Challenging the Academics

Speaker A When Elliot would come to class, you'd say, anything you want to tell me before we get started? These are all graduate students, doctoral students, master's students. And I'd say, Elliot, for God's sakes, don't beat on him. He could not keep from it most of the time. Occasionally, he didn't beat on. And the meeting with the faculty. He met with our faculty one time, and he pointed out that there are two kinds of organizations, an association, which is involved, designed for the generation in free exchange of knowledge, and accountability hierarchy, which is for the production of goods and service, efficient production of goods and services. And then he read from the mission statement of the school, which was to provide for the generation and free exchange of knowledge. That was step one. And then he pointed out that the relationship between students and faculty is an accountability hierarchy. So we've designed the university, and particularly our school, to ensure that its mission can't be accomplished. Well, we had to call resuscitation squads from all over the city of Washington. Some people walked out. Some were just turning blue. And the first thing you don't want to do is argue with him because he's on a different stratum and he knows more. And to this day, there are some people on our faculty that will not permit Elliot's work to be discussed. It's amazing. Students say, wow, I just sat in a session with Dr. Jack. And he's right. All this stuff we're learning on management style is relevant. I'm sorry, we don't discuss Dr. Jackson this course. And of course you don't. If you do, then all they've learned through their PhD and professorial efforts are irrelevant.