U. of Montana Law Faculty Denies Emeritus Status to Controversial Professor

June 16, 2011, 12:38 pm

Faculty members at the University of Montana Law School have voted against awarding emeritus status to Robert G. Natelson, a retired professor at the institution who alleges that he was passed over as a result of his outspoken political conservatism, The Missoulian reported today. A two-time Republican candidate for governor of Montana, Mr. Natelson previously clashed with the law school in 2004-5 over his efforts to teach a constitutional-law course, which he said he had been denied because of his conservative views. (He eventually got the appointment.) The law school’s dean declined to speculate on why the faculty had voted against emeritus status, a largely symbolic title.

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richardtaborgreene

The fact is one can be conservative or liberal and accepted by all—perhaps contemporary Americans forget that because they lack the verbal and mental and social abilities that make it possible. For those Americans who only know an in-your-face I-am-righter-than-you all-your-views-are-one-ideology way to engage others, THEY CAN EXPECT to PAY for their self righteous forthrightnesses. LEARNING to differ while staying friends is a skill VERY VERY FEW americans now have. The quality of human being generated in that nation is going down and down. Bickering and its attendant pettinesses of spirit are the american future. Oh well, Asia is more interesting anyway. We no longer need the americans. Let them sink by themselves, no longer capable of engaging their own differences of view. Ugly people ugly future ugly nation.
22038540

The first comment is spot on. We are more interested in venting our anger than learning about and solving our problems. This event, in which all parties exercised their right to avoid doing the gracious thing, reminds us that academia is not immune to the poisonous atmosphere of our social and political discourse.
qwerty_asdf

translation of “richardtaborgreene” comment: “Maybe if you weren’t such an obnoxious a#$hole, people would like and respect you more.”

Very good point. The golden rule isn’t such a bad one, afterall.
alan_kors

What a sad, dreary message this sends.
old nassau’67

Before commenting, I would like to know if Dr. Natelson is correct. Did he – or anyone – ask any of the faculty members? Why accept his as yet, and possibly forever, unverified/unverifiable version?
ll48150

It is standard procedure for the current faculty to vote on the award. A problem often is that the major achievements of a retiring professor are unknown to the current, younger faculty, to whom the elder may have been a thorn in their sides relative to their promotion and salary increases. Other prejudices, as mentioned by others, also play a part. Having myself been a victim of such disrespect and rejection, I know whereof I speak.
coco_rico

A self-described conservative involved in the Republican Party is never going to gain any honors that are decided by faculty consensus. That’s just not the reality of the academy today. I wish it were different, but that’s how it is.

As a conservative I send my blessings to Dr. Natelson and regret that faculty voted this way, when so many people receive emeritus professorships who are probably less qualified. On the other hand, I think it is important for conservatives not to measure their worth by votes such as this one. You’d have more luck being Palestinian and going before an all-Jewish faculty vote in Israel, than being right-wing and going before a faculty vote in any university, even located in Montana.

The alienation of conservative thought from the academy is still the side of “diversity” that universities have conspicuously failed to foster, even as they have devoted so much energy to diversity measured by gender, race, and religion, etc. Much work has to be done. For now, I would simply tell Dr. Natelson that young conservatives like myself are grateful for his struggles and sacrifices. It would be great if you could offer your help to young rightists who struggle to make their way in an even more anti-conservative climate facing junior faculty and graduate students than what Dr. Natelson probably faced decades ago.
coco_rico

Actually, richardtaborgreene, I think you are quite wrong on this issue. Nobody is ever going to be accepted by all. If you try to be accepted by all, you will undoubtedly drive yourself crazy and not be yourself. Self-righteousness is a bad trait but another bad trait is phoniness, which often results when you pander to views you don’t hold simply to be accepted. I think people should judge the performance of others by clear criteria and stop being so subjective. The academy rewards too much social subjectivity and since there are so few conservatives in the professoriate, a damaging political bias is the result