Len Findlay’s book review “Insider’s Cautionary Tales of Academic Freedom” (Bulletin, March 2010) contained numerous barbs that insult Canadian academics.

Statements included “gerbilized… academic labour force,” “compradors, quislings and thought police…in most faculties,” “academic managerial class externally meek and internally menacing,” “complicity and intimidation,” “academic quietists and those prone to lick the hand that starves them,” “the combination of high culture and wage slavery is the hallmark of the contemporary university” (book quote) and “institutions…act far more like neoliberal madrassas.”

Shame on the editor and on CAUT for not removing these spiteful, stupid and unworthy barbs. There is far too much at stake in the national aca­demy to destroy CAUT’s reputation like this.

John Prescott
Pathobiology
University of Guelph


Len Findlay replies


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