(to see the full story, go to: http://wp.me/p1KBNi-23V )
So it appears that this story is written with tongue firmly in cheek, but as satire often does, it points out a few things worth considering.
First, we have become a bit of a national joke. Someone told me that there is a cartoon going around Facebook that has Charles Manson applying for the FSU presidency position as well.
Second, this is the type of scholar the committee should be looking for. Not necessarily a union president (although that of course gives him extra marks in my book), but someone with a proven record of ACADEMIC leadership.
Rudy Fichtenbaum is a professor of economics at Wright State University who was elected AAUP president in 2012. His research focuses "on topics such as discrimination, income distribution, and the impact of unions on wages and benefits."[1][2] He certainly fits most of the criteria--except loyalty to FSU!
Again, it seems rather unlikely that this letter is the genuine article. Why would Funk forward a candidate who is the polar opposite of the current front-runner? From a staunch conservative politician known for facing off with unions of all stripes to an academic union president? However, politics aside, Dr. Fichtenbaum has the type of academic credentials and leadership experience that would make him the kind of candidate a university should consider in terms of a national scholar and leader who understands the needs of a university and who can work with many different constituencies.
Clever satire, but I can't help but wonder, especially because the rumors we have heard so far in this affair have a habit of being true (and perhaps we should encourage Fichtenbaum to apply!). Either way, perhaps, just perhaps, we are seeing a seismic shift in this affair.
