Nice summary of how much we suck:
“A Note from Neeli: Dec. 2023”
- Thread starter BobPSU92
- Start date
We get a mention …. “An abundance of thoughtful responses” . 
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Maybe it is me, but every time I read a memo like this from a superior and the phrase;: "Although I would love to meet every one of you, ......" I always found it condansading in that it reeks of "I'm above you, I can't be seen with you because that is not proper protocol" almost like separation of administration and the working masses.
To be fair, given that it’s addressed to all “faculty, staff and students,” meeting with everyone individually is literally not possible. Even limiting it to just faculty/staff, that would still be the case.
I happened to meet Neeli briefly and found her to be very gracious.
Thanks Bob! I needed a good laugh today. An extra scone for you and I'll pay you back the next time we win the National Title.OBVIOUSLY.she doesn’t want to meet with people who smell like us.
At least she’s steered clear of the antisemitism genocide free speech issues that got the UPenn President fired. I’ll take her over Liz Magill any day.
Oh, I don't know about that. She shows up to a lot of wrestling matches. There are always a lot of interesting smells at wrestling matches.OBVIOUSLY.
I believe the 'English Nation across the pond' call it 'Royalty'
Way beyond your pay grade
kneel down and pray for the king & queen
I usually smell like Escape, is that bad?OBVIOUSLY.
She and the university have a DEI problem as they went all in like so many other schools. I don’t think she does get it. I think she identifies with the three witches that went to capital hill but just hasn’t been exposed. Check out PSUs DEI dashboard. Have you seen the promo as the head of engineering? What’s happened to our once great school?
A problem with DEIB initiatives is that they overlook, if are not outrightly hostile to, large segments of their student bodies. The presidents of Penn, Harvard, and MIT have learned that they do so at their own peril. Let them be an object lesson.
You have a problem with this hire? Why? Because she’s black? Or a woman engineering proefessor? Or wasn’t Hopkins a good enough place for her to earn her PhD for you? In your eyes does this diminish the quality of our program rather than enhance it? Would another old white man make you more “comfortable”? I thought the status quo was running Penn State into the ground academically if you believe half the posters on this board.
No recognition of message board posters?
He said she had a DEI “problem.” I asked what in particular he didn’t want included. Was component of “diversity” made him dislike the hire? She seems pretty well qualified to me. She’s very well educated and has excellent experience. So what exactly is his problem with her? Race, sex, sexual preference, religion, what exactly - Huh? Are you assuming every time a black or a woman or a gay is hired that they are not the best candidate available? Why would you assume they are less qualified then a white straight male Christian?
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She just should have said I'm happy to meet with any of you except for McAndrew board posters.
So using your logic, a black person or an Asian is an “equity” hire and therefore not the best person? Ever? Isn’t that discrimination? Was James Franklin an equity hire?
Are you a racist or something. Please stop this nonsense. Hire the best most qualified people. If you judge people by their skin color then you are lost and should seek counseling.
No. I’m the opposite. Those opposed to DEI are. They are saying anyone hired because she is black like the new Dean of Engineering is not otherwise qualified. That, to me is racism. They refer to her as a DEI hire as opposed to a normal good hire. And I’m saying that’s discrimination.
Equity means skin color (and other minority factors) should NOT mater- ever! Equity for everyone regardless of gender, race, etc. Hire the best person and do not discriminate against minorities of any type. That’s why I support DEI. I want all groups considered and the best person hired regardless of their background. That’s what equity and inclusion means. DEI doesn’t mean hiring less qualified minorities over more qualified non minorities as some on this board seem to believe.
Good lord, how many times has Penn State hired less qualified white male candidates - like Barron? Instead of a more qualified Asian female candidate - like Bendapudi? Let’s just leave race and sex and all other factors out of the hiring decisions shall we?
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Nothing to do with race or gender. Never said it should be a white guy. Impressed by those littered with academic ribbons?
She too seems pretty embedded in DEI. I wish her well. DEI is what’s wrong with today’s higher education. One can only guess what her objectives are. Will that strengthen the program? We’ll see!
My post said eliminate equity positions. Those positions that we pay to admin that is a waste. My father came to this country and said you need to do your best to achieve. He did that and instilled that in us. Hiring anyone that isn’t qualified based on performance but based on other reasons doesn’t help anyone improve or get better.
I agree. DEI isn’t about hiring people who aren’t qualified however. It’s about considering everyone who is qualified.
I think there is conflating of the terms equity and equality .
www.uopeople.edu
Equity vs Equality and How They Are Different
Many people think that equality and equity are one in the same. However, there are many differences when it comes to understanding equity vs equality, especially in education.
www.uopeople.edu
Equity is not equality. It is about lowering standards. Stop putting the d and I with it. I’m talking about the concept of equity not ever being good.
They are not the same - true. Equity is about fairness and justice. That’s how it’s defined. Look it up. Your saying fairness and justice is not ever being good? I disagree. Fairness and justice is always preferable to injustice and unfairness in my view. And injustice and unfairness in hiring practices result in discrimination against minorities of all kinds. That’s what DEI intends to rectify.
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Those who pretend that DEI efforts weren't/aren't necessary ignore our history.
Those who pretend that these efforts aren't subject to abuse ignore human nature.
"I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you"
Those who pretend that these efforts aren't subject to abuse ignore human nature.
"I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you"
So then., you would argue that such factors should never be used to advantage someone - for example, in hiring/promotion decisions - based on which identities (is that the current term?) they possess?
You would find such actions to violate "best practices"?
Yes, I would argue that minority factors should not play into a hiring decision either way. They should be a non factor, therefore there would be no discrimination. Minorities of all types should have an equal opportunity to be considered for employment and the best candidate should be hired regardless.
Meanwhile, PSU’s engineering department, a crown jewel, hired an African American woman with strong DEI on her resume as the next department head. This as an internal promotion after claiming to conduct a national search. Sorry, but I am skeptical that she was the best candidate available considering what the department’s mission should be.
And don’t go with the racism bullsh|t.
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Perhaps one of the factors in evaluating the candidates was to be able to increase the number of minority students enrolled in the engineering program. The lack of minority students at PSU, the State’s flagship university, has been perceived as an important issue (deficiency) for decades. With its rural location, among lots of other reasons, it’s been a struggle. Having minorities as heads of major university programs, or as its President, is one way the university believes it might be able to move the needle in this regard. They probably felt that a black woman was more qualified than a white man to accomplish this goal. Whether it does or not is anyone’s guess. She may be able to attract more good black professors to come to Penn State who in turn could attract more good black students. Time will tell.
BTW, Penn State has a precedent for this. When Dean Lang took over the College of Liberal Arts a few years ago he helped to attract a group of 10 or so black professors across a number of disciplines. I believe he’s been considered to be an excellent Dean among his colleagues.
BTW, Penn State has a precedent for this. When Dean Lang took over the College of Liberal Arts a few years ago he helped to attract a group of 10 or so black professors across a number of disciplines. I believe he’s been considered to be an excellent Dean among his colleagues.
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WOW! You clearly have a LOT of catching up to do. A hell of a lot. I will leave it at that.
He might not know more than you on this topic, but I hope he does.
Unfortunately, you might know more than some of the others on this list. https://trustees.psu.edu/trustees/
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