Who's right, who's left, and and who's wrong? Food for thought.

Here's an interesting chain of comments that has arisen after my response on NVC. David Newquist had noted his concern on whether or not NSU was becoming too Republican:

During the NSU homecoming this weekend, astute alumni kept asking if the Republican Party is exercising a proprietorship over the univeristy. The occasion this time is that the NSU Gypsy Days were listed on the South Dakota Republican Party website's calendar of events--as if Gypsy Days is a party function.

Read the whole thing here. To which I replied in defense of the SDGOP, that it was only listed for interested parties to show up and be politicians. Yes, I do defend the SDGOP when I'm not giving them hell over bad ideas. (And that battle isn't over yet.)

Anyway, following my defense of the SDGOP, David replied:

I don't think "sinister" is the word my comments suggest. And I certainly would not discourage political candidates and officers from coming to homecomings as a place to meet people. In fact, I used to be involved in urging them to come to the parade and various events. My point is that there is a considerable amount of activity in which NSU personnel are implicated and that one party appears to be setting the political climate on campus. As someone who at one time held both the campus and state presidency of the faculty union, I can state with definiteness that we were not permitted to use our identities as faculty members or any university resources in ways that could be remotely considered political. NSU's problems at this time seem to stem from the way some faculty and others present themselves, ways that go beyond the freedom to study, teach, and express oneself. In some ways, NSU has become a progaganda organ.

And I followed this up with the following response on NVC under the thread. Since David believes NSU is too GOP, what about the other regental institutions?

As opposed to the USD president running for Governor on the Democratic ticket? And having the president of SDSU as one of his BIG campaign donors?

Regarding my example, I'm sure it cuts both ways, but where should the line be drawn?

Good food for thought.

And it is good food for thought. It's interesting that in South Dakota, a professor raises the issue that his University is too GOP. Much of what I read on my side of the propaganda aisle would say there is liberal/democratic bias that exists in academia.

Heck, I might say that is the case with USD and SDSU*, citing my example above. God knows I had to suffer through anti-Republican diatribes in class by my advisor at State in the mid 80's. .... I'd better not get started on my old political science advisor. Let's just leave it by saying it was a good thing that everyone else in the department was a good instructor.

Given the fact I haven't seen the inside of a college classroom since I was working on a MPA down at the U, let's hear from the blog readers. Not that this is a scientific analysis or anything - Are our state's Universities politically neutral, too Republican or too Democratic?

* and a special note to any college Republicans at SDSU. Drop me a note sometime, and we can talk politics and the upcoming elections next time I'm home for the weekend.