Howard Dean, professor?
After a nearly 30-year stint in politics, Howard Dean ’71 is hoping to return to the Elm City — this time as a professor.
Dean, the former governor of Vermont and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has applied to teach a residential college seminar, “Understanding Politics and Politicians,” alongside David Berg ’71 GRD ’72, a clinical psychiatry professor at the School of Medicine. But in an interview with the News on Saturday, Dean maintained that his seminar proposal does not signify the end of his days in Washington.
“I am not transitioning from...
Regarding the student comment: has it really come to the point where a freshman (perspective) political science major is concerned about a course led by a major reshaper of modern American politics because it is not theoretical enough? If that's the case, I don't have much hope that the next round of our leaders will emerge from the ranks of Yale political science majors.
Anyone who thinks he or she doesn't have something to learn from a course like this one probably doesn't
Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!!!!
As a recent alum myself, I'm curious who "Recent Alum" is. Anytime a politically charged story appears in the YDN, he posts from a consistently conservative Republican perspective. Nothing wrong with that, I'm just curious - care to reveal yourself?
As for me, I'm more inclined to agree with #2 than with Recent Alum. For better or for worse, Howard Dean has been a major reshaper of American politics in the last few years. He may be hyper-partisan - he was chairman of the DNC, after all - but "hateful" is a bit far, and taking a few partisan quotes from his long career out of context isn't enough to justify an accusation like that. Besides, Yale has had a glut of big-name conservative (especially neo-conservative) professors over the last few years, most recently including John Negroponte. What's so wrong with a guy like Howard Dean signing up to team-teach a class?
This simply shows Yale at its worst--the only reason to bring this guy here is his name. He's no intellectual, just a mud slinger. Many dedicated liberals feel this way.
God help us all.
I couldn't agree more with Sherlock. And I personally don't think "Recent Alum" even went to Yale. Stupid internet trolls.
@dtm - if you think you can only learn things at Yale from intellectuals, you are missing out on perhaps the most valuable part of your education.
This sounds like an awesome idea - Yale is blessed to be able to attract people with relevant real world experience to come teach undergraduates. Its a shame that only 15 kids (from a certain residential college) will have the opportunity to take this.
I'm not at all concerned with his 'partisan' politics.. after all, who on the national stage of politics does NOT lean one way or the other? We all have biases, and just as the many conservatives who have come here to speak may challenge those students with liberal leanings to think more critically and hone their arguments, the same can be said for the conservatives with Dean.
If I were studying politics, I would find it equally fascinating to have direct contact with Howard Dean or Karl Rove. Both have had huge impacts in the real world, so why complain about real, tangible access to such people, regardless of the side you lean towards?
This is outrageous. Howard Dean is a guy who has said "I hate Republicans"; "Republicans have never made an honest living in their lives"; and "The Republican Party is a White Christian party." This kind of hateful hyper-partisan rhetoric has no place in a diverse community like Yale. For one thing, does anyone think that Dean would grade conservatives or Republicans fairly? Would Rush Limbaugh also be able to teach at Yale if he wanted to?