[The Front Line] Preparing to Rule

The Signal Dan Duckworth Editor A memo went out across campus. At a critical moment for the department, the chair was stepping down. In the weeks that followed, faculty meetings grew tense. Emails got more careful. Everyone had ideas—but no one moved. They postured. They positioned. Junior professors hesitated—they had vision, but not tenure. Senior faculty whispered in private, but stood erect in public. Everyone angled toward the dean. Everyone waited to be chosen—or curried favor with...