The Wit and Wisdom of Cornellians

The right of Big Red Bears to babble shall not be infringed

The Wit and Wisdom of Cornellians

The right of Big Red Bears to babble shall not be infringed

The Three Virtues


By Hyde Fromue

The eleven moral virtues described by Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics include Courage, Patience, Truthfulness, Wittiness, and Friendliness—five virtues that we do not have the luxury or privilege to cultivate in our fight for social justice.

Thankfully, the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity at Cornell University has reduced the eleven Aristotelian moral virtues down to three social justice virtues. Their website provides guidelines for us to assess the strength and weakness of our own social justice virtues.

The three social justice virtues described by the Cornell University Office of Faculty Development and Diversity are: 1) Awareness of, 2) Experience Promoting, and 3) Plans to Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This self-assessment is not only valuable for Cornellians, but for anyone seeking a re-education at any college or university in Amerikkka, including MIT, American University, UPenn, UNC, Colgate, Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Princeton, Brown, Columbia, Stanford, and Dartmouth.

Do not waste your time on the diversity statement from Hillsdale College.

Be aware that with the ongoing discovery and unveiling of new classes of victims, the university social justice guidelines are continuously evolving and you may want to refresh your browser several times as you read them. Cornell’s three social justice virtues and the rubrics to rank within them are:

Awareness/Understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Weak
  • Uses vague terms to describe diversity without indicating an awareness or understanding of challenges underrepresented individuals in higher education face and the factors influencing underrepresentation of particular groups in academia.
  • No indication of efforts to educate self about diversity topics in higher education.
  • Discounts the importance of diversity.
  • Unaware of demographic data about diversity in specific disciplines or in higher education.
  • Uncomfortable discussing diversity-related issues.
Average

Demonstrates some qualities consistent with weak and strong characteristics.

Strong
  • Understands and is knowledgeable of diversity from either personal experience or education about the experiences of those with identities different from one’s own.
  • Sophisticated understanding of differences stemming from ethnic, socioeconomic, racial, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and cultural backgrounds and the obstacles people from these backgrounds face in higher education.
  • Familiar with demographic data relevant in higher education. Provides examples of programs to address climate or underrepresentation.
  • Understands challenges experienced by underrepresented individuals in higher education. Addresses why it’s important for faculty to contribute to meeting the above challenges.

 

Experience Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Weak
  • Limited experience or plans for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the classroom, service activities and through research.
  • Description of efforts are brief or vague.
  • May have attended a workshop or read books, but no interest in participating in efforts to enhance a welcoming climate for all.
Average
  • Shows aspects of weak and strong characteristics. May have attended several activities (conferences, student organizations, talks).
  • Shows commitment to addressing diversity, equity, inclusion through research, teaching or service but not through all three categories.
Strong
  • Significant direct experience advancing diversity, equity and inclusion through research, service and teaching. Examples may include advising an organization supporting underrepresented individuals; addressing attendees at a workshop promoting diversity, equity, inclusion; creating and implementing strategies and/or pedagogy to encourage a respectful class environment for underrepresented students; serving on relevant university committee on diversity, equity and inclusion; research on underrepresented communities; active involvement in professional or scientific organization aimed at addressing needs of underrepresented students.
  • Track record spans career stages and provides examples as undergraduate or graduate student and in faculty positions, if appropriate.

 

Plans to Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion at Cornell
Weak
  • Unclear what unique efforts candidate would undertake at Cornell. Merely says they would do what is asked, if hired.
  • May have participated peripherally in efforts promoting equity diversity, equity and inclusion.
Average Plans are vague without mentioning objectives, expected outcomes, specific tasks.
Strong
  • Details plans to promote diversity, equity and inclusion through research, service and teaching at Cornell and within their department and/or campus-wide.
  • References ongoing efforts at Cornell and ways to improve and modify them to advance diversity, equity and inclusion.

These guidelines, which serve as a political litmus test in faculty hiring, ensures that Cornell will transition from a Western traditional truth-seeking university to a progressive university that trains social justice activists. It also ensures that the students, faculty, staff, and administrators will forego critical thinking and the search for truth that just mucks up the waters and slows down the revolution.

Yes, we at Cornell University have finally eclipsed Liberty Hyde Bailey’s White Supremacist concept of the Ground-Levels of Democracy, which was based on truth rather than advocacy!

To find the fact and to know the truth, this is the purpose of the quest of science. If the truth can be applied to the arts of life, the gain is good; but the truth is valuable on its own account, and for the range and reach that it imparts to the mind. As the truth is of itself, as it knows no person and no condition, so is its application impartial and so is its effect on the mind uncompromising. One never makes the quest with success unless the mind is open at the start. The quest is to find out, always to discover, never to prove a thesis or to demonstrate an assumed position. Herein does this mind differ from that of the advocate who must merely prove a case, or from that of the preacher who must support a dogma, or from that of the politician who must defend a party.

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