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Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

post-gazette.com

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Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#11

Post by azhenley »

I always thought CMU was immune to this type of stuff. It is very disheartening, but I hope it gets better.

Is there any news out there with info on whether this is a long-term or widespread issue at CMU or is it more of a localized problem?

Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#12

Post by azhenley »

jjoonathan wrote: post #10
quxbar wrote: post #2

This is far more damning than any puff piece I have seen in years.

Yep. Combined with the earlier news that they removed demonstrated interest as an admissions criteria (too far in the other direction IMO), CMU is starting to look like a warzone.

What was removed??

Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#13

Post by yodon »

viirii wrote: post #5

She was very engaged with women@scs when I was at CMU ... I wonder how things got so bad that they are resigning rather than retiring

In a setting like that, retiring would be giving up. Resigning doesn't directly change things but is a far more active response than retiring.

Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#15

Post by sp332 »

azhenley wrote: post #12
jjoonathan wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep. Combined with the earlier news that they removed demonstrated interest as an admissions criteria (too far in the other direction IMO), CMU is starting to look like a warzone.

What was removed??

Edit2: See nv-vn's comment below.

They won't consider how much you "demonstrated interest" in CS to get into the program. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17446996 [Edit: this isn't only for the CS program, and it's not only about women, but you can fill in the blanks I guess]

I think it makes sense if you think women (IIRC this was about the gender gap in CS) tend not to be directed toward CS as much as men are in middle/high school, or if you think their accomplishments might have been downplayed or not played up as much due to someone else's sexism. After all when you're recruiting for college you don't care so much about a person's past accomplishments so much as future potential.

Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#17

Post by rwcarlsen »

They have been at the university for nearly 20 years and are 75 and 80 years old respectively. At first I was impressed that some professors were making huge sacrifices standing up for what they believe. But at age 75 and 80, they aren't really risking any sort of career or financial stability. I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it is hard not to feel like maybe they just saw a convenient moment to try to make a statement when they were about to retire anyway?

Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#18

Post by amaccuish »

Kenji wrote: post #8

Copy-paste of article because this website is pure utter shit and requires you to disable adblocker. Lenore and Manuel Blum — both longtime professors of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University — have submitted their resignations. In a Monday morning email blast to staffers in the School of Computer Science, Ms. Blum, founder of the university’s Project Olympus business incubator, made accusations about “profe…

Thanks. It's managed to freeze a VM I tried to use to read it.

Re: Two CMU Computer Science Professors Resign, Citing “sexist management”

#19

Post by rectang »

quxbar wrote: post #2

This is far more damning than any puff piece I have seen in years.

I care a lot about these issues. I tend to give people speaking out the benefit of the doubt -- not everyone is as brilliant in documenting their cases lock-tight as Susan Fowler.

After reading this article, I have to reserve judgement. There aren't specifics yet, just people who I am interested in listening to and wish to hear more from. We may come to know eventually, but we don't know yet.

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