University Follies Jewish Roots in a Jesuit Universithy

by Warren, Paul

• ISBN13: 9798350933406
• ISBN10: 8350933402
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2024-03-07
• Publisher: BookBaby

Summary

Follies is a tale of sea change; A Boston dean's move from East coast to West coast ; from Greenwich Village childhood in an American Labor Party, theatrical, professional and religous skeptical family , to culmination of a career as Managment in a Jesuit university,
Following a fall-out with Boston University administration, a Dean's Search Announcement in a professional chronicle provides an opportunity for a brief escape from Boston winter. Youth memories of family political anger at the Catholic Church set aside, university visits evolve to the unplanned and unlikely invitation to serve as dean once again. After many conversations with my Jewish wife, the decision is made to trade in my uncertain Boston professional future for visit to a city we both love.
There was no clue that in less than a month on the job as new dean my mission to foster change would be distracted by a Marx Brothers-like performance of a trio of professors, casualties of Labor-Management battles storming into my office; a Sister extolling the sexual appeal of 'Father what-a-waste' when I sought to enforce class size limits for his class, and shower confessions of a naked University president who earlier had shared concern over Christmas tree condom ornaments in the School of Education, almost a year ago in now - my School. On sharing my unsettling first San Francisco month with the President standing buck-naked next to me in the University Health Center shower in the new University Health Center and indicating I was tempted to keep a log he garbled, " Tell it as you see it." Follies tells it as I saw it.
Personal tales of Greenwich Village days, McCarthy years' impact on our family, departure from Boston University complement humorous and poignant tales of Jesuit priests provide an added dimension to events as the dean seeks to adjust to his new environment and simultaneously overcome School resistance to change. Tension between faculty union and management plays out, celebrations and grievance over promotion and tenure decisions reverberate, celebrations of faculty accomplishment and pain of disappointment affect School climate. Camaraderie of deans and personalities of presidents shape the social climate and the majesty of special events is celebrated as the memoir unfolds. On the decision to retire as the dean realizes role of Sisyphus can't be played forever, the dean is reminded by the Provost at his Management , as opposed to the earlier faculty or Labor dinner, the good he has accomplished is irremediable. He is not as certain as he and wife decide to return to New England comforted in the knowledge their time in San Francisco was well worth the trip.

Author Biography

Childhood in a liberal, American Labor Party supporting, Greenwich Village family with an actress mother didn't portend an educational and professional path that would pass through Princeton University, three years of New York City public high school teaching, and a Ph.D. from New York University as prelude to forty years of professor and academic dean positions in Boston and San Francisco culminating as management in a Jesuit university. Positions as professor, Assistant Dean and Director of Graduate Studies, and Associate Dean for Research and Development in Boston led to the author's appointment as Dean of the Boston University, School of Education by President John R. Silber in 1981. Boston assignments were marked by a significant increase in federal grants for projects to support underserved urban, largely minority populations and the introduction of School academic programs to support critical, understaffed professional fields. The Dynamics of Funding, a comprehensive socio-political analysis of federal and state project funding and program development published in 1980 built on experience as co-director of a Roxbury and University based teacher development program for Roxbury paraprofessionals and years as Associate Dean for Research and Development. Boston University years were complemented by six years on the Marblehead School Committee, including chairmanship for three, and membership on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Responsive Education, among the first university programs to facilitate parent involvement in urban schools. After seven years as dean, differences with the Boston University President led the author to seek a leadership position at another institution. Serendipity contributed to the unpredictable appointment in 1989 as Dean at the Jesuit University of San Francisco, School of Education. Service as Dean in San Francisco for 13 years provided the opportunity to initiate collaboration programs with Teach for America, a federally funded Americorps Program and a Teaching for Social Justice Institute directed by nationally recognized activist educator, Herb Kohl. University initiatives were complemented by consultancy to the San Francisco School Department on Lowell (Exam School) admissions policy and membership in the Association of Jesuit Schools and Colleges (AJCU), including Chair of the AJCU Teacher Education Conference for two years. After forty years as a member of a university community in 2002, it was time to retire and return to New England. Life with presidents, priests, deans and students for thirteen years in San Francisco provided a wealth of experience that permitted the author to capture the human dimension of university life in University Follies.