<p>as you know, west earned his ph.d from princeton, and began his academic career there before being hired away by harvard’s then princeton-educated president and made one of only a dozen or so “university professors.” so to the extent that west brings an institution “patina,” princeton already had it before hiring him back. by your reasoning, however, harvard must have been seeking a little “princeton patina” in hiring him away in the first place! as for the rest, your personal feelings on west notwithstanding, it’s pretty ridiculous to contest the fact that af-am at harvard has slipped with all of its defections. consider the effect on student enrollment:</p>
<p>“The number of students enrolled in Af Am courses has plunged from 1,056 in the 2001-2002 academic year to just 332 this year [2005].” </p>
<p>it remains a very good department, among the best, just not the consensus best anymore.</p>
<p>and about my “genuflection,” well, that’s one big pot calling the kettle black, considering you excitedly post threads about third-rate <em>hockey players</em> headed to harvard, as well as hometown stories about students so much as even considering <em>applying</em> (“dare she hope?”)!</p>