Some guy

Northwestern University wipes its hands of Joseph Epstein.

Joseph Epstein has not been a lecturer at Northwestern since 2003.

While we firmly support academic freedom and freedom of expression, we do not agree with Mr. Epstein’s opinion and believe the designation of doctor is well deserved by anyone who has earned a Ph.D., an Ed.D. or an M.D.  

Northwestern is firmly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and strongly disagrees with Mr. Epstein’s misogynistic views.

Freedom of expression is a value, but there’s also such a thing as editorial discretion. Editors at the WSJ should have rejected that one, or at least required a searching re-write. (Then again maybe a polite argument that Dr. Jill Biden should not use her credential would have been more insidious because not so childish and venomous.)

The English department delivers The Cut Direct.

The Department is aware that a former adjunct lecturer who has not taught here in nearly 20 years has published an opinion piece that casts unmerited aspersion on Dr. Jill Biden’s rightful public claiming of her doctoral credentials and expertise. The Department rejects this opinion as well as the diminishment of anyone’s duly-earned degrees in any field, from any university.

You’d think the English department could come up with the word “diminution,” but whatever.

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