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A conservative billionaire who opposes government meddling in business has bought a rare commodity: the right to interfere in faculty hiring at a publicly funded university.

A foundation bankrolled by Libertarian businessman Charles G. Koch has pledged $1.5 million for positions in Florida State University's economics department. In return, his representatives get to screen and sign off on any hires for a new program promoting "political economy and free enterprise."

Traditionally, university donors have little official input into choosing the person who fills a chair they've funded. The power of university faculty and officials to choose professors without outside interference is considered a hallmark of academic freedom.

Under the agreement with the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, however, faculty only retain the illusion of control. The contract specifies that an advisory committee appointed by Koch decides which candidates should be considered. The foundation can also withdraw its funding if it's not happy with the faculty's choice or if the hires don't meet "objectives" set by Koch during annual evaluations...

A separate grant from BB&T funds a course on ethics and economics in which Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is required reading. The novel, which depicts society's collapse in the wake of government encroachment on free enterprise, was recently made into a movie marketed to tea party members.

"If somebody says, 'We're willing to help support your students and faculty by giving you money, but we'd like you to read this book,' that doesn't strike me as a big sin," said Rasmussen of the BB&T arrangement, which the bank has with about 60 schools. "What is a big sin is saying that certain ideas cannot be discussed."

Nor does he fear that the agreements with Koch and BB&T will prompt future donors to demand control over hiring or curriculum.

Said Rasmussen, "I have no objections to people who want to help us fund excellence at our university. I'm happy to do it."

houndawg wrote:Anybody that makes you read Atlas Shrugged is not your friend.

CID1990 wrote:

houndawg wrote:Anybody that makes you read Atlas Shrugged is not your friend.

Your comment speaks volumes, HD.

Nobody makes me read anything.

That said, I would not look favorably on anyone who expects me to ignore literature that represents alternative viewpoints. I read it all.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:How long before "eHarmony presents: HFW 215, Marriage and the Family" starts appearing in coursebooks nationwide?

Baldy wrote:

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:How long before "eHarmony presents: HFW 215, Marriage and the Family" starts appearing in coursebooks nationwide?

Long after courses like, "The Cultural Production of Early Modern Women", and "The Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie", and, "Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll in Ancient Egypt", and "Lesbian Novels Since World War II", and "Taking Marx Seriously" are already being taught on college campuses.

SuperHornet wrote:

Baldy wrote: Long after courses like, "The Cultural Production of Early Modern Women", and "The Unbearable Whiteness of Barbie", and, "Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll in Ancient Egypt", and "Lesbian Novels Since World War II", and "Taking Marx Seriously" are already being taught on college campuses.

I think UCFE recently had a seminar on the act itself. And CSU-Northridge has had classes (or so Big West fans believe) on the porn industry for many years.

kalm wrote:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/b ... es/1168680" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These Koch guys are geniuses. They love government. Discuss.

SuperHornet wrote:Anyone who says the Bible is boring got stuck in the "begats" and hasn't looked at the narrative parts. Or they're thinking of the stodgy old King James Version. Narrative stories like the Battle of Jericho and Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Ba'al are some of the most exciting stories ever written. Go check it out in a modern translation like the NLT or a good paraphrase like The Message.

SuperHornet wrote:Anyone who says the Bible is boring got stuck in the "begats" and hasn't looked at the narrative parts. Or they're thinking of the stodgy old King James Version. Narrative stories like the Battle of Jericho and Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Ba'al are some of the most exciting stories ever written. Go check it out in a modern translation like the NLT or a good paraphrase like The Message.

ASUMountaineer wrote:

kalm wrote: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/b ... es/1168680" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These Koch guys are geniuses. They love government. Discuss.

It's funny to hear BB&T wanting people to read a book degrading government intrusion into "free enterprise" when they accepted TARP money, AKA government bailout money.

houndawg wrote:

CID1990 wrote:
Your comment speaks volumes, HD.

Nobody makes me read anything.

That said, I would not look favorably on anyone who expects me to ignore literature that represents alternative viewpoints. I read it all.

The only volumes spoken are about your desire to hear what you want to hear, CID. You want to believe that I dislike the book because of it's political message because that fits your preconceived notions. If you really do "read it all" then you know that Atlas Shrugged is the most boring book ever written, with the possible exception of the Bible.

As for nobody makes you read anything - I got a funny feeling that any government employee, even one as ruggedly individualistic as yourself, has to read **** everyday that they don't want to read.

CID1990 wrote:

houndawg wrote:
The only volumes spoken are about your desire to hear what you want to hear, CID. You want to believe that I dislike the book because of it's political message because that fits your preconceived notions. If you really do "read it all" then you know that Atlas Shrugged is the most boring book ever written, with the possible exception of the Bible.

As for nobody makes you read anything - I got a funny feeling that any government employee, even one as ruggedly individualistic as yourself, has to read **** everyday that they don't want to read.

The only person hearing things is you, Sweetie.

I said nothing about your take on Atlas Shrugged, and have made no comments on your politics in this thread. Your statement was a simple one, suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read it. I am suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read or to prohibit you from reading anything at all.

I cast a very wide net when it comes to reading about politics, science, economics, et al. If you want to be one dimensional, then being adversarial towards learning about differing points of view (like thinking reading Atlas Shrugged is somehow not a good thing to do) then that's the way to go about it.

CID1990 wrote:

houndawg wrote:
The only volumes spoken are about your desire to hear what you want to hear, CID. You want to believe that I dislike the book because of it's political message because that fits your preconceived notions. If you really do "read it all" then you know that Atlas Shrugged is the most boring book ever written, with the possible exception of the Bible.

As for nobody makes you read anything - I got a funny feeling that any government employee, even one as ruggedly individualistic as yourself, has to read **** everyday that they don't want to read.

The only person hearing things is you, Sweetie.

I said nothing about your take on Atlas Shrugged, and have made no comments on your politics in this thread. Your statement was a simple one, suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read it. I am suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read or to prohibit you from reading anything at all.

I cast a very wide net when it comes to reading about politics, science, economics, et al. If you want to be one dimensional, then being adversarial towards learning about differing points of view (like thinking reading Atlas Shrugged is somehow not a good thing to do) then that's the way to go about it.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:

CID1990 wrote:
The only person hearing things is you, Sweetie.

I said nothing about your take on Atlas Shrugged, and have made no comments on your politics in this thread. Your statement was a simple one, suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read it. I am suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read or to prohibit you from reading anything at all.

I cast a very wide net when it comes to reading about politics, science, economics, et al. If you want to be one dimensional, then being adversarial towards learning about differing points of view (like thinking reading Atlas Shrugged is somehow not a good thing to do) then that's the way to go about it.

Just watch "The Incredibles" and get the entire point of the damn book in easily digestible movie form instead of wasting an obscene amount of time on a book that's basic point could be summed up in about as many words as a magazine feature piece...

kalm wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
It's funny to hear BB&T wanting people to read a book degrading government intrusion into "free enterprise" when they accepted TARP money, AKA government bailout money.

That's what's brilliant here. The Koch brothers have externalized the cost of the health and environmental risks of their products, not to mention the billions spent by our defense department to keep the oil supply stable while simultaneously getting most of the conks in the country and many on this board to salivate at the notion of limited government and free markets.

They practically founded the Tea Party.

What a great racket!

ASUMountaineer wrote:

kalm wrote: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/b ... es/1168680" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These Koch guys are geniuses. They love government. Discuss.

It's funny to hear BB&T wanting people to read a book degrading government intrusion into "free enterprise" when they accepted TARP money, AKA government bailout money.

BDKJMU wrote:

ASUMountaineer wrote:
It's funny to hear BB&T wanting people to read a book degrading government intrusion into "free enterprise" when they accepted TARP money, AKA government bailout money.

Except that BB&T didn't need TARP, they were strong armed into taking it. Remember- the govt strong armed the healthy banks into taking TARP along with the troubled ones so the struggling ones wouldn't be further stigmatized.

houndawg wrote:

CID1990 wrote:
The only person hearing things is you, Sweetie.

I said nothing about your take on Atlas Shrugged, and have made no comments on your politics in this thread. Your statement was a simple one, suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read it. I am suggesting that it would not be the act of a friend to make you read or to prohibit you from reading anything at all.

I cast a very wide net when it comes to reading about politics, science, economics, et al. If you want to be one dimensional, then being adversarial towards learning about differing points of view (like thinking reading Atlas Shrugged is somehow not a good thing to do) then that's the way to go about it.

Big jump from my snarky remark about a boring book to lifestyle tips about being one dimensional and how people who make you read or forbid you from reading a book aren't your friends.
Happy to hear, again, about the wide net you cast in your reading. Maybe you could follow up with some anecdotes from your vast real world experience that nobody here could ever hope to accomplish let alone fathom? You know, for us arm-chair observers of life.

CID1990 wrote:

houndawg wrote:
Big jump from my snarky remark about a boring book to lifestyle tips about being one dimensional and how people who make you read or forbid you from reading a book aren't your friends.
Happy to hear, again, about the wide net you cast in your reading. Maybe you could follow up with some anecdotes from your vast real world experience that nobody here could ever hope to accomplish let alone fathom? You know, for us arm-chair observers of life.

Hey, I get it HD.

You weren't making judgments on the content of Atlas Shrugged. You just randomly popped up with the snark because that's what you do, regardless of substance.

I personally did not care much for the book myself, but I would never limit what I read based on whether or not conventional wisdom indicates that it supports my own belief system or not.

BTW- my experience informs by belief system. In those areas where I am less experienced, I read.