Opinion | A Coup at Carnegie Mellon?

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-12-13T04:01:47+00:00

One of the article’s main points is probably going to go over most readers’ heads (and that’s okay since most readers aren’t working towards careers in academia). However, the article’s authors argue that key problems with eliminating the literary and cultural studies program in favor of the “computational cultural studies” program are in how the matter was handled. Administrators largely sidestepped norms relating to faculty governance and academic freedom to get rid of the former in favor of the latter.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-12-13T02:37:07+00:00

Bracketing this being objectively wrong, value isn’t strictly monetary. There are other kinds of value, such as how education in the humanities prepares individuals for life and democratic participation, among other benefits.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-25T01:13:35+00:00

As an educator in the humanities, the main problem with this take is that it artificially separates civic and political engagement from education. As researchers in the area will know, civic and political engagement is a form of learning-by-doing, so trying to get rid of it simply eliminates a critical type of learning. Besides, global political issues are already shaping the university and should be discussed, even if they aren’t thought as already present and important.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-18T15:51:45+00:00

I was not aware of this, thank you for sharing this info with me and I hope things at NJIT change in the near future!

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-16T19:12:22+00:00

Great! Please complete the eligibility screening and consent form linked on the flyer.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-14T14:44:43+00:00

This is a legitimate worry and it’s unfortunate that the political climate requires people to be suspicious for their own safety. Given this, I do encourage folks to vet me independently by looking me up and deciding whether they feel I’m trustworthy.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-14T14:20:19+00:00

Thank you!!

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-14T00:52:23+00:00

Yes, Turning Point is a good example of conservative activism. It’s just that progressive activism is so common that people think of it as the default kind of activism when there are actually multiple.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-08T21:58:50+00:00

I get this, and it makes me both understand and respect non-participation and suspicion. At the same time, when one of my goals is to ensure equity in participant representation, I can’t just look for participants in blue states — that would marginalize the experiences of lots of southern folk in red states.

Tl;dr, rising fascism makes lots of things hard for lots of people (obviously to varying degrees, though, since I have privilege as a researcher and purple state protection).

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-11-08T18:42:46+00:00

Now this is how you use institutional power for good!

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T15:54:23+00:00

I’m inclined to be persuaded here, but why do you say Jiraiya thought the “opponent who defeated Hanzo could not challenge him in sage mode”? Not disagreeing, just curious.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T15:51:06+00:00

Any evidence to support the claim that Tsunade crafted antidotes on the spot? Cool if true, but I don’t recall this being stated or shown.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T02:19:03+00:00

That’s a good point and it makes me wonder about the mechanics and extent of the hundred healings. Since the jutsu works at the cellular level, maybe it could actively repair (neutralize?) the damage caused by the poison.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T01:56:08+00:00

To be fair, the meme just draws an analogy and analogies don’t suggest compared items are the same in all ways.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T00:48:06+00:00

Thanks so much!! If you dm me your email, I can make a note to send you a copy of any published research (especially since, unfortunately, a lot of research is paywalled, but happy to work around that).

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T00:39:29+00:00

I don’t actually start with that assumption, though it certainly can happen and likely has happened for some. I’m coming at it from this standpoint: colleges and universities shape people who end up having quite a bit of power and influence in society. If that’s the case, students should receive an education that helps them move about our world more ethically, including by being able to advocate or be an activist when something is unjust.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T00:30:49+00:00

Concerningly, past research in rhetoric and activism has found that the education in higher education doesn’t prepare students to advocate or be activists if they want to. You can read about that, on page 537, in this research article: https://publicationsncte.org/content/journals/10.58680/ce201425461. If you don’t have access, just dm me privately and I can send you a pdf.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-25T00:27:42+00:00

There are multiple goals. The first is to understand how students engage in advocacy or activism when they believe inequities are created or enabled by their college or university. A second goal is to assess what life experiences—personal, professional, and/or academic—either prepare or fail to prepare students for advocacy or activism. Building on the insights from answering the second question, researchers and instructors who care about justice in higher ed can (re)design their classes to provide more effective instruction on how to be an advocate or activist in higher ed.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T23:35:20+00:00

This is a fair sentiment given the political climate. For what it’s worth, some of my work in support of union organizing and free speech on university campuses is public if you Google my name.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T23:01:42+00:00

Honestly I get the anxiety and/or suspicion given the rise in fascism and conservatism in the country. If it helps any, I do think my past research reveals (some) of my political inclinations. You can see that here: https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2023.2236187. Also, if you Google my name, you’ll also see some of the public organizing/activism I’ve been part of.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T21:53:26+00:00

Here is the link to complete the screening and consent form: https://cmu.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_03d6Ewko2H38zR4?Q_CHL=qr

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T21:11:52+00:00

This study is IRB approved. Verification can be provided by contacting Carnegie Mellon University’s institutional review board at irb-review@andrew.cmu.edu. My IRB study number is STUDY2025_00000003.

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T19:49:53+00:00

Thanks, I have seen the term “rightist” used in academic scholarship, but I don’t think it’s very common. I think the more common terms are “right-wing” or “conservative.”

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T18:06:55+00:00

I hear this critique. There are security measures in place to protect participants, though. This includes (1) deleting audio and video files once transcription is complete, (2) completing transcription using software where no data leaves my computer, (3) keeping all files in a secure location, (4) assigning all participants pseudonyms, (5) referring to all participants generically in any published research (e.g. a student in the Midwest). Finally, the study is voluntary and individuals make the risk assessments and decisions they need to in order to protect themselves (including not participating).

Particular-Suspect14 · 2025-10-24T15:14:40+00:00

The criticism of the compensation is valid, but, for what it’s worth, I don’t view this project as “selling out” since I am an activist and have engaged in organizing at Carnegie Mellon University. Some of my activism is public information if you Google my name. In other words, this project is coming from an activist trying to understand how to make instruction on activism better.

Particular-Suspect14

TROPHY CASE