Tokyo and tech through the eyes of a split pea

EGG in the WSJ

The Tuesday, September 25th US edition of the WSJ has an article on one of the most successful academic-institution chancellors – the one and only E. Gordon Gee, who once presided as Brown University’s chancellor for a mere two years and miraculously burned through $3 million fixing up the president’s mansion before being whisked away to Vanderbilt. Seems he’s rubbing some of the trustees the wrong way over there now with his profligate spending. But that’s not all!

Some trustees’ concern was aroused when they learned that Mrs. Gee was using marijuana at the mansion. The chancellor told some trustees she was using it for an inner-ear ailment.

Sounds like Mrs. Gee is the one who should have been chancellor of Brown!

Mrs. Gee has caused stirs on campus with her liberal politics. She lowered the American flag outside Braeburn [their residence in Vanderbilt] to half-staff after President Bush won re-election in 2004 … She and others signed a letter of protest to the chancellor when Condoleezza Rice, then Mr. Bush’s national security adviser, was invited to address graduating students in 2004 … Mrs. Gee posted the letter on the couple’s refrigerator door at Braeburn.

But seriously, I think Brown is very fortunate (and better off!) to have Ruth Simmons, and I hope she stays for a long time.