BB&T, capitalism and Ayn Rand
BB&T CEO John Allison gave the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill $1 million in 2005 on the condition that the school had to create an Ayn Rand reading room and Atlas Shrugged had to be included in a course. The school accepted the donation, but now that the reading room has opened, some school officials are having second thoughts:
The schools' agreements have drawn criticism from some faculty, who say it compromises academic integrity. In higher education, the power to decide course content is supposed to rest with professors, not donors. Debate about the gifts, which arose at UNCC this month, illustrates tensions that exist over corporate influence on college campuses.If they don't like it, then give the money back.UNCC received its $1 million gift pledge in 2005, but details about the "Atlas Shrugged" requirement came to light as the school dedicated an Ayn Rand reading room March 12.
"It's going to make us look like a rinky-dink university," UNCC religious studies professor Richard Cohen said Thursday after UNCC Chancellor Phil Dubois told the faculty council about the gift. "It's like teaching the Bible as a requirement."
Dubois, who learned of the book requirement this month, says it was ill-advised. He may ask Allison to reconsider it, he told faculty.
I have great respect for Allison and BB&T. I've written about their activities before, when the bank made it public that they wouldn't lend to developers that used Kelo-style takings and when they made a $1 million donation to UNC-Greensboro to advance the teaching of capitalism.
Comments
Agreed, give the money back. Let it be given to a more honorable institution of learning. I bet there are plenty of "rinky-dink" universities that would leap at the opertunity.
Posted by: Daniel N. Adams | March 28, 2008 07:58 AM
If anyone thinks that donors do not help persuade what goes on on campuses (including courses), they're completely naive. We've had donors pull out of projects at the school for which I work b/c Philip Morris was also a sponsor. Evil tobacco company that's put millions, if not billions, into this city. Additionally, the donor didn't say that any book had to be taught as the defining view of the course. Apparently, he said simply that it had to be read. That means discussion would be generated and, in a true environment embracing academic and thoughtful freedom, class members are free to agree and disagree with not only the hypotheses of the book but also the opinions of classmates and instructors. But God forbid students be presented with a wide array of material that would allow them to compare and contrast ideas thus forming their own opinions. It would be far more difficult to indoctrinate students that way. Oh the horrors of presenting capitalist ideas for discussion in a business course offered by an American institution!
UNCC is UNC-Charlotte, not UNC Chapel Hill.
Posted by: Emily | March 28, 2008 09:14 AM
I too, am a John Allison fan. Russ Roberts podcast "econtalk" did a good interview with Allison back in may of 07.
Well worth a listen. (If this link doesn't work just google on russ roberts econtalk and check the archives.)
http://search.everyzing.com/viewMedia.jsp?res=207856488&dedupe=1&index=2&col=en-aud-public-ep&e=4506775&il=en&num=10&scol=pod&s=PZSID_0000010109&mc=en-aud&start=0&q=allison&expand=true&match=query,channel&filter=0
Posted by: enjycompson | March 28, 2008 05:40 PM