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

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

#61

Post by saltcured »

rwcarlsen wrote: post #33
perfmode wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would this be the most likely scenario? What would motivate someone to end their career in this way?

They have principles and wanted to make a statement. But like I said in a different reply - my default interpretation of this given the circumstances would be not considering this as more significant than someone earlier in their career simply speaking out. Would they have resigned if they were only 35? maybe - and that would (to me) be stronger evidence of how bad the things were that they were protesting. And maybe…

I would also consider that they want to cancel out any sense of their late-career presence being an endorsement of a place or practices they find unacceptable.

One might almost hear a tinge of regret that they aren't retiring now with a nice party at UC Berkeley....

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

#62

Post by rectang »

rwcarlsen wrote: post #54
PAClearner wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was sorta thinking about like raw empirical impact ya know? like normative vs descriptive.

I'm more after looking for ways to get a qualitative feel for how big a deal the issues are that caused them to resign rather than how big an impact their resignation is. But I guess it seems the HN community has pigeon-holed me here and prevented me from getting much discussion about things. Maybe another day :-/

I think the reason you're taking fire is that your posts have questioned the sincerity and commitment of the Blums. Many people on HN would rather assume good intent, for two reasons.

First, because of their gravitas as prestigious researchers. (I'm actually a bit uncomfortable about that -- most people who experience gender discrimination haven't won Turing Awards, but we should still listen to them.)

Second, because sticking your neck out about gender issues guarantees a ferocious response and will make your life hell, so nobody does it whimsically. So what if they're not 35? Doing this at 75/80 is still incredibly unpleasant.

Like I said in my other post, I think we as members of the public do not have enough information to pass judgment. But if the Blums choose to say more, I hope we will all give them a fair hearing.

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

#63

Post by cmu-pro »

This all falls on Dave Mawhinney. He’s a sexist power hungry joke. Acts like a big deal saying he sold a company to LinkedIn. LinkedIn acqui-hired one guy and Dave pretends he had something to do with it. Treats women and anyone beneath him like garbage behind their back and plays Bro with everyone else. He’s a cancer at cmu. They need to toss him out.

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

#64

Post by PAClearner »

raincom wrote: post #59
PAClearner wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

lots of rock stars also linked to Professor Lenore Blum too! [I am sure you know this I just wanted to make note of it for the general public]

M. Blum: https://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=13373 Lenore Blum: https://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=18313

I was thinking more co-authorship but I guess the parent used 'linked' more properly as 'advised'

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

#65

Post by PAClearner »

rectang wrote: post #62
rwcarlsen wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm more after looking for ways to get a qualitative feel for how big a deal the issues are that caused them to resign rather than how big an impact their resignation is. But I guess it seems the HN community has pigeon-holed me here and prevented me from getting much discussion about things. Maybe another day :-/

I think the reason you're taking fire is that your posts have questioned the sincerity and commitment of the Blums. Many people on HN would rather assume good intent, for two reasons. First, because of their gravitas as prestigious researchers. (I'm actually a bit uncomfortable about that -- most people who experience gender discrimination haven't won Turing Awards, but we should still listen to them.) Second, becaus…

1. I am also uncomfortable about this

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

#67

Post by sagebird »

cmu-pro wrote: post #63

This all falls on Dave Mawhinney. He’s a sexist power hungry joke. Acts like a big deal saying he sold a company to LinkedIn. LinkedIn acqui-hired one guy and Dave pretends he had something to do with it. Treats women and anyone beneath him like garbage behind their back and plays Bro with everyone else. He’s a cancer at cmu. They need to toss him out.

Isn't this sort of culture poisoning to be expected when a flourishing university CS department invites the creation of a center for entrepreneurship? Have you seen this sort of arrangement work out before when you invite 'VC' personalities into academia? Maybe it is rare to find non-asshole VCs.

It's incongruent to see these two figures share the same podium. (See it while you can: https://www.cmu.edu/swartz-center-for-entrepreneurship/about... )

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

#68

Post by yodon »

rwcarlsen wrote: post #33
perfmode wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would this be the most likely scenario? What would motivate someone to end their career in this way?

They have principles and wanted to make a statement. But like I said in a different reply - my default interpretation of this given the circumstances would be not considering this as more significant than someone earlier in their career simply speaking out. Would they have resigned if they were only 35? maybe - and that would (to me) be stronger evidence of how bad the things were that they were protesting. And maybe…

We get it. You're saying the same thing over and over. You do presumably realize that, being 70, they have no way of pushing a button and suddenly being 35 to pass your apparently magical test of significance to their actions. Given that as smart as they are they can't invent an age reducing time machine but they did encounter what they consider to be serious issues at the institution where they worked in their 70's and did not encounter similar serious issues where they worked in their 30's, what exactly would you have them do that passes your personal threshold of significance test for their actions?

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

#69

Post by dang »

cmu-pro wrote: post #63

This all falls on Dave Mawhinney. He’s a sexist power hungry joke. Acts like a big deal saying he sold a company to LinkedIn. LinkedIn acqui-hired one guy and Dave pretends he had something to do with it. Treats women and anyone beneath him like garbage behind their back and plays Bro with everyone else. He’s a cancer at cmu. They need to toss him out.

This sort of drive-by personal attack isn't a good fit for this site, even in the best-case scenario where what you're posting is basically right. And there are a whole lot of worse-case scenarios in the internet smear genre.

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

#70

Post by greg2 »

cmu-pro wrote: post #63

This all falls on Dave Mawhinney. He’s a sexist power hungry joke. Acts like a big deal saying he sold a company to LinkedIn. LinkedIn acqui-hired one guy and Dave pretends he had something to do with it. Treats women and anyone beneath him like garbage behind their back and plays Bro with everyone else. He’s a cancer at cmu. They need to toss him out.

I've worked with Dave while in student government & as a startup founder; I've come to know him as among the most caring, supportive, and kind people I've met at CMU.
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