or a few months but they took him right
back with no loss of pay or position.

And then there was that dean in the History Department who altered
faculty promotion papers. Nothing happened to him. I remember one of
the Vee's saying at that time that he shouldn't be disciplined for it
because other faculty had done far worse things and were not punished.
That's sure true. I remember several incidents involving students,
alcohol, drugs....all swept quietly under the rug.

It's obvious what is going on here. Lyle needs to pull the chestnuts
out of the fire for those two new faculty he took on so they can be
reappointed and tenured. If he can pin some of their negative
critiques on Diana Trenchant, he can argue that all the years of bad
critiques are suspect and nullify them.

And, of course, Henry and the rest are going along with it out of
revenge--they are just plain pissed off because they couldn't win her
over with snob appeal. She scorned them, their exalted positions and
their offerings. That's it, I bet anything that's it. Silently
apologizing to William Congrave, Jonathan paraphrased, "Heaven has no
rage like love to hatred turned nor Hell more fury than a good 'ol boy
scorned." The medical student that wrote the open letter to The Pope
was right--this hearing is an administrative gang bang.

Jonathan was soon joined by others in brightly colored or richly black
gowns. Peacocked with the educational badge each had attained and
crowned with a mortar board which got its name from a board used by
masons to hold cement. How appropriate that it is worn on the head.

Commencement--a colorful, glorious grouping traditioned by time. All
nicely covering the decay and tarnish of some of its stewards.

THE HEARING - DAY 1

Chapter 4

"The hearing? Oh yes, that is being held in this room right here,"
advised Lorraine Debeau, head custodian of Howard Hall.

Diana Trenchant and her witnesses had arrived early. One of the
witnesses asked Lorraine where the group might wait.

"There are two rooms I was told to open. This is the best one right
opposite the hearing room," she offered, walking ahead of them into the
room, proud as a general leading the troops to battle. "I'll give you
guys the best one since you are here first and because of what you are
doing."

As she turned to leave the room, she put her hand on Trenchant's
shoulder. "Hey, good luck. You know, you are the only person tha