Ex-Sen. Kerrey Launches Blog, Is Flamed

The New York Times is all over the continuing fracas between former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) and the faculty of The New School, the New York university where Kerrey has been president since 2001.

In an effort to reach out to angry professors and students, Kerrey created “Blogging with President Bob Kerrey” on Monday.

Some commenters have been supportive.

“President Kerry, [sic] this blog is a good idea,” wrote Jay Van Buren, an adjunct faculty member. (The spelling of the university president’s name apparently is not on the university’s curriculum.)

Most others? Not so much.

“Your attempt to engage the university is a joke,” wrote “Low income student of color.” (Proper hyphenation apparently is not on the university’s curriculum, either.)

Kerrey — who once ran for president of the whole, entire United States but is now having a tough time being president of a college — is trying to quell a revolt from a contingent of the school’s faculty over a variety of grievances.

Most recently, he fired the fourth provost to serve under him, then announced he’d serve in the post himself until he’d found a replacement. They’re also complaining that Kerrey’s security guards are bullying protestors.

The provost thing didn’t go over at all well. Faculty members held a closed-door meeting, endorsed a “no confidence” resolution and apparently called the Times. In a Friday letter to the university community (posted to the blog on Monday), Kerrey withdrew his plan and will find someone else to be interim provost.

–Jeffrey Young