Since his actual comments were not made known, I find it difficult to acurately analyze the situation and conjure up an opinion.

I am tired of people sighting the fact that he had a black step-father as if it were an acceptable excuse AT ALL! I have a very close black friend, Jay. Does that mean I can use racially charged words (as a white male)? Can I do that in public? If everyone thinks it is OK to play the "what if..." game (for the record I do not) than how about if he used a horribly sexist analogy? How would that have made the women in the class feel? This is what happens when you inject opinion into a classroom meant for teaching. Ask Stanley Fish how he feels about that!

In regards to adjunct positions; you ought to know what you are getting into. And for those who talk about how they could do more if they tried more: welcome to the competitive world of Academia... which is not secret; ask any tenure track faculty member.

Him having a black stepfather is more of a reason to know better. This maybe a overreaction but an artist of his stature knows the power of images and words. With the academic world being as fickle as it is and Al being a 12 year veteran I guess he just let his guard down.

My we live in interesting times.

Just last night I was watching Ken Burns' "Baseball" and it showed an interview of Hank Aaron reading some of the letters he received while breaking Ruth's home-run record. The 'N' was spoken loud and clear.

So apparently one can say the 'N' word in public, it just depends on the context.

Good luck, Towson, at policing your speech code! Perhaps you might want to hire a few adjuncts to assist in the effort.

As a person who knows exactly what was said and the context, I can say the professor should have known better. He's responsible for filling young open minds and they didn't need to be filled with that language. That would have applied even if he was Black.

So far as I can piece together from the various articles I have read, Zaruba referred to himself as a "n***** on a corporate plantation." It sounds like he was using this powerful language to make a point about his situation as an adjunct professor without rights of any sort.

Looking at the situation and how it has turned out--Zaruba was fired without a hearing and has no recourse--I can only say that he WAS treated like a n***** on a corporate plantation.

I think the comparison was appropriate and the language powerful. Any person tries to use "charged" language to drive a point home. Racially charged language did the trick here: there was no mistaking his meaning.

and there was no possibility of saying that he did not describe his situation correctly.

Ed

Hypothetical Bert and Towson administrators,

If a professor was to declare in class that Sarah Palin is a female dog using the pejorative B word should that professor be fired?

If a professor calls him or herself the B word should that professor be fired?

What makes one slur more unwelcome than others? Who decides?

I love your tie of plight of adjuncts within the context of this professor's charged statements. It would be nice to see the entire statement.

Adjuncting can be wonderful for both the professor and university as long as it is not your primary source of income.

At my university, administration is now cutting adjuncts in an effort to get an honest day’s work from full time professors. Anxious to see how it works out.

As a former student of Al Zaruba (at Towson U.) and a proud woman of color, I know this – the man is not a racist. I wasn’t in class for this incident, but I’m certain whatever his intention was in making this statement, it was not to hurt or demean anyone. Challenging the Establishment? The sentence was about “the corporate plantation” – It’s clear to me that that is what the University took most seriously. The new bossman Stuart Stein who has only been enjoying his elite job for 2 or 3 months, is not going to make waves for one freethinking artist who went outside the lines (lines that appear to be different for everyone). That’s why Towson U. is not a haven for intellectual freethinkers or speakers – just look at all the new Military “support” programs in place there. The environment is one of “get in lockstep or get out”, as it is in much of our country. The loss of this excellent teacher is a grievous one for Towson U.

Well, this is...ummm... "fasci"nating.

I know Al Z., and I know Stuart, and I know the TU art teaching environment. Been there, done that. Point 1-- adjuncts are the n***s of ANY and EVERY univ, college, and community college. Adjuncts are serfs.

Sit down with ANY human resources "employee representative" and you will find a smarmy lawyer and/or quasi-lawyer who will never ever betray the institution, and who will never *represent* an actual faculty member, much less an adjunct. HR exists to police and grease the administration and its image, which is 100% invested in corporatized higher education.

Zaruba made his comment with, under, and FOR specific and well-determined meaning, which for those who are blinded by political correctness and self-righteousness, was to make a point.

To FIRE him is, well, vindictive. Self-righteous petty vindicitiveness. "Can't have the wrong impressions spread about," is the whole, entire crux of the matter, academic freedom of thought be damned. Towson U is a cash machine; absolutely NOTHING will be allowed to impinge on that domain, education be damned. And just so we're clear: Towson U is not the only one. This is a systemic yeast infection in the entire US higher ed system. Towson is a blip on the radar. Al Zaruba, however, is not.

This just makes me wanna puke.

I've been an adjunct for a little over 10 years, and have grown to accept the limitations. Adjuncting is my second job.

I am also the founder of http://adjunctprofessoronline.com , one of the premiere online sites for adjuncts interested in both online teaching and on campus teaching.

We've noted a sizable up tick in traffic to the site, and interest in adjunct jobs over the past 2 years.