No one can tell the difference between a Liberal Conservative Caucus and a Conservative Liberal one. There is nothing in the world more innocent than either. The most dare-devil action they ever take is to move for the appointment of a Syndicate ‘to consider what means, if any, can be discovered to prevent the Public Washing of Linen, and to report, if they can see straight, to the Non-placets.’ The result is the formation of an invertebrate body, which sits for two years, with growing discomfort, on the clothes-basket containing the linen. When the Syndicate is so stupefied that it has quite forgotten what it is sitting on, it issues three minority reports, of enormous bulk, on some different subject. The reports are referred by the Council to the Non-placets, and by the Non-placets to the wastepaper basket. This is called ‘reforming the University from within.’
Thought for the day from Cornford. Nuff said.
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cearta.ie » University Reform would set a Dangerous Precedent! // August 24, 2009 at 8:40 am |
[...] the process by which decisions are taken in the University, Intersecting Sets has this quote from Cornford’s sardonic Microcosmographia Academica (html | pdf): No one can tell the [...]
Microcosmographia Administrativa « Intersecting sets // October 9, 2009 at 4:54 pm |
[...] But for me the article lacks the lightness of touch that characterises Cornford. How can you better this? Compare and contrast with Krajelski’s contribution: take ‘farewell’ as a [...]