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Tuesday, April 26, 2011 | 5:18 p.m.
Dina Titus
After months of keeping quiet, Dina Titus hit back this week at UNLV College Republicans who are running a campaign against her.
"I just thought it was time the facts got out there," Titus told the Sun. "I think they have not been telling the truth."
After losing re-election last fall to Republican Rep. Joe Heck, Titus, a Democrat, returned to teaching political science at UNLV. Within weeks, the College Republicans launched a vicious campaign against her, criticizing her course load and campus radio show and accusing her of using university resources to further her political career.
Five months later, the attacks continue.
Matthew Jarzen, former president of the College Republicans, last week wrote an editorial in the UNLV Rebel Yell rehashing the College Republicans' claims that Titus cheated at a debate, receives an unfair salary and has an unusually light workload.
It was the last attack Titus took quietly. She wrote a rebuttal letter to the editor four days later.
In it, she accused the College Republicans of violating university policy by leaving pamphlets disparaging her in the Student Union and said the group has its facts wrong.
"Until now I have chosen to ignore their misguided actions, thinking they would grow tired of attacking me since I am no longer a candidate or an elected official and would instead devote their time and energy to something productive like opposing cuts to higher education," Titus wrote. "But because The Rebel Yell continues to give them unwarranted attention, thereby perpetuating their false charges and untruths, I feel compelled to respond."
Titus said she does not earn $100,000 to teach one class, as her critics allege.
In reality, Titus earns $107,855 annually. This semester she will take home $53,958 for teaching one class, hosting a radio show and collaborating with the Black Mountain Institute.
Titus also disputed the College Republicans' claims that her radio show is a front to promote her next campaign.
"The show is not political; and as the topic changes from week to week, it takes a lot of time and effort to get up to speed on subjects as diverse as human rights, urban planning in 19th century Paris, nuclear policy, the Vietnam War and Shakespeare," Titus wrote.
Titus again stressed that she is not a candidate. But she has said in the past that she is leaving all of her options open, and she is widely believed to be considering another Congressional run.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Dr. Titus you turned down multiple offers to meet with the college Republicans even pulling a no-show on them when you agreed to meet so you have no reason to complain. If they got the facts wrong it is your fault at this point.
http://www.thewesternwrangler.com/2011/0...
Ms. Goldberg, did you try and contact the college Republican students before posting this article? It would be nice to hear their side of the story. I hope that comes in the full article tomorrow.
Draft college republicans..
"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Seems like very good advise for the UNLV College Republicans. Oops, too late, they have removed all doubt.
After Dina Titus complains about one-sided journalism by Matthew Jarzen, she runs to the aid of her liberal friends at The Las Vegas Sun to write another one-sided article in her favor.
Where are the college republicans? Were they unable to comment? Did you even try to contact them? C_bess:on what grounds does your niece have to sue the college republicans? For spreading the truth? or for just being republican?
For a university that prides itself on diversification of its student body, UNLV doesn't seem very tolerant of any political views other than that which is left-of-center.
Once again, Patty Gibbons chooses to flagrantly violate the terms of service for these discussion boards by shamelessly promoting his own blog.
Let me give you the exact verbiage there:
SPECIFIC TERMS OF SERVICES RELATED TO READER COMMENTS
By posting on LasVegasSun.com stories, blogs, or any other part of this site, you:
Agree not to self-promote with links to your own blog or website, especially when such a link would be off-topic for the part of the site you're commenting on;
Come on moderators, this guy has repeatedly violated the terms of service, take care of it.
Where can one get a job where you get paid 53000 dollars for three months of working one hour per day. No wonder the state if broke. Overpaid university proffs
These "College Republicans" are the same ones that agree with Governor BS about SLASHING higher education - they came to UNLV to destroy, not to study, get a degree or render the truth.
Yes, it is better for the Republicans to remain silent, for their own sake, rather then sounding and appearing like the Fascist Brown Shirts they imitate.
What enrages Republicans most is to hear speech that does not reflect their political opinions. Why bother to talk with rabid minds that will never respond to logic? Its a complete waste of time.
Let me clarify my earlier post--she should have kept her mouth shut and by doing so would have saved herself the hassles. I thought this whole thing had blown over and then she brings it up.
Look, I supported and voted for Dina Titus and may just do so again...maybe not. I'm willing to give Congressman Dr. Heck a shot, but if he keeps on going the way of the Ryan Budget and morphing Medicare and Social Security into "privatized" programs, well folks, forget that.
Ms. Titus lost by only 2000 votes. I know many progressives who sat out the election because the Democrats didn't negotiate for a "public option" in the new health care law, which btw is turning out to be a blessing for many people. No more preexisting conditions for an insurance company to deny your claim. You can keep your kids on your insurance now til they are 26 if they can't qualify for any on their own. For many of us who have run up hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital bills, no more caps on coverage. We ALL know people who have been there...maybe even YOU.
The Dems failed in the last election because they were running as Republican lite, NOT because the country took a sharp turn to dismantle our way of life. Ms. Angle, anybody?
Even repealing "don't ask, don't tell", a move supported by an OVERWHELMING majority of Americans couldn't be accomplished by the Dems until AFTER the election in a lame duck session. I know folks who stayed out of the last election because of that, too! Robert and I were staying home last election, til she called on us personally to motivate us to get out and vote.
Frankly, I could care less if she eats her cheese individually wrapped. Or if she drinks a cheap wine. Maybe Speaker Boehner drinks an even cheaper wine. As long as Congresswoman Titus promoted policy that benefited us and managed her affairs legally, well then,that's fine with me. John Ensign should have taken lessons from Ms. Titus on moral behavior and good policy. And we will look to see if Congressman Heck has the independence to vote to protect the programs that our parents and grandparents promised future generations of Americans which made our country great.
Stuart & Robert Wyman-Cahall
Las Vegas, NV 89142
Kettlestone6, need I refer to your 2pm post which violates the Sun's "no personal attack" policy?
Mr. Becker, the budget cuts are large, but hardly devastating. Once you include the tuition increases and fees the cuts appear less than 5 percent of their overall budget (excluding capital costs and athletics).
Turriabla, shhhh you'll give away my trade secrets. :P
She only teaches one class and gets paid over $100K a year.
Where do you sign up for a job like that?
These attacks against Professor Titus are orchestrated assaults against her person, violating NSHE student codes of conduct, and they are endorsed by Congressman Heck and the Republican establishment. They keep rehashing the same old ideas, like shouting into a canyon to hear the echo of their own voices.
But that's the trouble with right-wingers these days: they haven't come up with a new idea in two decades!
Gibby,
Feel free to flag comments you deem inappropriate, let the mods make the call. However, you in no way have the free reign you feel you do to garishly and unabashedly self promote on this site.
Everybody knows that you are self employed, and that driving views to your personal websites helps your business. Your decisions to do so are in clear violation of the terms of service, and I encourage the moderators of this website to ban you for knowingly violating the terms of service for personal profit.
You continue to be a proven fraud, a proven liar and now you are apparently nothing more than a petty thief who is hijacking a private web service for personal profit.
After the crap ads that titus put out in the election about Heck she needs to sit down and shut up!
"GOP lawmakers face hostility as they tout Medicare changes"
"FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- In Orlando, a congressional town meeting erupted into near chaos Tuesday as attendees accused a Republican lawmaker of trying to dismantle Medicare while providing tax cuts to corporations and affluent Americans."
THIS is the platform of the College Republicans - it is no wonder that all they have are complaints: they have no platform, no solution for jobs.
Instead of banging on Titus, let's hear a plan for JOBS. Where are the bright College Republicans when it comes time to develop ideas for Jobs? Taking commands from the handlers on the outside, no doubt.
She validated what the group had said-what a dope she is.
College "republicans"..
Oxymoronic, for the most part.
Most of em' like to THINK for THEMSELVES, that's why they're there.
Dina Titus ought to be left alone by these class clowns.
I'd chalk it up to youthful exuberance, but there's more to it, like a 36 year-old POLITICAL ACTIVIST leading the kiddies at their game...
"Ciavola, 36, is a seasoned political activist who acknowledges he's "not a 19-year-old trying to juggle schoolwork and this with no political experience."
Kind of sounds like the UNLV young Reaganite's are being USED...
And what the heck does Patrick's Ropin', Wranglin', Rustlin'
rhetoric have to do with it???
"Dr." Unger,
Your rhetoric is a bit over the top. There is no way this is an assault nor a violation of student code of conduct. Show some dignity and rationality please.
Professor Titus: Take out a restraining order against these ruthless, lying thugs. Enough is enough.
Oh, and "Patrick_R_Gibbons": FYI: Dr. Unger is in fact, um, a "DR." No need for the quotation marks, silly, silly man with, yet again, nothing of "substance" to say.
@c_bess: You are going to "have your niece sue them" REALLY??? How pathetic are you? Sue a student organization for responding to false attacks made against Congressman Heck by Dina Titus? Responding to her CHEATING on a Congressional debate? Wow, how wrong they are for standing up against an opposing political party hack that lies and cheats? Like the left wouldn't do the same? Go ahead and try to sue the UNLVCR's. I am SOOOO sure you have a case... hahahahaha
@SunJon: The CR's are followers of Sandoval? Uhm, no. If you did your research, you would see that the UNLVCR's did not endorse Sandoval. In fact, they supported Mike Montandon. The CR's most definitely are not out to "destroy UNLV"" Why would they attend the school? What sense does that make? I mean even to a liberal, that really DOESN'T make any sense... In fact, the CR's are vocal and have been since budget cuts became an issue in 2008, but again, you don't do much research, and you read The Sun. 'Nuff said. The UNLVCR's are the ONLY student group on campus being vocal for 3 years now about the TRUTHS behind the budget cuts. They were the only ones to bring attention to the student body that was freaking out from the fear mongering tactics of the "blame-it-on-the-GOP" Left. We exposed the school in being irresponsible- for ridiculous costs like a $16,000 rare cherry-wood desk for our former President, among MANY other things. So check your facts.
Furthermore @SunJon, in accusing the CR's in doing "nothing about JOBS"" The MISSION of the UNLVCR's is not to fix all ails of the world. As COLLEGE Republicans, the mission is to focus on issues at UNLV, the COLLEGE in which they attend. Again, a tiny bit of research into those who you like to speak out against would have cleared this up for you. Instead of attacking college students like the big bad Dina Titus has done, maybe you can begin to figure out how to fix the issue of JOBS. To suggest that the UNLVCR's have "outside handlers" is beyond laughable to me. The NVGOP has been less than supportive for many years to ANY student GOP groups. The CR's are self-ran and proud of it. I suggest if you want to run your mouth, you attend a CR meeting or tabling event, and see EXACTLY who the CR's are and what they are about.
@Pat_gibbons: You are exactly right about the budget cuts relating to UNLV. The suggested cuts by Sandoval are based off the 2009 budget figures for UNLV. Gee, they were able to function as a University just fine in 2009, a whole year and a few months ago" You would think they would be able to do the same now! *shock and awe!!!* haha These liberals don't do the research (per their usual) before they run their mouth and blame it on the GOP.
@douglasunger: oooh ok, they are violating NSHE codes of conduct... REALLY?? UNLV has a ZERO tolerance policy on any form of academic dishonesty OR cheating. As a student you have to sign an agreement of INTEGRITY for each class, each semester. Yet the CR's call out a PROFESSOR for openly cheating on television" what example does that set? Yet alone the fact that it VIOLATES HER CONTRACT AT UNLV" But you're right, the College students standing up for honesty and integrity are wrong. HAH.
@gmag39: Well, hello you ageist. Way to attack and discriminate based on age!! Way to bash someone who chose to GO BACK TO SCHOOL BASED ON THE ECONOMY and better his life! You should be so proud of your low reaching moral standards!! Ciavola could be 100, it doesn't matter, the UNLVCR's do NOT discriminate on age, and Ciavola was voted in by registered MEMBERS of the UNLVCR's in an election. Seems like he was doing something right to get elected! Furthermore, the median age at UNLV is 28. There are more students over 25+ ranging up to 70-something, than there are young ignorant babies. Maybe that's why the UNLVCR's are the fastest growing student organization on campus. But congrats, for discriminating. Your liberal friends must be so proud!
@wtk2: HAHAHA! A restraining order against a student organization who created a website.. wow. You are so right! What a threat!
Oh wait, Titus did that against Dr. Heck, maybe he should get one too? Talk about limp-wristed-liberalism..
@c_bess: By the way, to follow up on your certainty that there is "dirt" on the UNLVCR's, that one of them "must be a child molester, or have a criminal record" I suggest you do that! Please, take the next week, month or even year, and search high and low, and I promise you, you will find NOTHING. The UNLVCR's are some of the best students at UNLV, who serve our country proudly, work full time jobs, and care about the country they call home. Please, waste your time trying to find dirty backgrounds that simply don't exist. You really need to cross party lines and examine the other political student groups to find those kinds of histories. But good luck!
I see someone's got their panties in a bunch...
and so self-righteous...
DEFINITELY Republican material...
You GO, girl!!!
@gmag39: You are right! I am Republican material! I stand up against ILLEGAL actions, and believe strongly in fiscal Conservatism! You are so right! Panties in a bunch, not so much... I think that must have been referring to Prof. Titus.
Maybe the sun should reconsider the comments section...perhaps no more anonymous posting should be allowed.
The students who distributed libelous pamphlets personally attacking Dr. Titus engaged in the harassment of a faculty member; they deliberately attempt to interfere with the usual and customary conduct of this good professor's duties. I believe these are violations of NSHE code.
Also, multiple witnessed accounts describe members of this group engaging in deliberately disruptive behavior at the Board of Regents meeting on 4/8/11 at DRI; as well as on campus, including heckling: I believe these actions are also against the NSHE code, as follows:
Title II NSHE Code, Chapter 6.2.2
d. The intentional disruption or unauthorized interruption of functions of the System, including but not limited to classes, convocations, lectures, meetings, recruiting interviews and social events, on or off premises of the System;
And more to the point of this "Sun" article, in this group's "attack" pamphlets left in the Student Union:
q. Acts of academic dishonesty (in the false accusations in their pamphlets).
Also: the "robocall" put out by this group against Dr. Titus (allegedly sponsored by Heck supporters), deliberately attempted to interfere with the daily functions of UNLV Administration.
I strongly belive one or more of these students should be reprimanded. Still: one benefit is that their actions are so repulsive to most students on campus that every time they advocate for something, this group motivates dozens of new students to register to vote as Democrats.
All anyone has to do is say: which party just voted to cut your Pell grant? Do you want to register to vote?
So: keep it up, right-wingers. Your over-kill is killing your own cause!
These young republicans are idiots and a disgrace
to humanity.
Dina Titus is smarter than any republican in
Nevada and a great humanitarian.
GREEDY REPUBLICANS DESTROYED OUR ECONOMY.
WHY WOULD ANYONE LISTEN TO THEM?
ALL THEY DO IS DUMB DOWN AMERICA.
I've always pictured you as a petty little tyrant Mr. Unger, push this any further and you will confirm my suspicions. UNLV's bogus anti-free speech rules aside, you're really having to stretch the interpretation of these rules to reach this conclusion. But please do try and bully the students I will love watching the political fallout.
This is really too funny. I simply can't resist!
Mr. P.R. Gibbons...ah, yes. Let's see - "I've always pictured you as a petty little tyrant Mr. Unger, push this any further and you will confirm my suspicions." Mr. Gibbons has made in excess of 5,000 comments to articles posted here. Yes, 5,000. Mr. Unger has posted 187. Who's a petty little tyrant again, Mr. Gibbons? Or shall I refer you to the Sun's policy on personal attacks?
I think we all know a pompous hypocrite when we see one. No need to make it so obvious.
Mr. Unger:
The UNLV College Republicans have not distributed libelous pamphlets personally attacking Dina Titus. Unless of course its not true that she makes $107,855/year and is only teaching one class this semester.
Also I don't understand how "multiple witnessed accounts describe members of this group engaging in deliberately disruptive behavior at the Board of Regents meeting on 4/8/11 at DRI; as well as on campus, including heckling".
If I'm not mistaken the board of regents meetings allow time for public comment which they take part in. If they are in fact being disruptive in front of the student union and you want them gone, then that also means we need to make sure that fraternities and sororities no longer participate in front of the SU advocating a membership that allows underage drinking, non-students who picket on campus with signs saying 9/11 was a conspiracy,and other groups that promote messages that may be taken as offensive to select members of the student body.
Finally, I'm curious as to what the UNLV administration has to say about your opinion as a professor who is openly speaking out against a group of students who have the right to practice free speech on campus. Since you are so up to date with NSHE code and policy, do your comments violate any codes of conduct or speech?
I only wish you the best Mr. Unger, and hope that your political ideology doesn't skew your vision as to what is right and wrong.
As a cabinet member of the UNLV College Republicans I would like to set the record straight. Dina Titus has yet to refute a single claim we have made about her and actually confirms almost all of the allegations in her letter to the Rebel Yell. She may feel there is justification for what may seem to be special treatment, but if lies were told what lies would those be?
If you want to know why Dina Titus is an issue on campus, she is part of the education system that is being mismanaged. Having an honest discussion about the budget and wasteful spending inevitably gets the conversation to salaries, one of which happens to belong to Dina Titus.
The calls to President Smatresk's office about Dina Titus are actually concerned voters, not robocalls, which we have made aware of the situation at UNLV. This effort was funded and paid for through the hard work and fundraising efforts of the College Republicans, and how dare you "allege" otherwise, or what some people would call lying.
As a cabinet member that is involved in all the decisions, I can tell you all decisions originate with us college students. But as one commenter put it, I'm just a "Fascist Brown Shirt" that is "rabid" so what good is my word? The "so-called" tolerance of the left never fails to provide further encouragement for those that are Right.
Inevitably a debate with Liberals gets away from the logical and into the emotional. Instead of providing evidence, backing up allegations, or providing information that is enlightening, they simply resort to insults and blaming Republicans (Bush in particular) for everything from global warming to your low-flow toilet not flushing all of your "business".
For those interested in what Mathew Jarzen had to say in his article about Dina Titus here is a link:
http://unlvrebelyell.com/2011/04/21/full...
And the response by Dina Titus:
http://unlvrebelyell.com/2011/04/25/to-t...
Any way you cut it getting paid $54,000 plus benefits for teaching one course is crazy. The college can hire an adjunct instructor (retired Ivy League professor) and pay that person 10% of what she is paid.
I find it rather pathetic that this issue even descends into partisianship. Anybody who would defend Titus & her six figure salary is an absolute buffoon and has ZERO credibility. On one hand they support her and the colossal waste she represents and then on the other....they whine in despair over the budget cuts. That thesis is definitely worthy of a Doctorate of Hypocrisy!
The system is flawed, inefficient, and in need of reform. Meanwhile, the state is broke. Both are undisputed facts. As is the reality, in my opinion, of the inevitable need for new taxes. Before that can be even remotely politically possible, however, given the firefighters abuses & Titus & God knows what else...it is going to have to be demonstrated that Democrats are willing to reform the public sector country club they've created. The people dont oppose supporting education...they oppose wasting their money....which Titus has become the poster child of. Once that happens...Dems will justifiably get the new revenues they want.
Which is why it incredulous to me...when budget cuts impact College Dems & College Reps students EXACTLY the same....why they havent united to expose waste all over. Titus is still getting paid while their classes get cut. Who cares what party she belongs to?!! If you truly support education why demonize who is pointing the finger at abuse!?? If this isnt a reason to "work across the aisle" then I dont know what is. And if they cant find common ground in that...the students deserve what they get.
For the life of me I can't justify any amount of money being paid to this nutcase liberal. If she practiced what she promoted and preached when she was in office, she would be doing her job for the same pay she forced down many American throats, no more than unemployment compensation or welfare payments. Furthermore, she should not be allowed to teach anyone, she'll force feed her liberal agenda down the throats of young Americans to further their sick immoral liberal agenda. She needs to pack her bags and go back home where she belongs.
Professor Unger:
I have a couple non-partisan questions (interlude)
If the College Republicans violated University policy, why haven't they been subject to disciplinary action, either as a group or as students? Or have such actions been started.
Where does free speech begin and end on this one? This is an extremely touchy issue, because Dina Titus is a public figure. Would the rules be somewhat different if she stated "I am retiring from politics and public life"?
I am curious about how this whole thing works.
How would we ever survive without our career politicians.
Comment removed by moderator. Name-calling.
'Higher' education. It's the next bubble.
Free speech rights do not cover the disruption of usual and customary activities of a college campus, nor justify the harassment of a professor. False allegations against a professor plus these activities may constitute violations of student conduct codes.
Whether they do or not: Dr. Titus is a Political Science professor, one of the best and most distinguished in our state's history.
Furthermore: Professor Titus serves on the Civil Rights Commission of the United States. This position alone would justify a course release, as UNLV is a part of a federal agreement that requires universities everywhere to support faculty assigned federal duties as part of the exchange for federal funds.
Again: the right-wing agenda is over-kill, and morally wrong to harass a distinguished professor in her workplace. Time for the wing-nuts to find another target, and let learning go on without disruptions!
P.S.: Really, no one wants to file a formal grievance against this extremist fringe of students, least of all Dr. Titus; still, what they did does constitute, I believe, a grievable offense if only based on academic dishonesty.
I.E.: lying about politicians in public forums and especially in advertisements goes on all the time (and on both sides of the political divide) without libel suits because of the "public figure" immunity from litigation. However, a teacher in a classroom or on a campus may be a different matter: personally, I think Dr. Titus should sue this group for defamation of character.
Larger issue: for Heck supporters allegedly to sponsor a robocall on behalf of this group in order deliberately to barrage all administration telephones with phone calls is not right; it so interferes with vital university business that it constitutes an intentional effort to harass and disrupt. This is not "free speech". If students want to speak on campus, they can; if they wish to carry signs in front of buildings, they can. But to use lies and innuendoes to interfere with learning and administration is not only against NSHE code, it is indecent, and wrong.
To close: as a general rule, very few professors I know tell students how to vote or for whom to vote; all we say is: register to vote. Inform yourselves of the issues and the candidates. Vote!
Patrick-R-Gibbons If anyone is a bully it is you and a sniveling,pathetic,lying,trouble making,hate and fearmongering right wing nut job who like all of your kind provokes and intimidates until they get thier noses bloodied and then they cry foul. Now go take your meds and bother someone else, the rest of us are not amused with your petty posts and threats. Meanwhile there must be another extremist forum for you to rant on and on with.
Titus is a decent human being unlike the lying Heck who needs a weasel like Ryan to do his thinking for him. I wonder just how much money the phoney Dr. Heck stole from Meicare and Medicade with his medical practice?
teamster put it right. Go Bush and Cheney.
Good Morning Douglas:
I think we are getting close to the heart of the matter. There appears at least one or so principle at play in this discussion.
The threshold question is Dina Titus solely a teacher in a classroom? The obvious answer in no.
The only question that is left is where does the public figure stop and private/university person begin? Is it possible to draw a line here? Having a public figure comes with certain baggage--and that is drawing the line. The radio program is particularly difficult. The fact that she is a public figure, with name recognition, makes her an attractive from a radio show perspective. Indeed the qualities of a political personality are well-aligned with the qualities needed in the media. However, such a program provides her with visibility, however, she cites this a part of her workload. Other defeated candidates were not given a weekly program.
Similar questions can be raised regarding the College Republicans. The name of the group suggests that it is a political organization and can be expected to exercise the right of free speech. In many respects, the same academic freedom that exists on campus cannot exist and prosper in the absence of free speech. How does academia deal with the public figure on campus?
If she were to state that she were not a candidate or not interested in public office, the College Republicans could take a hike. But she has chosen not to.
Douglas--why not suggest to Dina that she write something about these questions for this rag?
T.
What I really dislike about this was that this wasn't started by some young college kids looking to get into politics. Mark Ciavola is a former employee of Heck and the Republican National Committee.
Bottom line: when College Republicans interfere with the rights of the majority of tuition-paying students to pursue their educations, for ANY reason, they are in violation of conduct codes. They do not have the right to disrupt the educations of their fellow students. I believe they have crossed the line in recent weeks.
Free speech is always to be defended. Let them or any student group speak out all they wish; but let them do it within the standards of conduct that allow their fellow students and the administration of UNLV to carry out the larger goals and missions of higher education.
Maybe the College Republicans could also be invited to submit something.
Wow. The Glenn Beck followers on here are laughable.
Mr. Unger,
First, even I've been offered a seat at the table with the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. As for bright, she certainly is. Distinguished - maybe, being an experienced politician certainly makes her distinguished. As for scholarly, I don't really know.
Second, what they're saying isn't entirely false. She is earning a pretty penny for teaching 1 class. Yes, she has other duties, like all professors - she could have cleared this up months ago if she wanted to. Instead she ignored them. That said, this doesn't mean the college Republicans are assaulting her. Give me a break.
I think the College Republicans are entirely within their rights to question why she only has to teach 1 class - half that of a normal highly paid tenured professor who also has other duties.
As for disrupting, pamphlets and press releases don't disrupt unless you're an overemotional irrational political wingnut looking for an excuse to make a fuss.
Mr. Unger,
It seems your definition of free speech is "agree with me or else"
Mr. Unger,
As admirable as it is of you to try and insinuate, if not flat out charge, that the UNLV College Republicans are in any violation of NSHE Codes of Conduct, do you really believe within your heart that UNLV's Board of Directors or the NSHE itself would hesitate for one second to leave those violations be? The UNLV College Republicans and the students that constitute its body are the single BIGGEST thorn in the side of both President Smatresk and the NSHE itself. Nothing, I assure you, would give either of the previously mentioned parties more joy than to have the UNLVCRs sanctioned for the violations that you are proposing they have committed.
The bottom line (and also the underlying inconvenient truth therein) is that the UNLVCRs are guilty of one thing only: Daring to ask uncomfortable questions which have equally uncomfortable answers. Why is UNLV paying more than $100,000 to a professor for teaching one class this semester and being slated for two classes next semester when they are paying other professors nearly 1/3rd that amount for teaching a full load of four classes? Is that fair? Is that economically viable, feasible or justifiable? The answer is overwhelmingly and unquestionably "No."
If Dina Titus is truly one of the best and most distinguished Political Science professors in our state's history, why is UNLV wasting this valuable resource by having her only teach one class? AND If she is that good, why is she wasting her time by teaching at UNLV at all?
I think this just shows how much FAT there is in UNLV.
They can pay this women over $100K and all she does effectively is to teach one class for 3 months.
They need to do a lot of cutting.
She would be the the first one that needs to go.
This article is a little confusing, her critic claim that she makes $100,000 for teaching the class, but the article states that Titus makes $107,850 for teaching the class, doesn't that make her allege critic correct. Either way, I would believe that Titus would use the class as a platform to continue her political goals, why wouldn't she, after all she is a politician.
Here's a question...
Is the UNLV College Republican club an official "student organization," and if so, do they receive any funding from the University in any form?
If they do, it has been my experience that such organizations are required to have a faculty member overseeing the organization's actions in the role of faculty advisor. I would ask that faculty member if he felt personal attacks against a fellow member of the faculty to be in line with the academic or social principals that the University education offered at UNLV is supposed to instill in the student body.
Additionally, if the College Republicans do in fact receive money from the University, I'd suggest to the board of regents and the university administration that such spending may be less important that other academic necessities that meet curricular demands.
@keystone6--actually you asked at least three questions.
Instead of being a smartas$ how about you try to answer one of them
Keystone6--you really ought to follow your own advice for a change and know what you are talking about before voicing an opinion.
Turrialba:
Do you have definitive answers to my questions? I believe them to be valid. If the College Republican group is receiving money from the University I think they have some answering to do for their attacks against a professor at the University.
Instead of dodging and dismissing, please provide a legitimate answer to the questions I have posed. After all, the College Republicans seem to have no compunction against scrutinizing others, so why should they be immune from scrutiny.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander, no?
@C_Bess: I have personally watched your comments on this website in regards to the College Republicans in recent weeks. You have continually threatened to "find dirt" on them, insinuated that some of them "must have a criminal record," be "child molesters," or "Log Cabin Republicans."
I have watched as you have blamed them for not focusing on issues, yet that's exactly what they're doing. You may not agree with their view of those issues, but you've done nothing on this website but threaten to bring them down with personal attacks, and digging into their personal lives, instead of focusing on debunking their claims yourself.
Now you have insinuated that Patrick Gibbons might be a former Log Cabin Republican.
You clearly have a problem with gay people, even lumping them in with criminals and child molesters in a post on an April 4th article by Ms. Goldberg about the College Republicans.
I can't imagine I need to remind you that this is 2011, and that insinuating gay people are on par with child predators is pretty offensive -- especially given that the UNLV College Republicans elected Mark Ciavola their president, knowing full well that he is gay.
What you do here comes dangerously close to attacking him for his homosexuality, which in Nevada is hate speech, and not protected by the law.
Furthermore, this comment section has given you the ability to debunk all of their claims, but you've chosen not to do so -- instead, you simply threaten people and talk about bringing them down because you disagree with them.
So, as a recap, here are their claims. If you want to refute them, please feel free to do so here.
1. Dina Titus taught 3 semesters of the past 5 years, including a two year leave of absence to serve in Congress. When she returned, she received a 6.5% pay increase at a time of looming budget cuts , and was given two course waivers to re-start her research and host a radio show, instead of teaching students. Her annual salary is now $107,855, and she teaches 39 students this semester -- roughly 80 in the fall. These are the facts. If you'd like to refute those facts, feel free, but they are well documented via a memo from UNLV Provost Dr. Michael Bowers at www.womanwithoutintegrity.com -- a website launched by the College Republicans to detail this entire issue, with documented sources.
2. UNLV is paying Dina Titus to re-start her research, even though she has made it clear she will run again in 2012. Why? This is the question the UNLVCRs are asking. Dina Titus continues to say that she is not a candidate, but she has been on every ballot in Nevada since 1988 -- well before most of the College Republicans were born. Does she expect anyone to believe that she is done with politics, when she, herself, said she was waiting to see what happens with redistricting before deciding on which race to jump into in 2012?
3. Why is UNLV allowing a public figure like Dina Titus, who will be running for office again in 2012, host a radio show on the taxpayer's dime, in which she can remain "out there" for the public -- and keep her name relevant in between runs for office? I thought UNLV was broke, and I thought budget cuts were preventing them from keeping certain programs alive, and classes available to students? If Dina Titus is so valuable to UNLV -- and I believe that she is, being a former Congresswoman with 20-years of experience in our state legislature -- why is she not teaching as many students as possible during her short stint at UNLV?
4. The UNLVCRs claim Dina Titus cheated in a debate back in October, where notes were not allowed. PBS confirmed notes were not allowed, yet Dina Titus can clearly be seen reading her comments from a binder full of notes. She has avoided answering the question, and in this very opinion piece referenced by Ms. Goldberg, Dina Titus blames her staff and a confusing array of debates, rules, and guidelines, for what might be interpreted as her breaking the rules. Yet she refuses to simply take responsibility for what was probably an unintentional mistake -- and move on. Why?
5. Since when is a political organization distributing fliers on campus "harassment?" Is it also harassment when the Young Democrats pass out fliers opposing Governor Sandoval's budget? Or when groups refer to Governor Sandoval as "Governor Sando-Gibbons?" The UNLV College Republicans are the most active student organization at UNLV, and when compared to the Republican Party in Nevada -- one of the most active political organizations in the state. Why is it harassment when they spread their message on campus, but not when other groups do it?
6. If you truly cared about education, you would realize that Dina Titus' $107,855 salary, and Dr. Douglas Unger's $118,836 salary, to teach a total of 3 classes this semester, and 4 in the fall, results in a total of 7 classes taught in 2011. However, that combined $226,691 could pay for six part-time instructors who teach 4 classes each. That's 24 classes compared with 7. Are we broke? If so, let's either make tenured professors teach more classes (and therefore more students), or replace these high-priced educators with part-time instructors who do equal-quality work for far less money. Isn't this about the students, after all? Is this such an unreasonable question to ask when the NSHE is facing a $162 million cut? Nevada is out of money. There need to be reforms, and if Titus isn't making UNLV a priority by staying there and teaching students instead of focusing on her political career, why should UNLV (and the taxpayers who fund it) make Titus a priority?
I look forward, C_Bess, to seeing you actually refute these allegations, instead of threatening to "bring down" a group of college students. I think you should be ashamed of yourself at how you have acted here. And if you continue to threaten to "out" people as gay on this website, I will personally make sure the gay rights groups in Nevada take you very seriously, and put an end to your bigoted and threatening ways. (And they aren't "evil, hate-mongering" Republicans" in case you didn't know.)
This Unger guy should get a life. Sounds like a bitter liberal.
Hey there Mr. College Republican guy. You're pretty good at asking questions and scrutinizing Mrs. Titus. I've posed some questions I have about your organization, yet no one seems interested in answering those questions.
I'll recap them for you, and I'm sure that since you are so interested in discussing "issues" you'll get right on to answering them, so here goes:
1) Is the College Republicans an officially recognized student organization at UNLV?
2) If the College Republicans are officially recognized, do they receive any money at all from the University or any University affiliated organizations?
3) Is there a faculty advisor who oversees the College Republicans organization?
4) If so, who is that faculty member, and how much do they make?
5) What are the rules concerning membership in your organization? How is it that an individual who is not a student, not a faculty member and seemingly unaffiliated with the University in any way become a member of a student organization, let alone its president?
6) Are there any other members of your organization who are not students, faculty or staff? If so, how many and what is their affiliation with the University?
6) How many members does your organization claim to have? What is your average GPA, and how many members are on academic probation?
7) How many classes have your members skipped this semester?
8) Do any of your members receive any scholarship money from the University?
These should be pretty easy questions for you to answer, TeamUNLVCR. I'm sure that since you feel comfortable analyzing Mrs. Titus' dealings with the university in such a public manner, you'd be just as willing to shine that bright light of yours back on your organization.
I'm eagerly awaiting your responses to the questions posted above.
Keystone, as the president of the UNLV College Republicans, I will answer your questions if you email me directly at: mark.ciavola@unlvcr.org. If you want answers, please give me the courtesy of knowing who is asking them.
You are free to post my responses in public.
These questions cannot be answered by "TeamUNLVCR" or anyone else who does not formally represent the organization. My email is public, it is on our website, yet nobody has ever taken the time to ask these questions -- only rant and rave about conjecture.
However, I am a student at UNLV, and have been since Fall 2010 (and CSN previously since Spring 2009). I hope that clears that up.
Furthermore, once your questions are answered, I sincerely hope you will assist in answering the questions posed by "TeamUNLVCR" with the same passion with which you have inquired of us. Fair is fair.
:crickets:
Sadly, all I'm seeing here is a bunch of nasty, emotional, and illogical attacks on highly-regarded professors commensurate with the "anti-intellectual" spirit promulgated by extremists. Contrary to the views that professors only teach in the classroom, they do a lot more which includes research (generating knowledge), individually training students as advisors (e.g. for the Masters and Ph.D. degrees), performing service to their university (committee service, e.g.), and service to the community. In communities that understand the critical importance of educated folk, professors are considered local leaders - experts to consult when a crisis erupts (such as the recently global-warming-related record-setting tornadoes in the South or the Tsunami-related disaster in Japan). Without professors generating knowledge and expertise via research and training the next generation of scholars by sharing this hard-earned knowledge, our "Superpower" status will rapidly dwindle toward Third World status.