We all know that this business of bias on campus is made up -- 'cause that's what academics who don't want their comfy nests disturbed all tell us!

But that doesn't explain situations like this.

How confident can we be that this happened? The only source is a submission to noindoctrination.org. Although noindoctrination.org claims they "research each posting and ask for corroborating material when appropriate," they do not have the ability to actually verify that this happened.

Erin, no one claims that instances of bias are made up ('tho many charges have panned out so). The question is whether or not universities already have mechanisms to deal with such bias when it is brought to light or whether state oversight is necessary.

The other question is how to define bias. Horowitz and others would have a Fox News model: on a syllabus, for every text X, a text ~X, as if black and white are the only two colors on the palette. Others assert that any attention to how historical factors influence cultural production is inherently leftwing. (Thus, Horowitz himself still calls Michael Berube a Communist because Berube once included economic class in a list of factors that influence cultural prduction.) And still others would force biology professors to teach intelligent design or creationism.

This is supposed to be a *business* course. The description says that it is, among other things, "noting the impact of contemporary contextual variables and delving into systems theory."

"Systems theory" isn't as tightly defined as, say, quantum theory, but it does have a meaning. If an employee told me he'd taken a course in systems theory, I'd expect him to understand the concepts of feedback and feedforward ("understand" meaning more than using the words as jargon) and to be able to sketch out the control loops for something like a multistage inventory problem. I'd also hope he would be familiar with the work of Prof Jay Forrester in industrial dynamics and social dynamics.

And if he ever used a phrase like "contemporary contextual variables" I would advise him to take a remedial English class, and in the meantime keep him as far away from customers as possible.

Alex wrote, "they do not have the ability to actually verify that this happened." Yes, we do. Our nonprofit organization, NoIndoctrination.org, is very diligent when it comes to specifics in our postings.

The student and I had many communications, and he forwarded to us the email exchange from his university email account, where he is listed on the student directory. (Please view the entire post.)

We keep a file on each post, and each file has a record of all phone and/or email exchanges between NoIndoctrination.org and the poster. Files may also include the course syllabus, course handouts, assignments, etc. We verify all booklists with the university bookstores.

We reject most of the postings we receive. The reasons can be because they are bogus, they are from the ideologically inflamed who cannot tolerate other views, or because the poster will not get back with us to answer our many questions as we try to get to the bottom of each case.

Please be assured that we do our best to "vet" each post and always notify the professor/administrator when a post goes online. We encourage a rebuttal of any specifics.

Luann Wright

President

NoIndoctrination.org

The question is whether or not universities already have mechanisms to deal with such bias when it is brought to light or whether state oversight is necessary.

Mr. Blisset,

What are the mechanisms in place at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse to prevent the hiring and tenure of people of dispositions similar to Dr. Betton, and why do you suppose they broke down in his case?

Luann - You are aware that email exchanges are extremely easy to fake?

Art Deco,

Yes, I am very much aware that email exchanges can be faked. I consulted a computer programmer about this email and asked for advice on how to have the student send the exchange. As I mentioned, I had many communications with this student. I have called his family home as well as his personal phone. The student never tried to hide his identity from me or anyone. I have no reason to doubt the veracity of the email.

Luann Wright,

You have confounded me with 'alex'. While alive to the possibility of fakery, I assumed that the quotations of Prof. Betton were verbatim and in context.

So sorry about the name confusions! (I was looking at the name above the posting - rather than the name under the line.) Yes, the email exchange between student and professor is complete and verbatim.

Luann Wright wrote "I have no reason to doubt the veracity of the email." --Nor do I. But this is still quite a way from saying that you have verified that the events described in the email actually happened.

Lest there be no misunderstandings, let me say that I'm sure noindoctrination.org is extremely diligent, and that it does the utmost to check as many details as possible of every story which appears on its webpage.

In the end, however, all there is as far as _proof_ goes in this case is some text sent by someone with a wisc.edu email address, as well as this person's earnest assurance over the phone. It would not very hard to fake all this, and given the uncertainty I wonder how much attention should be paid to this incident.

I will send you the forward of my email if you want to know if this really happened since I am the student that reported this.

You can know my name I really don't mind as this is legit. (I will forward from my university site)

post on here your email if you want it forwarded to you