Divisive tone

To the editor:

I have not written a letter to the editor for some time but the “tone” of the Saturday Column on May 20 ticked me off.

I thought the writer’s comments on the relative influence of central administrators versus deans (and by implication the faculty) on the welfare of the university were gratuitous and divisive. I think that the record will show that deans, department chairpersons and faculty have had a profound influence on the “overall excellence” of the university (at times in spite of the central administration).

Furthermore, I think the writer’s comment about Provost David Shulenburger was most ill-considered and divisive. We all wish the new provost well but why the crack about Shulenburger? How many years has the Saturday Column writer been in his position and is his behavior becoming “predictable”? Excuse the sarcasm.

Howard Baumgartel,

Lawrence