MIT dean resigns over false credentials

Yesterday, while checking up on current events on cnn.com, I came across an article whose headline read, “MIT dean resigns in lying scandal”. The article details how 28 years ago the current dean of admissions for MIT, Marilee Jones, lied on her resume about receiving degrees from three different colleges that she never attended. After leading the recruitment of women to MIT, one of the most prestigious schools in the US, and then later earning the position of dean of admissions, it had been brought to the school’s attention that her credentials were questionable. Thus, the university investigated and found that Jones had lied on her resume. With that said, it makes me wonder if Marilee Jones should have stepped as dean of admissions. She played a crucial role in helping the development of MIT. She received awards like the “MIT Excellence Award for Leading Change”, MIT’s highest award for administrators, and the “Gordon Y Billard Award”, which is given for “ special service of outstanding merit.” Still, I believe that Jones’ only choice was to resign.
Jones had to resign because she had many opportunities to notify the university of her false credentials on her resume. Jones said, “I misrepresented my academic degrees when I first applied to MIT 28 years ago and did not have the courage to correct my resume when I applied for my current job or at any time since” (cnn.com). The longer she kept this secret, the worse her punishment was going to be. Taking responsibility for one’s actions shows growth and maturity, and one would think a woman of her status would know better. But she showed that she lacked honesty, which I believe is a crucial attribute to being successful and respected. Who knows if Jones would have ever admitted that she lied on her resume if she had not been caught?
Additionally, Marilee Jones jeopardized the integrity of MIT. How does it make MIT, one of the most prestigious schools in the country, look if they hire someone who lies on their resume. Her lie would not only affect herself, but also everyone associated with MIT because his or her integrity would be at risk. Dean of Undergraduate education of the Cambridge school notes, “ the integrity of this institute is our highest priority, and we cannot tolerate this kind of behavior” (cnn.com). It is ironic too because she has been a major proponent of MIT for students “lowering the flame” concerning their transcripts for college admissions. She aimed at making the college admissions process less stressful for students. But she could not even follow her won advice and had succumbed to the pressure.
Marilee Jones is a woman who has helped make monumental changes at MIT, but all her credibility and success has been compromised because she was afraid to take responsibility for her actions.

Don Imus is a radio DJ who has spent almost 40 years on the air. CBS sponsored his radio show and MSNBC broadcasted this radio show on television. Recently, Imus made sexist and racist remarks about the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team after they lost in the finals of NCAA championship. He described them as “nappy-headed hos.” As a result of these comments and the reaction from the public, MSNBC dropped his broadcast and CBS cancelled his radio show. Imus made those comments and has to live with the consequences, but was it a fair punishment to fire him?

The answer is yes. First of all, this was not the first time Don Imus has made crude and unforgivable remarks. On his radio show, he constantly bashes politicians and celebrities. And while high-profile people are used these types of comments, the women of the Rutgers’ basketball team are not. Also, they do not deserve this type of disrespect. His comment was not only an insult to the women of the basketball team, but also to women in general. These women from the Rutgers’ basketball team go to school, learn, and represent their school well. They have done nothing wrong. So for Imus to make such hurtful and uncalled for comments about them was wrong, and he had to be punished.

Secondly, CBS and MSNBC had to fire Don Imus because they needed to prove to the public that they still have high morals and values and would not continue to employ someone who says such deplorable things. Even though Don Imus was at fault, CBS and MSNBC firing Imus dealt more with making a statement that the media should hold itself to a higher standard. Even though free speech is part of what makes America unique, it can sometimes be taken too far. Imus’s firing represents CBS making a stand against the misuse of the radio.

Imus did meet with the basketball team and the team did forgive him. But just a slap on the wrist would not have been enough to stop Imus, or other radio DJ’s from continuing their crude commentary. Hopefully this incident will persuade other people in the media to think more about what they say on the air and how their words can affect other people. Our culture must take a stand against racist and sexist remarks, because if we don’t, then all the hard work our parents and grandparents put into the civil rights moment will be worthless.

Celebrity Obsession

Whenever I go to the airport, I have a routine. I check in and go through security (this is all a given) and then I find my gate so I know where it is. I go get something to eat at whatever fast-food place or restaurant that I can find. Then, I head to the nearest newsstand/ magazine store to pick up 2 or 3 magazines for the plane ride. Now you are probably thinking what is so special about my routine? And you are right, nothing really, except for the fact that I always buy at least one fashion magazine and one tabloid/gossip magazine. And you are probably thinking again, what is so special about that? And the answer is the fact that I ALWAYS buy one fashion magazine and one tabloid proves how obsessed our culture is with celebrities and their lives.
Today actors/actresses, athletes, politicians and socialites are our society’s version of royalty. We place them all on a pedestal, so when they make one mistake everyone scrutinizes them. For example, Britney Spears has been having a rough time this year. After her divorce from Kevin Federline, which had already hurt her career, she began going out with Paris Hilton and having a good time. But the media spun it that she was becoming too wild and unfit to be a mother. Then, last weekend she shaved all her hair off and is now bald. Again, she was the top story on numerous news channels, in newspapers and magazines. When Britney Spears first reached celebrity status, she was viewed as an innocent, good girl, but over the years she has shattered this image and as of right now it seems like she will never fully recover this image.
These gossip magazines and websites that follow the lives of rich and famous build the celebrities up only to tear them down, and our society loves this. I think the reason we buy these magazines and visit these websites is because we all feel better about ourselves when bad things happen to other people and do not happen to us. It gives us the reassurance that our lives are going better than we thought because people are doing worse. But recently, the obsession with celebrities has been taken to the extreme. On news channels like CNN, the breaking news and top stories are centered around celebrities, instead of focusing on world news that is important to the wellbeing of our country. Britney Spears’ baldhead has no real impact on my life even though this story overshadows national news. I think our country needs to start focusing on the important issues impacting our nation instead of what celebrity hit their assistant with a cell phone.

Should SMU Recieve the George W. Bush Presidential Library?

I remember when I first looked at SMU, people mentioned that the school might receive the George W. Bush Presidential Library partly because his wife, Laura Bush, attended the school. My parents also said that it would be a big deal for SMU to receive the library, but I guess I didn’t really realize how much of an impact this process was going to have on our school. Now, after SMU has entered serious talks with the Site Selection Committee, numerous debates have surfaced either for or against the University receiving the library.

Sixty-eight university professors have collectively voiced their opinions about having the library at SMU. They argue that Bush’s unpopularity as president and his political views would compromise the school’s academic because it would be as if the university is endorsing the unpopular political views that the president held while in office. Another aspect of the library debate that has been raised over the past month deals with Methodist groups in the United States. Some Methodist ministers have started a national petition, which can be found on the website protectsmu.org, against the library. Their argument is that they believe that “the linking of his presidency with a university bearing the Methodist name is utterly inappropriate.” While both of these groups have their rights to say what they feel, the other side of the debate is more compelling. Those in support of the Bush Institute claim that library would enhance the university by encouraging scholars and students from all over to come to SMU because the library would offer numerous resources. Before my high school college counselor told me about SMU, I had never heard of it. And when I tell many of my friends from back home where I go to school, they nod their head saying, “oh yeah, Southern Methodist University” but in actuality they have never heard of SMU either. If the university does receive the Presidential Library, then more people would have heard of what a great school SMU is.

Who is to say whether or not SMU even receives the library because there are still two other schools in the running for the Bush library: Baylor University in Waco and the University of Dallas. But without even receiving the library yet, SMU has gotten tons of publicity stemming from this debate including a segment on the Colbert Report and an aired story on ABC World News, along with numerous articles in newspapers. The Colbert Report segment and the ABC World News report ultimately voiced that this Library should be at SMU because it will enhance the university and bring worldwide recognition to SMU. It is time to put political and religious issues aside and think about what is best for the university