Hamilton found itself in a dilemma: on the one hand, many assumed that Susan Rosenberg's past disqualified her from any future contribution to society, let alone a teaching post, even if she had renounced that past, was a legally freed woman, and by all accounts had begun to lead a productive life while in prison. Many of those who objected to her appointment believe that these charges were dropped because of the long sentence she had already received for the weapons violation.įor numerous thoughtful alumni and friends who wrote to me, the tipping point in their opposition was the distinction between giving a lecture and teaching a credit-bearing course. Rosenberg's history: a different crime for which she was indicted but not tried, namely the 1981 Brink's armored car robbery that left two Rockland County policemen and one security guard dead. They and many others were especially troubled by another aspect of Ms. Law enforcement officers were particularly vocal in their opposition, including two or three dozen members of the Rockland County Police Department who demonstrated outside the kickoff of the Excelsior capital campaign in New York City on December 3rd. Rosenberg's planned visit to Hamilton, my colleagues and I found ourselves fielding hundreds of messages. In the future, however, the College dean will review and approve all temporary teaching appointments. The invitation for this ad hoc appointment was extended by the Kirkland Project in a manner consistent with longstanding College practice. Following her release, she lectured without incident at several respected colleges and universities (including Hamilton last February) and taught as an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the City of New York. Rosenberg, who was imprisoned for 16 years for possession of explosives, weapons and false identification papers before her sentence was commuted by President Clinton in 2001, was invited by the Kirkland Project for a month-long residency next semester to teach a short course titled "Resistance Memoirs: Writing, Identity and Change." In issuing the invitation, the Kirkland Project gave consideration to reports (central to the clemency appeal) that Susan Rosenberg had undergone transformation in prison, where she earned a master's degree, developed curricula for inmates and won awards for her writing. Let me provide some background and information about the process and the debate that has taken place. Last week, she withdrew from the appointment, citing the best interests of all parties concerned, but the events leading to that resolution have brought considerable attention to the College. As you may be aware, it has been a difficult time on College Hill because of a controversy surrounding Susan Rosenberg, who was scheduled to teach a half-credit course this spring.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |