"The real issue all along was whether Shimer College could muster the determination to hold itself to genuine academic standards."

"There are not that many colleges or universities in the United States that remain substantively committed to academic excellence."

Shimer College has one of the highest rates of graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D.  This suggests that it has long been committed to academic excellence and genuine academic standards.

David Koukal, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Philosophy

University of Detroit Mercy.

(Shimer College, 1990)

The opposition to Lindsay was unanimous: unanimous faculty resolution of "no-confidence"; unanimous Assembly resolution of "no-confidence"; unanimous Alumni Association Board resolution calling for his resignation.  Additionally, an online petition calling for his resignation received over 660 signatures, over 400 of which were by alums (about 10% of known alumni).  It was not just Tom Lindsay against "some" constituents.  It was Tom Lindsay against Shimer College.  Whatever your politics, his ongoing presidency represented a hostile takeover of Shimer.  The Board realized this and acted appropriately.

Since when did Shimer abandon its great books mission or its academic standards?  Since 1950 Shimer has diligently studied western classics, including the US founding documents, as well as many other great books, through careful, thoughtful, serious dialogue.  As a student, I read hundreds of pages a night, wrote scores of pages per semester, and worked diligently with my teachers and classmates to become more articulate and capable as a thinker.  If you don't trust me, ask the Higher Learning Commission which has always given Shimer excellent marks on the strength of its academic program.  In the '90s in Waukegan, Shimer sent a higher rate of students on to graduate school than any undergraduate program in the nation.  What exactly, then, are you suggesting is wrong with Shimer's academic program?  What "genuine academic standards" has Shimer strayed from, that you and Lindsay believe we needed to restore?

I'd like to see your figures on Lindsay's fundraising success.  The Advancement office report I saw had him behind our figures for that time in the previous year.  Where did you get your numbers?

It is true that Lindsay trampled over the College's long-standing traditions of genuine dialogue and shared governance and that that upset people.  But, PLEASE HEAR ME, that wasn't all he did.  He showed repeated flagrant disregard for the written policies and established procedures of the College.  He demanded loyalty from both faculty and long-standing trustees, suggesting that if they won't give it, they should leave the College.  He inspired a culture of fear among everyone in the internal community.  This is not only rude and disrespectful behavior befitting a tyrant rather than a College President, it is, in a word, BAD MANAGEMENT.

Do not your words begin to ring hollow after they've resonated over and over in every article you've ever written about Shimer College?  The problem with NAS's "reporting" is the same problem that led to LIndsay's departure from Shimer: YOU DON'T LISTEN.  No matter how many times people demonstrate to you that the truth you present is incomplete or inaccurate, you obstinately return to your simplistic, tiresome tripe about Shimer being a socialist commune or, in this latest version, an example of "extreme democracy."  If you had gone to Shimer you may have learned that listening involves more than just manipulating others' ideas to fit your own ideology.  Unfortunately, it's likely too late for that now.

I'll give you folks at NAS one thing: you have been loyal to the end to you man, Tom Lindsay.  I respect this and Shimer gladly returns him to you, for, perhaps, another stint on your board.  You need not worry: he has learned nothing at Shimer College and, thus, will remain, to the end, your faithful ally.

Your article,"Shimer Unmanned," is a sterling example of ideological fantasy, that is, of how ideology--right or left-- consists of imposing templates on specific realities and situations that do not fit it, but that the confident idelogue does not bother to look into.  I do not have the space to counter every questionable or outright false statement in your piece, that is, almost every statement in your piece.  I'll limit myself to noting that very little has been said--by either side--about "academic standards" during the past months of controversy.  The controversy has revolved around unilateral Presidential actions that would have raised an outcry at most institutions, especially the termination of the Director of Admission without any internal consultation whatsoever, and the imposition of a poorly written, misleading, and politically tendentious mission statement against the wishes of the Faculty and virtually the entire community, including alumni.  I'm sure it's tempting for persons to the right of center to fantasize Shimer as another Antioch, but please do your homework first.

I am a member of the Shimer Faculty but the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Albert B. Fernandez

This fight to remove Lindsey had nothing to do with academic standards.  Shimers Academic standards are still just as strong as they ever were.  Either the person researching this article didn't do their homework or they were lied to.  Shimer students and faculty are proud of Shimers curriculum.  We are all loyal to the Great Books tradition.  We got rid of Lindsey because he had a narrow vision for the college which we did not agree with.  He acted against the will of the community and against the spirit of Shimer.  Why don't you try doing some research on this and rewriting the article once you have a better idea of what you are talking about?

Observe, if you will, Shimer's catalog.  Shimer has been and is a Great Books school, with academic standards on a par with or WELL above those of any other college I have experienced.  Shimer is committed to academic excellence, as it has been in years past.

As President, Dr. Lindsay ignored Shimer's community and spoke slightingly of its faculty and of Shimer's relationship to IIT.  This indicated to me that Dr. Lindsay was not interested in being the President of Shimer College.  Rather, he chose Shimer as the school upon which he would inflict his vision.  Perhaps he should have chosen a school in which a significant percentage of faculty and students were indifferent to or unaware of the administration.

Shimer is not a democracy. Academic standards are not open to question.   Action on everyday matters does not require a majority or a committee of the whole.  Rather, Shimer's community members have come to value a structure in which opinions and information are shared, commented upon, and taken into consideration as decisions are made.  This is an informed, involved community, which President Linsday does not value and in which he did not take part.

Elisabeth Buchanan ('88)

It's amazing how much this piece reads like an embittered rant by a recently jilted lover. 

I much prefered this take on the situation by the National Review:

"Score another disappointing outcome in the effort to bring more conservative and libertarian ideas and values into higher education. In fact, overall, with a few notable and noble exceptions, I would say that the ideological-reform enterprise has been a near-total failure within the campus walls".

"We don't have all the details..."

This should be your masthead motto.