I am not a crimefighter. Also, academic expenditures.
Earlier this morning I directed your attention to one article from The Hatchet. Now let me call your attention to another, in which it is revealed that the chair of the Sociology Department is also a crime busting superhero. Note to all English Department faculty, students, and alumni: you will never read an article in The Hatchet about me chasing criminals to the Foggy Bottom Metro and preventing them from absconding with stolen goods by blocking their hailing of taxis. My only superpower involves good sight translation of Latin, and I don’t think that will restore any stolen property to its rightful owner.
Speaking of the pilfering of money from all available wallets, the Hatchet also has an interesting short piece by Andrew Pazdon, who makes the astounding argument that perhaps some misplaced priorities are revealed when a university’s capital budget allocates $175 million for student life, housing and recreation, and then a mere $18 million for academic spending. I thought I was the only one who worried more about the availability of journals in Gelman than the necessity of burritos and pizza at J Street. Proposal: use $2 million of the $175 million (that’s 1%) to found a funky coffee house (student life!) furnished with really good books and a place for poetry readings (academic spending!). Have a take-out window on the side for burritos and pizza if that is the only way to get it through: but please, could we have an arts and humanities space for our students and faculty to gather and to be together outside the classroom?
