Tag: news

Shock, Awe and Antioch: The Bush Administration’s Attack on Progressive Education

by Bob Fitrakis Columbus Free Press, October 10, 2007

As the Free Press goes to press, the Antioch College Alumni Association has raised $12 million in donations and pledges in an effort to keep the socially-conscious college from closing next year.

Mysteries still surround Antioch’s rapid and poorly explained closing. The Board has bizarrely turned to the “marketing, branding and public relations firm” of Simpson Scarborough to peddle the closing decision.

Simpson-Scarborough CEO Christopher Simpson previously worked as an editor and writer for the notoriously right-wing Washington Times – a newspaper owned by Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The dark side of Moon, a self-proclaimed Messiah, is well-documented in the public record. A 1977 congressional report placed Moon on the payroll of the Korean CIA. Moon also has financial ties to former CIA Director George H.W. Bush.

Simpson also previously served as press secretary for the infamously racist U.S. senator, Strom Thurmond. How did the planned demise of America’s most socially liberal and activist college end up in the hands of a marketer with such strong right-wing credentials? Revolution Online first raised this
question in a July 31, 2007 posting.

When the Antioch Board of Trustees made the decision to close, three of the former Trustees had clear ties to the U.S. military and security industrial complexes. A Trustee who argued strenuously for the closing, Lawrence Stone, runs Metron Inc. The company’s brochure reports its goals: “Objective: Support our DOD [Department of Defense] and Intelligence clients with advanced, mathemathics-based products for dynamic target tracking, threat activity and event detection and large-scale warfighting simulation and analysis.”

The Metron website stresses that its Oasis Group, among other things, is “…working directly with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and the Space and Naval Warfare Command (SPAWAR).” Metron provides “war games support” and lists CACI as a client, the company that supplied the interrogators for Abu Gharib. Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh reported that Major General Antonio Taguba wanted two CACI employees reprimanded for ordering military police to physically abuse Abu Bharib prisoners.

Bruce P. Bedford, one of only three Trustees not a former alum, served on the board of Arlington, Virginia company GlobeSecNine in 2005. Bear Sterns described the company as having “a unique set of experiences in special forces, classified operations, transportation security and military operations.”

Business Wire noted: “GlobeSecNine invests in companies providing U.S. defense, security, global trade management and supply chain solutions to the public and private sectors, and has a strategic alliance with The Scowcroft Group, a business advisory firm headed by former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft.”

Bedford served on the GlobeSecNine board of advisors with Scowcroft and co-founder of the CIA Counter-Terrorism Center, Fred Turco. Others affiliated with the company are tied directly to the prison industrial complex.

On July 3, 2007, Michael Alexander’s name was removed from the list of Antioch trustees. Two days earlier, he had been sworn in as president of Lasell College in Newton Massachusetts. In 1998 Alexander founded AverStar, where he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and did business
primarily with NASA and the Defense Department. In 2000, Alexander’s AverStar defense company merged with the Titan corporation.

In March 2005, Titan pled guilty and paid the largest penalty under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in history for bribery and filing false tax returns.

L-3 Communications acquired the Titan Corporation on July 29, 2005. As their corporate website described the company, it “is a leading provider of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems, secure communications systems, aircraft modernization, training and government services. The company is a leading merchant supplier of a broad array of high technology products, including guidance and navigation, sensors, scanners, fuzes, data links, propulsion systems, simulators, avionics,
electro optics, satellite communications, electrical power equipment, encryption, signal intelligence, antennas and microwave components. L-3 also supports a variety of Homeland Security initiatives with products and services. Its customers include the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, selected U.S. Government intelligence agencies and aerospace prime contractors.”

The L-3 Communications Titan Group brags that 8,000 of its 10,000 employees have “security clearances” and that they are a leading provider of C4ISR, Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance – “developing and supporting the systems of today and tomorrow for the United States and Allied Militaries and defense-related agencies in order for them to carry out their assigned missions,” according to their website.

While Antioch board members Bedford and Alexander cozied up with U.S. intelligence and Homeland Security, students at the university sponsored a national teach-in to expose the atrocities of Guantanamo Bay on October 5, 2006.

How a college targeted by the FBI and its notorious COINTELPRO operation during the Cold War as a “vanguard of the New Left” managed to place two “spook”-connected trustees on their board is a mystery worth exploring.

In a June 28, 2007 weekly Yellow Spring News article, Stone argued, “If the Board hadn’t decided to close the college, the budget shortfall could take down the entire university system.” The Dayton Daily News is reporting that a $5 million accounting error caused the radical college to close. Bedford served as Treasurer just prior to the decision to close the college.

The role of a Thurmond/Moon-connected PR firm and three trustees tied to the U.S. military and security industrial complexes must be heavily scrutinized. Antioch alumni should be ashamed to allow their college to die until they get to the bottom of this spooky mystery.
—
Bob Fitrakis is the author of The Fitrakis Files: Spooks, Nukes, and Nazis,
on the role of the CIA in Ohio politics.

Antioch College Community Passes Vote of No Confidence in Chancellor Tulisse Murdock; Supports Independence from Antioch University

Yellow Springs, OH, October 8th and 9th 2007 Antioch College community members cast their ballots for the student initiated community referendum on two issues critical to the survival of Antioch College. College students, faculty, and staff levied a vote of no confidence in the Chancellor of Antioch University, Tulisse Murdock. Also passed was a second referendum that endorsed continuing the operations of the College past the proposed closure date of July 2008, while working towards reformation as an independent and self-governing institution. Community Manager Chelsea Martens stated, “I think that Antioch’s sustainability and livelihood is dependent on its ability to be a self-governing institution [away] from the University.”

The referendums stated Murdock has “violated long-standing Antioch College values, community standards, and the Civil Liberties Code.” This community-wide vote of no confidence in Chancellor Murdock unifies the two pre-existing votes of no confidence in the Chancellor by Antioch College faculty and union staff. The College’s advisory body to the President, Adcil, was concerned and frustrated with the lack of consultation leading to the departure of President Steve Lawry. The community also endorsed a second referendum that advocates independence from the Antioch University system, including a separate Board of Trustees. This referendum posits that Antioch College can maintain operations beyond the 2007-2008 academic year by attaining autonomy and with the support of the College Alumni Board.

In June of 2007, the Antioch University Board of Trustees announced the suspension of College operations effective July 2008. Antioch College, a leader in progressive education, is the only residential campus with tenured faculty in the six-school University system. Currently, a single Board of Trustees, and Chancellor Murdock oversee Antioch University.

To learn more about efforts to keep Antioch College open, go to http://www.antiochians.org

Referendum Issue #1:

Vote of No Confidence in Antioch Univer­sity Chancellor Tulisse Murdock

Antioch College is grounded in values of democratic shared governance, the worth and dignity of every individual, and the pursuit of social justice. These values have withstood over 150 graduating classes, two world wars, and 21 College Presidents, but right now these values are being threatened more than ever before.

Tulisse Murdock, Chancellor of Antioch University, has violated long-standing Antioch College values, community standards, and the Civil Liberties Code. Line six of the Antioch College Civil Liberties Code states, “We regard these as fundamental necessities of genuine education, individual worth and dignity, and democratic government.” Under Chancellor Murdock’s leadership the Civil Liberties Code has been violated and democratic shared governance has been stifled. The College’s financial stability and reputation have been repeatedly damaged over the past two years by Chancellor Murdock’s administrative decisions, which in many cases also circumvented the College’s shared governance policies. We acknowledge that problems have existed between the College and university long before Chancellor Murdock took office, however, Murdock has failed to bring the two institutions into right relationship and has never been an advocate for the college.

Chancellor Murdock’s removal of President Steven Lawry and her formation of a new administra­tive team is cause for question. Both President Lawry’s removal, and the formation of a new adminis­trative team, occurred without the consultation of any of the College’s structures of shared governance. Weeks after the fact, Chancellor Murdock came to a meeting of the Administrative Council to answer questions about the recent changes in College administration. We found her answers incomplete and unsatisfactory, and we have yet to receive a candid account of the events of August 31, 2007. The administrative shake-up has damaged the College’s reputation and decision-making abilities at this critical juncture in Antioch’s history.

Moreover, the dehumanizing treatment of the locked-out employees of the Office of Institu­tional Advancement speaks volumes to Chancellor Murdock’s unprofessional leadership and lack of commitment to ethical standards. Furthermore, we believe the seizure of the Office of Institutional Advancement violated Antioch College’s Statement on Community Standards. That document states, “The theft, seizure or destruction of private or Community property” is grounds for dismissal from the Antioch community. The seizure of the Office of Institutional Advancement on August 31, 2007 not only violated the Statement on Community Standards, but also the Civil Liberties Code in its reference to the individual dignity of those employed in the office. Seizing both the office and the FirstClass ac­counts of Institutional Advancement employees and going so far as to send illegitimate email replies fictitiously signed by locked-out employees may be illegal, and is a direct violation of the Statement on Community Standards. These activities were initiated without following College policies of democratic shared governance and have only further eroded our trust in the Antioch University Chancellor.

Therefore, in response to these flagrant violations of College policy we are called by our value of social justice to question the legitimacy of the current University administration. We state we have absolutely no confidence in the leadership of Antioch University Chancellor Tulisse Murdock.

Referendum Issue #2:

Vote in favor of the future of Antioch College as an independent and self-governing institution, no longer under the auspices of Antioch University

Antioch College has maintained a proud tradition of educating progressive voices to counter oppression and to create just and sustainable communities for over 155 years. Antiochian leadership has benefited humanity in profound and transformative ways over the past century and a half, and the world needs Antioch now more than ever. Today Antioch College finds itself at the crossroads of its ex­istence. The dedication and leadership shown by the Antioch College Alumni Association over the past few months is a testament to the possibility for institutional change. In order for the College to survive it must break free from University control.

Over the past several years, the University leadership and Board of Trustees have made deci­sions which have directly and indirectly damaged the College. Antioch University has removed finan­cial decision-making authority from the College, and forced budget cuts which have reduced faculty, support staff, admissions, and development capabilities. The University imposed a “Renewal” cur­riculum on the College with minimal consultation with the Antioch College community, and then failed to financially support the drastic changes which it had mandated. The results of these poor business decisions have been exacerbated by the disconnected culture of secrecy under which the Board of Trustees and the University operate, culminating in the shocking decision to suspend Antioch College operations in June 2007.

We question the accuracy of the information used by the Board of Trustees to make its deci­sion to suspend College operations in June, and we believe viable solutions to the College’s financial troubles exist. The Alumni Association and College Faculty are developing promising solutions. Options that were not on the table in June of 2007 now seem viable.

Today we, the students, professional educators, and staff members of the Antioch College community, call for our independence from the detrimental governance of Antioch University. We support the formation of an autonomous College Board of Trustees, no longer under the auspices of Antioch University. We intend to continue building a movement that will realize the full potential of our beloved institution.

Mario Capecchi, Antioch College Alumnus ’61, Wins 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -– Mario R. Capecchi, Ph.D., distinguished professor of human genetics and biology at the University of Utah’s Eccles Institute of Human Genetics and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, has won the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The announcement was made this morning by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, in Stockholm, Sweden. The prize recognizes Capecchi’s pioneering development of “knockout mice” technology, a gene-targeting technique that has revolutionized the study of mammalian biology and allowed the creation of animal models for hundreds of human diseases, including the modeling of cancers in the mouse.

“This is a tremendous honor for our University, for our Department of Human Genetics, and, specifically, for all the members of my laboratory, past and present who have contributed to this work,” said Capecchi upon receiving notification of the Nobel Prize early this morning. “The strong support and genuine interest of the University and Salt Lake City communities have been marvelous.” “It is a great honor to share this prize with Drs. Oliver Smithies and Martin Evans. We have all been very fortunate in having a longstanding scientific friendship and in being able to profoundly contribute to each other’s work. This prize is a tribute to our collective efforts.” Smithies is at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Evans is at the University of Cardiff, Wales.

The Nobel tops a long list of prestigious honors for Capecchi, who, as a child, was forced to wander four years on the streets of Italy after the Nazis imprisoned his mother in a concentration camp. His achievements in gene targeting were recognized with the 2001 Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research and the 2001 National Medal of Science, America’s highest award for lifetime achievement in scientific research, presented by President George W. Bush. In 2003, he also received the Wolf Prize in Medicine, Israel’s highest award for medical science, and the 2003 Pezcoller Foundation-AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) International Award for Cancer Research. Capecchi also received the 2005 March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology.

“The University of Utah proudly joins the Nobel Foundation and the entire international scientific community in congratulating Mario Capecchi on his outstanding scientific achievements,” said University of Utah President Michael K. Young. “His accomplishments are particularly remarkable in light of the tremendous challenges he faced in his youth. He has drawn upon these life experiences to propel himself into doing the most extraordinary things—ultimately enabling people across the globe to live healthier, longer, and more productive lives. Mario Capecchi’s groundbreaking work in gene targeting will have an incalculable impact on generations to come. We are deeply honored and grateful that he is one of ours.” Capecchi’s development of gene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem cells allows investigators to create mice with mutations in any desired gene and gives them virtually complete freedom to manipulate the DNA sequences in the genome of living mice.

Knockout technology makes possible detailed evaluation of the function of every mouse gene at any stage of development or in the adult. The technology not only has made possible the production of animal models for human disease, but it also is providing Capecchi and other researchers with insights into understanding fundamental biological questions, including development of the brain in the embryo or its function in the adult.

Capecchi was born in Verona, Italy, in 1937. His mother was imprisoned during World War II, but found him after the war and they eventually came to the United States to live with his aunt and uncle. Capecchi received his B.S. degree in chemistry and physics from Antioch College in 1961 and his Ph.D. in biophysics from Harvard University in 1967. He completed his thesis work under the guidance of Nobel laureate James D. Watson, who, along with Francis Crick, determined the structure of DNA. Capecchi became a junior fellow at Harvard and was an associate professor of biochemistry there when, in 1973, he left to join the University of Utah faculty.

A scientist at the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Utah medical school, Capecchi also serves as co-chair of the Department of Human Genetics and is a founding member of the Brain Institute at the University of Utah. He holds the Helen Lowe Bamberger Colby and John E. Bamberger Presidential Endowed Chair in the Health Sciences at the U of U.

Capecchi is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Among his numerous other honors are the Fifth Annual Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Neuroscience Research (1992), Gairdner Foundation International Award for Achievements in Medical Science (1993), General Motors Corporation’s Alfred P. Sloan Jr. Prize for Outstanding Basic Science Contributions to Cancer Research (1994), Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences (1996), the Franklin Medal for Advancing Our Knowledge of the Physical Sciences (1997), and the University of Utah’s Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence (1998).

University of Utah, Press Release, Monday, October 8, 2007

YS Citizens for Keep Antioch College Open Support College Faculty Vote of “No Confidence.”

September 13, 2007

Dear Antioch University Board of Trustees,

As villagers and recognized stakeholders with an interest in the future of Antioch College, we are both hopeful and concerned regarding the fast moving events of recent days. We have been impressed by the hard work of the Alumni Board, the College faculty, staff, students, and the many in the Yellow Springs Community who have worked so hard to keep our beloved Antioch College open.  Out of this crisis, together we are creating a great opportunity.

We are hopeful because Antioch’s Development and Alumni Relations (per agreement with the Alumni Board and the Antioch University Board of Trustees) is now under the control of the Alumni Board. Important steps towards the establishing an independent governance structure for the College are being negotiated as the necessary foundation to make significant fundraising possible. The task before us is considerable.

Clearly, in order to accomplish this daunting task, all of us will need to put our best efforts forward and sustain those efforts over time. Much creative energy working in concert will be needed; we cannot afford to be divided or divisive in our actions.

Because such cooperation and trust are needed, we are gravely concerned by the actions and mixed signals from Toni Murdock, which continue to undermine these efforts and, in so doing, threaten the survival of the College.

Distrust was again fanned by her actions taken August 31, when Steve Lawry, the College President, was abruptly ousted from his position, banned from the College campus, and directed not to speak to faculty, staff or students. The same day, without explanation, the Alumni and  Development Office staff were locked out of their emails, their office locks were changed, and they were directed not to speak to Alumni.

When so much more than trust is needed, these kinds of actions seriously jeopardize the hard work before us. For this reason, we feel we must join with the Antioch College faculty and their vote of  no confidence in the University Chancellor, Toni Murdock. We call upon the Antioch University Board of Trustees to seriously consider their support of Ms. Murdock at this time. For time is of the essence.

To succeed in our efforts to save the College, we must all work together in good faith. Our opportunity is now; this opportunity will not come again.

Tony Dallas
Don Benning
Donna Sanders
Judith Wolert-Maldonado
Don Wallace
and YS Citizens for Keep Antioch College Open