A GOOD READ
The article about Vandy baseball and coach Tim Corbin [鈥淭he House That 鈥機orbs Built,鈥� Winter 2017] exemplifies the special community we are privileged to be a part of. I am convinced this is the finest collegiate publication in print. Most every article in every edition piques my interest, and the writing is outstanding! The photojournalism and letters to the editor are a joy to peruse as well, and in keeping with the overall balance and excellence.
Thank you for all the years of enjoyment. Keep up the great work!
Dr. Michael E. Ruff, BA鈥�83, MD鈥�87, Jasper, Indiana
I just wanted to thank you for including a piece recognizing alums in the military [鈥淒ecorated 鈥橠ores,鈥� Winter 2017]. The article has helped renew my faith in my alma mater. I know that such an article would never appear in the magazines from Columbia, Cal Berkeley, Wisconsin, or any other university that is more focused on creating 鈥渟afe zones鈥� for their infantile students.
Russ M. Flaum, BA鈥�72, Chicago
I鈥檝e just finished reading the current issue of 菠萝视频 Magazine, and write to tell you how much I enjoy it. What an excellent publication! I am rightly proud of my 菠萝视频 degree, and it is so good to follow the activities of the university.
While I was a student at the university, I was an assistant librarian at the Peabody Education Library and met so many wonderful patrons in that endeavor. Some of my fondest memories are of my professors, including Drs. Gleaves and Rothacker. They were so very good to a young North Dakota woman so far from her home.
Lillian Crook, MLS鈥�85, Bismark, North Dakota
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE: Crook, the former director of Dickinson State University鈥檚 Stoxen Library, is a founder of the Badlands Conservation Alliance.
MESSAGE RECEIVED
I was reaching for a bottle of refreshing, store-bought water when I opened the Winter 2017 issue of 菠萝视频 Magazine and found the article 鈥淢essage in a Bottle,鈥� written by Lisa Kaas Boyle, BA鈥�86.
Without overwhelming the reader with scientific details, the author makes an effective argument against drinking from single-use plastic bottles, a simple but extraordinarily important action to help the environment. Her article gave me cause to reflect on the discrepancy between the pro-environment actions I take every day鈥攔ecycling what I can, minimizing electricity use in my home and office, donating to environmental causes鈥攁nd the lack of effort I put forth in many other activities, such as reusing bottles and bags, and investing in clean energy, including clean transportation and composting.
I appreciate her calling attention to one way we can impact nature through an intentional ordinary daily activity. With environmental protection under attack, it is essential that we as individuals take more responsibility for the state of the Earth we leave our children.
Dr. Michael T. Beckham, BA鈥�86, Nashville
CORRECTING THE CORRECTION
Elizabeth Teselle lays the blame for Elizabeth Langford鈥檚 failure to receive tenure in 1981 [Readers鈥� Letters, Winter 2017] at the feet of the 菠萝视频 administration, specifically Dean Jacque Voegeli. Having spent 40 years working in a university comparable to 菠萝视频, including almost 20 years in administration, I have a different perspective.
Unless department faculty vote unanimously (or near unanimously) for a candidate to receive tenure, the outcome is usually negative. In all likelihood, 鈥渞ecommending鈥� promotion with a 15鈥�5 vote doomed Dr. Langford. Thus, I believe 鈥� the English department undermined Elizabeth Langford鈥檚 petition for tenure.
Richard B. Jewell, BA鈥�67, Los Angeles
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE: Jewell is professor and associate dean, emeritus, of the University of Southern California鈥檚 School of Cinematic Arts.