Tom Scheuermann on LinkedIn: What is Flag Day? Here's a guide (2024)

Greetings. I recently read a brief opinion piece that challenged me, succinctly and bluntly, to think critically about my background and perspectives, esp. political views, and to be open to others’ ideas; to listen to and learn from them — even as we may agree to disagree. I shared it last week with my undergraduate students in a course I teach on the Supreme Court, and I recommend it to you. An excerpt from and link to the piece are below. “Even if you hold the “correct” political beliefs, you may not deserve to congratulate yourself for them; your moral righteousness could be an accident of birth or a product of good social fortune. So on what grounds are you permitted to feel snidely superior to your peers who — simply because of their different life circ*mstances — wound up on the other side of the political aisle? . . . This doesn’t imply moral relativism, but it does suggest that we should take greater care when assigning praise or blame. The contingency of our own positions also raises the distinct possibility that others’ opinions contain overlooked elements of truth.” — Neil Gross, NY Times, March 24, 2024

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This year, as much of our political rhetoric gets more intense and angry (and absurd) as things gear up for the 2024 elections, a lot of folks I talk with find it really hard to maintain their faith in the system, and to remain hopeful.I tell them that while I too am concerned, I find it helpful to seek guidance and inspiration in people of principle and integrity who serve(d) in government and public institutions — folks truly devoted to fostering the pubic good.Two of them are Cliff Trow, long-time Oregon state senator; and Ron Eachus, President of the Salem City Club; they both passed recently.I attended their memorial services on the same day, January 6th. I left those memorials humbled — and more hopeful. I’ve shared some thoughts on these two and their legacies, as well as a bit of wisdom from five younger folks who also give me hope, in the attached piece.You can read more about Cliff Trow in the DeMoss Durban Funeral Home Obituary: https://lnkd.in/gFyynHTbYou can read more about Ron Eachus in this Salem Reporter article by Rachel Alexander, October 19, 2023:https://lnkd.in/gc_FPgNJ

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Dr. George Ting, Principal DeMarsh, and the power of second chances . . . and grace:“I knew I’d be expelled,” he said. “My parents would be humiliated. Everything I wanted to accomplish was over.”But DeMarsh had no lecture to offer. He spoke only six words: You can do better than that.“That’s it,” Ting said. “I walked out of the office a free person.”Wishing you peace, joy, and grace this holiday season.

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Reimagining the Liberal Arts — Beloit is “playing offense and not defense”As a (long ago : ) liberal arts major — Ohio State U, College of Arts & Sciences — and a parent of a Film major-Art History/Philosophy double minor graduate (who has a job in his major), I found this piece in the Chronicle of Higher Ed to be inspiring and promising. Here are a few excepts and the link to the full article:“The outlook for liberal-arts colleges remains challenging. Institutions have dabbled in different strategies to stem the bleeding, from retooling academic offerings to cutting tuition costs to adding sports.One promising sign is that Beloit [College] appears to be “playing offense and not defense,” by allowing faculty to take ownership of the curricular changes, said Eric Hayot, a professor of comparative literature and Asian studies at Pennsylvania State University who has written about the decline in humanities enrollments. Colleges often default to a “disaster reaction” when reappraising their offerings, meaning they gut departments or blindside faculty, Hayot said.David Strauss, a principal with Art & Science Group, a consulting firm that works with colleges, said that “organizational changes” on their own are usually not enough to confront the demands of an ever-changing market.Colleges need “to do more than be good at the liberal arts,” Strauss said, and they must find ways to “make changes in the student experience” to raise enrollment. Boynton agreed, adding that liberal-arts colleges shouldn’t “shy away from” career-oriented language.’ “

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Remembering Dr. John Brooks SlaughterOver my 46-year (and counting) career in higher education at six universities, those institutions were (are) led by a total of a dozen different individuals — a president or chancellor — each a distinguished scholar, accomplished professional, and successful leader in their own right. Of those twelve, I fondly remember John Slaughter as uniquely visionary and hopeful, broad and deep in his brilliance and wisdom — and as a profoundly compassionate man. He was extraordinary in so many ways: courageous and principled, strong-yet-humble, a decisive and deeply caring leader with a special place in his heart for students. John Slaughter was man on a mission — working alongside us to lift up and broaden our university community; always appealing to our “better angels” individually and collectively. Chancellor Slaughter led the University of Maryland-College Park through much of a daunting yet promising decade (the 1980’s, when I had the good fortune to serve as a student affairs professional there); he was at the helm righting the UM ship, leading and engaging the crew in steering it through turbulent waters, and together setting it on a course befitting a great public university. Rest in Peace, Dr. Slaughter. [You can read more about the life and career of this pioneering leader in a remembrance from “Maryland Today” (University of Maryland): https://lnkd.in/dBfib3Se ]

Kefense Hynson. Ever heard of him? He’s the Oregon State University wide receivers coach — recently chosen to serve as the Interim Head Coach who will lead the OSU football team in the Sun Bowl later this month. Here’s some of what he had to say about the new role that he’s taken on in a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty: “If it doesn’t stop my heart from beating, I keep pushing,” Hynson told reporters Thursday after Oregon State's practice. “We chose to do this for a living. Every day I wake up I make the decision to come here and go to work. Nobody forces me to do it. This comes with the territory. It comes with football at this level. . . “I’ve had experience with coaches retiring, coaches getting fired … You live and learn and grow from it and keep it all in perspective. I’ve got a beautiful wife and kids, I go home every day, and they don’t care anything about this. It’s all relative.”Capi Lynn, Statesman Journal, Dec. 4, 2023https://lnkd.in/gMA2uRsrWhat a class act. Here’s a guy who has a wonderful perspective on the game and a humble approach to leadership. And as ten of the Pac-12 schools bailed the conference, and the going got really tough for OSU — Coach Hynson made the decision to stay with his team and university. Makes me proud to be a Beaver.

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Today, an outstanding jurist and legal trailblazer, dedicated public servant, and distinguished American has passed on. Rest In Peace, Justice O’Connor.

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We See“The Follies of FBS and the demise of the Pac-12 . . .” Greetings from Salem, OR. Here are a few more quotes and references related to the piece I posted on Oct. 10th, that I think you’ll find interesting and informative:From KEZI News, back in September —University of Oregon President Karl Scholz said the decision to leave the Pac-12 conference was not easy, but was the only clear path to sustain their self-funded athletic program… “The other path was to accept the offer to the join the Big 10 which provides stability and visibility for our program and so in turn our students and provides the financial resources to support our athletic program," Scholz said. "We had only one choice."“There are significant impacts on budgets, student athlete scholarships and to the Corvallis community," said Oregon State University President Jayathi Murthy. "There are severe impacts to non-revenue sports, Olympic sports and women athletes"But student athletes hope otherwise -- such as Evan Park, a senior on OSU's Women's Rowing Team. . . “What will happen to non-revenue sports like rowing? Will all athletic teams lose significant funding? How will the city of Corvallis thrive without the revenue from in-conference games?" said Park. "Distant higher ups are making these decisions with little regard to their effects on student athletes."https://lnkd.in/guEz_bU4And here is the link to the UO and OSU presidents’ testimony before the Oregon legislature:https://lnkd.in/gjnBEgG6(There was more than “one choice” in this situation. . . and this is about more than football)

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Happy Halloween! As a follow-up to the piece I posted on Oct. 10th (“The Follies of FBS Football…”), you might want to check out this article:“College Football Now Has Wages of Over $100,000” (David A. Fahrenthold and Billy Wiltz, NY Times, Oct.21.23). That’s a lotta candy . . . Here are a few excerpts:“One player at Michigan State University now makes $750,000 a year, according to the group that pays him. . . At Ohio State University (my alma mater), some players not only get a paycheck — they get a free car lease to boot, courtesy of a donor collective. ‘It’s a sweet car,’ Rick Ricart, a car dealer and booster for Ohio State, said as he filmed himself giving a wide receiver a Dodge Challenger. ‘We’re looking for some sweet plays on the field.’ . . . “I’ll just call my friends, and we’ll get a bunch of money and pay football players,” said Tom Dieters, a Michigan State alumnus living in Florida. He began hiring Spartan athletes — like the football player making $750,000 — to work for a charity he runs. Their job, such as it is, is to promote the charity through their social-media posts (the requirement is one post a month) . . . “Soon, there was a Tom Dieters on every campus, and collectives had gone from a novelty to a necessity. —- (And this, also from my alma mater): Ryan Day, the Ohio State coach, told his boosters that they would need to raise $13 million a year to assemble a championship team.” So, I continue to wonder: In 2023, who is actually in charge of big-time “college” football, and responsible for providing leadership and guidance for (and an education to) their universities’ student athletes? I’m interested to know what others think about what I see as an unprecedented and relentless movement toward the purchase and professionalization of FBS football, while perpetuating the pretense of the “student athlete” on many campuses. For the complete NYTimes article, see:https://lnkd.in/gNUwz4TB.

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