Campus action against film screening seems to conflict with spirit of Sundance
Re: “Police shut down students’ film screening,” Sept. 27 news story
The relocation of the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder is certainly a good thing for the Colorado film community. Much good will come from it, including a partnership with the University of Colorado. The recent death of actor Robert Redford casts another element of significance over all of this.
In a way, though, the recent news story about the university’s Boulder campus police shutting down a student group’s screening of a film about a Palestinian family leaves me with a sense of dread over how Boulder will value the freedom of expression through film and within the industry. CU is pointing to some compliance issues with their policies, whereas the student groups feel repression over political content.
There seems to be a direct conflict between Sundance’s arrival and the screening of the film at CU. Issues of freedom of speech, an incident in April on campus, the plight of Palestine and associated protests and safety concerns come together here. But it seems that how Sundance will impact the landscape of film in Colorado is not yet understood, as evidenced by what occurred at CU.
In my mind, Boulder and Colorado should be very clear about their vision, values, and priorities with regard to Sundance, because the global film industry is shining a light on Colorado that will only grow in strength. I hope the community is prepared.
Gary Rauchenecker, Golden
Let’s understand the ideological makeup of colleges
As one who has been part of academic decisions for more than 40 years at some 10 different colleges and universities, I can tell you for a fact there are four things conservatives have never really understood about the ideological makeup of colleges:
• There are relatively few conservatives who go into academia, as the pay and publication pressures are rough for people who need 20 years of formal education and a publishable dissertation. Liberals likely endure all that because they are less motivated by making a lot of money and not as sold on the corporate grind.
• There already is affirmative action for conservatives. Conservative applicants are so few and far between that it already counts as a net plus in most teaching searches, unless it’s obvious they are looking to proselytize, then they are avoided like they would be for leftist firebrands as well.
• Courses will be offered and taught largely the same way, no matter the ideology of the instructor. Most use one of a relatively small number of moderate textbooks. And if students don’t elect to take their courses, they are out. Students get the courses they want.
• The large majority of courses offered at any college or university don’t even touch on ideologically controversial topics.
Marcus D. Pohlmann, Highlands Ranch
Editor’s note: Pohlmann is Professor Emeritus of Rhodes College
Affordable housing option under threat
Re: “Sheridan RV Park: Residents face losing their homes if city OKs project,” Sept. 27 news story
There it is, Colorado, your long-time rumored “low-income housing.” Come to find out, it’s been here all along. Let’s see what you do about the proposed destruction of it.
Susan Williams, Lakewood
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