New York professor’s ‘Sweet cuddly Baby’ grad student bites the hand that needs him
Campy speech. Zoe Greenberg, The New York Times, August 13:
Avital Ronell, a world-renowned female professor … at New York University, was found responsible for sexually harassing … former graduate student Nimrod Reitman … (In) dozens of emails … she referred to him as … “Sweet cuddly Baby” (and) “cock-er spaniel” … Mr Reitman … now 34 … a visiting fellow at Harvard … (says) Professor Ronell … required him to lie in her bed … (called) constantly and refused to work with him if he did not reciprocate. Mr Reitman is gay and … now married to a man … Professor Ronell … (66), a lesbian … denied any harassment. “Our communications … were between two adults … who share … a penchant for florid and campy communications arising from our common academic backgrounds and sensibilities,” she wrote.
Vajayjay speech. Chris Harris, The Daily Telegraph, August 8:
At the University of Sydney … students must get a perfect score on a mandatory online test on understanding consent to sex that advises them to use words like “joystick”, “hot dog” and “vajayjay” … for genitalia.
Free speech. Myriam Robin, Australian Financial Review, August 9:
The Australian Republican Movement … (celebrated its 25th anniversary with) an invite-only gala dinner in (the University’s) Great Hall featuring … Malcolm Turnbull. Tickets started at $150, or $3000 for a gold table … (but) ARM got … the Great Hall for free … ARM’s chair Peter FitzSimons … (was) a fellow of the … (university’s) senate. The waiver … saved the ARM $5020.40 … bureaucrats … (wrote:) “I didn’t want to ruffle feathers” … and “All fee waivers approved in the last two years have direct connections with the university … I suggest we go back to FitzSimons and explain this, as it’s also for his protection, in … (case) questions get asked …” Such foresight!
Dismally low scores. The Australian, August 13:
Students with dismally poor high school results are being accepted into university teaching courses … one student … at a Victorian uni … (had an ATAR) of 17.9 out of a possible 99.95 …
Low scores worse than no scores? Victoria University website:
Bachelor of Education Studies … ATAR: not required … offers an alternative path into teaching … This course shares a common first year with the Bachelor of Education. If you successfully complete the first year and meet the skills benchmarks, you may apply to transfer into the second year of the school-teaching course …
Scores schmores. They get a HECs debt, but do they teach? Media release, Australian Council of Deans of Education website, August 13:
(The ACDE) is disturbed by weekend media reports that focus on extreme low ATAR entrance scores for teacher education … the use of the data paid no heed to whether the low ATAR of the students concerned was even relevant to them being offered teacher education places.
Alas, Greensleaze! Mary Ward, The Sydney Morning Herald, August 8:
“Hey babe, aren’t you looking absolutely gorgeous. Come here.’’ I don’t know this man. He is larger than me … a couple of years older … I give my flustered reply. “Sorry, I’m late for a train.” “Come on, babe, there’ll be another one,” he cuts me off, verbally and physically … I don’t give him any money. I do add Greenpeace to my list of charities whose male representatives harass me … (there’s nothing like a bit of sleaze when learning about the plight of the Rohingya). The list began after an altercation with a chugger (“charity mugger”) in Pitt St Mall …