Word: bellah
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...controversy centered around Kaysen's decision to hire Robert N. Bellah '48 as the first member of a new school of social science at the Institute...
Conflict arose last spring between Kaysen and several of the institute's most prominent professors over the appointment of Robert Bellah, a well-known Berkeley professor of the sociology of religion, to the social science school. Bellah eventually was offered the post, but declined it for both personal and professional reasons...
Sources indicated, however, that a dispute at the Institute influenced his decision. The dispute arose when Kaysen nominated Robert N. Bellah '48 for a one-year term despite a 14-6 vote against the appointment by the Institute's permanent faculty...
That incensed most of the faculty. "This is an outrageous breach of procedure," declared Classical Philosopher Harold F. Cherniss of the School of Historical Studies. Dissenters mailed copies of the minutes of faculty discussions to sympathetic colleagues. They also sent letters critical of Bellah's work to the New York Times, a step that Bellah called "contemptible." Then they demanded that the trustees appoint an outside commission to evaluate Kaysen's stewardship-which amounted to a vote of no confidence...
...trustees refused and Kaysen declined to resign. He insists that the faculty vote against Bellah was only advisory, and that the future of the institute will be charted by the director and trustees. He suggests that the faculty "cool down and get back to work." Bellah also has refused to resign. Viewing himself as a scapegoat, he says, half-jokingly: "This place lacks the normal frictions to release aggressions, so they come out in situations like this." Then, rather sadly gazing out of his window, he adds: "You know, this is a somewhat strange place...