"Tell all the truth but tell it slant": Not in Recommendation Letters? (Girls and Boys Gone Wild in Tweed)

Recent news about a former provost who allegedly touched inappropriately, repeatedly inappropriately, colleagues, got me thinking about a serious and pervasive practice in higher education. This was after some initial sophomoric snickering and thoughts I am sure even the most “serious” academic would have after reading about this case. Letters of recommendation are written to assist…

Recommendation Letters . . . Okay to "Ghost" Them?

I am certain some of us have found ourselves in this dilemma, especially if we have served in some administrative capacity.  Someone “higher up” or “very high up,” for those of us who have worked in a culture that fosters hierarchical behavior, asks us to write a letter of recommendation on his or her behalf…