Why I Will Not Pretend to Mourn John Silber

John Silber died today.  He was the President of Boston University, my alma mater, for 25 years, and Chancellor of BU for the better part of the decade after.  It was during my time as an undergrad at BU that he retired from his Chancellor's post and became President Emeritus, which in his case meant that he officially retired but always seemed to be around.  Silber was and continues to be a legend at the university, feared by many, respected by most, known by all.  Sherborn Street, the road connecting Commonwealth Avenue to my former street, Bay State Road, was officially renamed Silber Way in 2008.

When I was a student at BU, I despised John Silber.  I considered some of his policies, notably the guest policy, to be backward and oppressive.  Under the Silber guest policy, residents who had guests would either need to kick said guests out at 8pm or apply for an overnight pass (limited in number per semester).  For residents who had guests of the opposite gender, a resident of the same gender as the guest would need to co-sign for the guest and take responsibility for that guest.  For example, a female student with a male guest would need a male resident to sign off on the guest.  Silber repeatedly defended the gender aspect of the guest policy, asserting that he would not relax the rules in order to permit students to have "weekend love nests" in their residences.  I got the gentlest version of these draconian policies because I lived in a small brownstone with no security desk or university scrutiny.  Even so, I was delighted to hear that the policy was changed in 2007.  It did not bother me that the former policy affected me so much - in fact, it essentially did not - rather, I simply found it to be morally wrong.

But the real problem with the old guest policy, and my real problem with John Silber, is the rigid adherence to "traditional values".  Despite having run as a Democrat in the 1990 gubernatorial election (and losing, partly because he always seemed angry, and alienated many liberal voters with his conservative rhetoric), Silber would be right at home with many Republicans today, particularly on social issues.  In the Fall of 2002, as I took my first classes at Boston University and met many of my future best friends for the first time, John Silber disbanded Boston University Academy's gay-straight alliance.  Claiming that the high school group was not, in fact, a support and discussion group for LGBTQ students and their allies, Silber charged that they were recruiting brand new gays with "homosexual militancy."  Arguing that the school did not intend to provide "sex ed" in the form of a GSA, Silber shut the group down to put an end to the "evangelism" that was taking place.  I cannot speak to the mission or actions of the BUA GSA, but I can say that the GSA in my high school was a great place to feel safe, talk about school, and eat bagels.  I don't ever remember anyone trying to talk me out of liking boys.

What I find so disturbing about John Silber and his stances on social issues are his arrogance and condescension.  Although I cannot claim to have read his collected works or attended many of his speeches, I have read and heard enough to know that his opinions are set in stone.  He does not fare well in gray areas with wiggle room - things are or they are not, and decisions should be made accordingly (it is no surprise that Silber studied and followed the writings of Emmanuel Kant, a philosopher who valued logic above all else).  In fact, when Silber put his name in the running for Superintendent of Boston Public Schools, Menino was concerned that Silber would not be a good fit for the job because of his unwillingness to work in a nuanced, delicate, and careful way.  There were two categories, as far as John Silber was concerned: Silber's thoughts and all of the incorrect opinions.  While many praised John Silber for his fortitude and firm stances on issues about which he has strong feelings, it is not hard to imagine how that quality could alienate some, which many blame for BU's embarrassingly low alumni giving rate during Silber's tenure at the university.  As a side note, BU's alumni giving rate has been rising in recent years and is now at 12%, counter to the pressures of the current economy.

I'm sure that as the news of Silber's passing spreads, my fellow alumni will express a variety of opinions about the man and his legacy.  There is no doubt that our experiences at Boston University were deeply colored by Silber's policies and presence.  I know that it's frowned upon to speak ill of the dead, but I cannot and will not wax mournful about a man who I found to be so personally abhorrent.  Although the news stories I have read have at least touched upon the more controversial and memorable aspects of Silber's career, the tone is, of course, overwhelmingly positive, as is required of any remembrances of someone who is not, say, a terrorist or mass murderer.  Silber made many positive changes at BU, and I agree with his choice to emphasize teacher quality rather than simply cultivate a staff of tenured professors who no longer have to try.  He brought in Elie Wiesel after all, so he isn't all bad.  But I will not pretend that I am sad about his passing, because beneath his rhetoric and philosophical positions, there was a bedrock of intolerance and disdain.  The world could do with a little bit less of that.