mhendo
02-19-2003, 11:21 PM
Firstly, for those unfamiliar with the world of academia, i should give a short explanation. Like many published books that you find in bookstores, the theses and dissertations produced by graduate students at universities generally contain an Acknowledgements section. You know the sort of thing - a place where you thank your professors, your colleagues, the library staff, friends, family, etc., for helping you get through the academic minefield and the years of hell that are grad school.
Now to my story. In 1999, UC Santa Barbara student Christopher Brown presented his Masters thesis on "The Morphology of Calcium Carbonate: Factors Affecting Crystal Shape." But this fascinating topic is not the subject for our discussion. No, what i want to talk about is what Brown referred to as his "Disacknowledgement" section, in which he was scathing of various people within and outside the university.
As a result of this, UCSB refused to grant his degree. Eventually, after much formal protest and filing of complaints by Brown, the university caved and awarded him his degree, but only after ABC News showed an interest in the story.
Because Brown had struggled to find a job while all this was going on, he took the university to court in a damage suit. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco sided with the defendants, saying that Brown did not have a first amendment right to his "Disacknowledgements," and that The acknowledgments section does not conform to established academic and professional standards. We conclude that the Amendment does not require university professors to assign a passing grade to such a thesis. We further hold that the university’s review procedures satisfied due process. One judge wrote a partial dissent from this opinion. According to this article (http://www.geocities.com/brown_ct/documents/press/20021814_San_Francisco_Chronicle.htm), Judge Stephen Reinhardt maintained Brown should have the chance to persuade a jury that the school punished him for the content of his criticism. Interestingly, the Materials Science faculty had passed the academic content of the thesis, but they didn't see the offending section because it was added afterwards, just before Brown submitted the thesis to the library for cataloguing.
While Brown now has his degree, the university still refuses to add his thesis to the library, contrary to standard policy. I'm just interested in getting people's take on this issue, and i thought GD was the place for it because of the rather debatable issues that are likely to come up. My own take is that the acknowledgements section of a thesis should not be considered part of the academic content of the work, and as such should not necessarily have to conform to regular standards of academic discourse. It is a place to express opinions and emotions, and as long as the academic content of the work is adequate, the thesis should pass. I'd be interested to hear the opinions of others.
Oh, and finally, you have to read the "Disacknowledgements" that got Brown into so much trouble. Here they are:I would like to offer special Disacknowledgements to the following degenerates for being an ever-present hindrance during my graduate career:
To the Dean and staff of the Graduate Division,
You fascists are the largest argument against higher education there has ever been. Any claims you make as an ally and resource for students is an utter sham. All dealings with you have ended in sheer frustration. I'd rather take a hot stick in the eye then deal with your bureaucratic nonsense. An especial disacknowledgement to David Fishman whose officious, blind devotion to absurd rules provides disservice to both education and the university.
To the entire management of the Davidson Library,
Your strict adherence to self-serving draconian policy has made it a supreme displeasure to work in your vicinity. Incomprehensible fines, unwillingness to help and general poor attitude has made most library visits an ogre. I trust your incompetence will preside over the continued decline in library quality.
To Professor Fred Wudl (formerly of UCSB, tenured at UCLA),
For failing to realize that your professorship and tenure doesn't give you the privilege of disrespectful and cruel treatment of your students and employees. Further, it has surprised me that your arrogance and proclivity at being an ass can affect even those isolated from your presence. It is my supreme pleasure to never have associations with you again.
To Former Governor Pete Wilson,
A supreme government jerk who has personally overseen the demise of the university. You policies have 1) raised tuition and fees fourfold since my first association with the university, 2) dismantled and traded some of the most competent senior faculty, and 3) generally hurt as many people as possible. For these, I wish you to never wield any governmental power again as you have surely proved your ineptitude.
To the UC Regents,
Whose continued suppression of graduate students, your most loyal employees, serves as a paragon of corrupt management. May your continually biased and corrupt practices be fraught with continued controversies brought upon by the students who you offer a fatuous disservice.
And
To Science,
For being a hollow specter of what you should be. Your vapid conceits have rendered those in your pursuit lifeless, unfeeling zombies. If I can forever escape you, the better I will be.
CHRISTOPHER T. BROWN
14 JULY 1999
2nd Edition
First Edition was drafted and written on 7 APRIL 1999 and subsequently censored by myopic action of officials at the University of California, Santa Barbara.There is a whole website devoted to this issue here (http://www.disacknowledged.org). It includes updates, links to media coverage of the issue, and the full text of the Court of Appeals decision.
Now to my story. In 1999, UC Santa Barbara student Christopher Brown presented his Masters thesis on "The Morphology of Calcium Carbonate: Factors Affecting Crystal Shape." But this fascinating topic is not the subject for our discussion. No, what i want to talk about is what Brown referred to as his "Disacknowledgement" section, in which he was scathing of various people within and outside the university.
As a result of this, UCSB refused to grant his degree. Eventually, after much formal protest and filing of complaints by Brown, the university caved and awarded him his degree, but only after ABC News showed an interest in the story.
Because Brown had struggled to find a job while all this was going on, he took the university to court in a damage suit. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco sided with the defendants, saying that Brown did not have a first amendment right to his "Disacknowledgements," and that The acknowledgments section does not conform to established academic and professional standards. We conclude that the Amendment does not require university professors to assign a passing grade to such a thesis. We further hold that the university’s review procedures satisfied due process. One judge wrote a partial dissent from this opinion. According to this article (http://www.geocities.com/brown_ct/documents/press/20021814_San_Francisco_Chronicle.htm), Judge Stephen Reinhardt maintained Brown should have the chance to persuade a jury that the school punished him for the content of his criticism. Interestingly, the Materials Science faculty had passed the academic content of the thesis, but they didn't see the offending section because it was added afterwards, just before Brown submitted the thesis to the library for cataloguing.
While Brown now has his degree, the university still refuses to add his thesis to the library, contrary to standard policy. I'm just interested in getting people's take on this issue, and i thought GD was the place for it because of the rather debatable issues that are likely to come up. My own take is that the acknowledgements section of a thesis should not be considered part of the academic content of the work, and as such should not necessarily have to conform to regular standards of academic discourse. It is a place to express opinions and emotions, and as long as the academic content of the work is adequate, the thesis should pass. I'd be interested to hear the opinions of others.
Oh, and finally, you have to read the "Disacknowledgements" that got Brown into so much trouble. Here they are:I would like to offer special Disacknowledgements to the following degenerates for being an ever-present hindrance during my graduate career:
To the Dean and staff of the Graduate Division,
You fascists are the largest argument against higher education there has ever been. Any claims you make as an ally and resource for students is an utter sham. All dealings with you have ended in sheer frustration. I'd rather take a hot stick in the eye then deal with your bureaucratic nonsense. An especial disacknowledgement to David Fishman whose officious, blind devotion to absurd rules provides disservice to both education and the university.
To the entire management of the Davidson Library,
Your strict adherence to self-serving draconian policy has made it a supreme displeasure to work in your vicinity. Incomprehensible fines, unwillingness to help and general poor attitude has made most library visits an ogre. I trust your incompetence will preside over the continued decline in library quality.
To Professor Fred Wudl (formerly of UCSB, tenured at UCLA),
For failing to realize that your professorship and tenure doesn't give you the privilege of disrespectful and cruel treatment of your students and employees. Further, it has surprised me that your arrogance and proclivity at being an ass can affect even those isolated from your presence. It is my supreme pleasure to never have associations with you again.
To Former Governor Pete Wilson,
A supreme government jerk who has personally overseen the demise of the university. You policies have 1) raised tuition and fees fourfold since my first association with the university, 2) dismantled and traded some of the most competent senior faculty, and 3) generally hurt as many people as possible. For these, I wish you to never wield any governmental power again as you have surely proved your ineptitude.
To the UC Regents,
Whose continued suppression of graduate students, your most loyal employees, serves as a paragon of corrupt management. May your continually biased and corrupt practices be fraught with continued controversies brought upon by the students who you offer a fatuous disservice.
And
To Science,
For being a hollow specter of what you should be. Your vapid conceits have rendered those in your pursuit lifeless, unfeeling zombies. If I can forever escape you, the better I will be.
CHRISTOPHER T. BROWN
14 JULY 1999
2nd Edition
First Edition was drafted and written on 7 APRIL 1999 and subsequently censored by myopic action of officials at the University of California, Santa Barbara.There is a whole website devoted to this issue here (http://www.disacknowledged.org). It includes updates, links to media coverage of the issue, and the full text of the Court of Appeals decision.