends of Virginia Tech, wish it well.}{ \fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\nooverflow\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 \par }{\fs24\insrsid9775631\charrsid7892321 We appreciate your consideration of our comments. \par \par Sincerely yours, \par }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 \par }{\fs22\insrsid2760548 \par \par }{\fs24\insrsid2760548\charrsid7892321 Carey E. Stronach, Ph.D. \par President, {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname State}}Virginia{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} Association of Scholars \par }{\fs22\insrsid9775631 \par }{\fs22\insrsid2760548 \par \par \par \par }{\fs22\insrsid7892321 \par }{\fs22\insrsid2760548 \par }{\insrsid9775631 (1) Stephan Thernstrom & Abigail Thernstrom. "Racial Preferences: What We Now Know}{\b\insrsid9775631 ." }{\i\insrsid9775631 Commentary}{\b\insrsid9775631 ,}{\insrsid9775631 (February 1999) }{\field{\*\fldinst {\ul\cf2\insrsid9775631 HYPERLINK "http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_commentary-racial_prefs.htm"}{\ul\cf2\insrsid2236647 {\*\datafield 00d0c9ea79f9bace118c8200aa004ba90b0200000003000000e0c9ea79f9bace118c8200aa004ba90ba200000068007400740070003a002f002f007700770077002e006d0061006e00680061007400740061006e002d0069006e0073007400690074007500740065002e006f00720067002f00680074006d006c002f005f00 63006f006d006d0065006e0074006100720079002d00720061006300690061006c005f00700072006500660073002e00680074006d000000795881f43b1d7f48af2c825dc485276300000000a5ab000000010000}}}{\fldrslt {\ul\cf2\insrsid9775631 http://www.manhattan-institut e.org/html/_commentary-racial_prefs.htm}}}\sectd \pgnrestart\linex0\footery864\sectdefaultcl\sftnbj {\insrsid9775631 \par \par (2) Patricia Hausman. }{\i\insrsid9775631 Plenty of Nonsense: How the Land of Plenty Report Denies Female Scientific Achievement }{\insrsid9775631 ({\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname City}}Arlington{\*\xmlclose}, {\*\xmlopen\xmlns1{\factoidname State}}VA{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose}: Independent Women\rquote s Forum, 2000) }{\field{\*\fldinst {\ul\cf2\insrsid9775631 HYPERLINK "http://patriciahausman.com/uploads/cwamsetcrit.pdf"}{\ul\cf2\insrsid2236647 {\*\datafield 00d0c9ea79f9bace118c8200aa004ba90b0200000003000000e0c9ea79f9bace118c8200aa004ba90b7e00000068007400740070003a002f002f007000610074007200690063006900610068006100750073006d0061006e002e0063006f006d002f00750070006c006f006100640073002f006300770061006d0073006500 740063007200690074002e007000640066000000795881f43b1d7f48af2c825dc485276300000000a5ab000000650000}}}{\fldrslt {\ul\cf2\insrsid9775631 http://patriciahausman.com/uploads/cwamsetcrit.pdf}}}\sectd \pgnrestart\linex0\footery864\sectdefaultcl\sftnbj { \insrsid9775631 \par }}